A prohibition on bicycles around the Marshall Square could come off the books later this month.

The Marshall City Council voted 7-0 at their meeting Tuesday, July 1 to accept the first of two readings of a measure that would lift the ban on bicycle riding around the courthouse square. A separate ordinance would keep in place the ban on riding bicycles on sidewalks in front of businesses, meaning that cyclists would have to stay on the streets. Mayor Craig Thompson…

A second reading of the proposed repeal will take place at the next council meeting July 15. During discussion on the ordinance, police chief Mike Donnell reminded residents of city ordinances regulating the use of electric-powered bicycles, including a ban on their use by kids under 16. He says officers have been dealing with multiple incidents involving cyclists not abiding by city ordinance or the rules of the road.

Also Tuesday night, the council agreed to Thompson’s recommendation that Carter Fawkes become the next councilman from the Fourth Ward. Thompson says that Fawkes is a retired teacher.

Fawkes will be sworn in prior to the next meeting. With Thompson now sworn in as mayor, the council also decided Tuesday to name second ward councilman Nathan Swisher the new mayor pro tem.

Additionally, the Marshall City Council gave first reading to their annual ordinance establishing their conflict of interest policy, with no changes made from last year’s version.