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Council approves Millerbrook Country Club proposal to lease golf carts after debate over costs and equity
Summary
The council voted to accept a vendor proposal for Millerbrook Country Club connectivity and a five-year leased golf-cart package after discussion about costs, storage, GPS safeguards and the public perception of spending; councilors emphasized the package is supported by private investment and expected cart rentals could help offset costs.
The West Memphis City Council approved a proposal to proceed with a connectivity and equipment package for Millerbrook Country Club that includes leased golf carts, following an extended presentation and Q&A.
Council members questioned the lease terms, the total projected cost and who would pay while proponents said the package is a lease (not a purchase) and that much of the development relies on private investment. During the discussion a councilor read figures from distributed materials and cited a monthly payment figure presented in the package (a line in the transcript reads "$210,800" as a total monthly payment figure reported by a council member reviewing the materials, which the council also described as a proposal subject to later budget detail). Proponents said they expected cart rentals and driving-range operations to generate operating revenue; one estimate offered by a proponent put annual cart-rental revenue at about $140,000 (stated as a best guess during the meeting), and staff said a full budget would be provided to the council within about a week.
Councilor Mohammed (speaker 3) raised concerns about public perception and fairness — that some residents could view leased golf carts as a luxury at a time when other neighborhoods need infrastructure and housing repairs. Mayor McClendon and other supporters responded that the golf-course revenues are tied to a separate fund and are not taken from the general fund that supports streets or shelter programs. Supporters also noted potential benefits for local high-school programs and scholarship opportunities.
Council members discussed security and anti-theft features for the carts: councilors were told the carts include GPS and software limits to prevent driving them into unauthorized areas; long-term storage was proposed at the site's old tennis-court area with a canopy.
After discussion, the council moved and seconded the proposal to accept the vendor package and proceed with lease procurement and related steps; roll-call responses in the transcript indicate the measure passed with a reported tally of 9 yes and 1 no. The council directed staff to supply a budget breakdown and lease terms for final review before formal contracting.
The transcript shows the council treated the vendor proposal as a nonbinding acceptance of a preferred vendor and asked for definitive lease paperwork and budget details before executing final contracts.
