Fulton golfers might be getting around in new rides this spring.
Fulton Parks and Recreation Director Clay Caswell presented the City Council with preliminary plans to sell most of the golf carts used at the city-owned Tanglewood Golf Course and lease the rest of the fleet at Tuesday's council meeting.
Caswell said that ideally the his department originally had budgeted about $39,000 to purchase 13 new carts to replace aging vehicles in the current fleet, but when comparing costs, ease of maintenance and long-term cart replacement schedules, he and the Parks board realized leasing might be a better option.
"The 2002 models are getting old, we've had several breakdown incidents on the course," Caswell said, noting replacement parts for the 2002 models' engines are outdated and unobtainable. "We looked at a lease program and for (a comparable) cost, we could trade in 47 of our used carts to lease 50."
Caswell said the ideal fleet size was about 60 or above, and a five-year lease would update the fleet with newer models that would not require much maintenance. The city would keep 13 newer models that it owned, and about seven of the older 2002 models for replacement parts and as fill-ins should a newer cart be out of commission.
Parks and Recreation considered bids from Yamaha, Club Car and E-Z-GO golf carts. E-Z-GO carts make up the majority of the city's current fleet. Caswell said Club Car and Yamaha were both comparable in price for the best value, but his tentative recommendation was for Yamaha carts because they got better mileage.