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Commissioners approve refurbished lithium golf-cart lease and $4 cart-fee increase
Summary
The board voted May 19 to lease a refurbished EZ GO lithium fleet for the county golf course and to raise the per-round cart fee by $4 to help cover higher lease costs; commissioners said the upgrade includes screens, safety features and should improve pace of play.
The Jones County Board of Commissioners voted to lease a refurbished EZ GO lithium fleet for the county golf course and to increase the user cart fee by $4.
The golf-course manager presented quotes from three vendors for a 50‑cart fleet and recommended a refurbished lithium EZ GO lease as the best balance of price, warranty and features. He said the county currently pays $2,027 per month for the existing 50‑cart fleet and that the cheapest new-lease quote posted about $5,000 per month. He also described options to offset higher lease costs, including a modest user-fee increase and energy savings from switching from gas to electric.
"If we go with the gas ... Yamaha's kinda got the best brand in town," the manager said, while also noting lithium offers safety advantages—for example, refurbished lithium models "won't allow you to roll back," a feature he described as a brake‑related safety improvement. Commissioners discussed expected gas‑to‑electric savings, the potential monthly impact on revenues and comparison with local competitors. The manager said the refurbished‑lithium option would come with a buyback/payment structure and warranty terms.
Commissioner Martin moved to approve the refurbished EZ GO lithium lease and raise the cart fee by $4; a colleague seconded the motion and the board approved it by voice vote. Commissioners who spoke in favor said the higher fee still leaves the course competitive locally and would fund improved equipment (screens, GPS and other features) that should improve the customer experience and pace of play.
No detailed vote tally is recorded in the transcript; the motion was approved by voice vote and implementation details (contract finalization, schedule, vendor selection and customer-notification steps) will be handled by staff in coordination with county procurement rules.
The board's action authorizes staff to proceed with the selected lease approach and to implement the agreed cart-fee increase consistent with procurement and financial procedures.
