For the first time, the Fort Dodge city government will be the owner of golf carts in use at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course.
City Council members voted Monday to abandon the long-time practice of leasing carts for use at the course. To replace machines that were leased, council members voted to buy 30 golf carts, two utility vehicles and a beverage cart from EZ-Go Textron, of Augusta, Ga., for $120,230.
Lori Branderhorst, the city's director of parks, recreation and forestry, said she believes spending a little more up front to buy carts is better than making lease payments with interest. She estimated that the city will save $6,000 on interest payments.
Councilman Richard Inman was absent from the otherwise unanimous vote to buy the carts.
In other business, the council approved the demolition of some downtown buildings on a site that's being cleared for a future Fareway grocery store.
Rasch Construction of Fort Dodge was hired to knock down buildings at 101 S. 13th St. and 106 S. 13th St. at a cost of $10,610.
The same company was hired to demolish buildings at 115 S. 12th St. and 111 S. 13th St. at a cost of $8,160.
The city government is trying to use eminent domain to acquire one property in that area, the shop of Larsen Electric Motor Service Inc., 1229 First Ave. S. The company's owner, Vance Larsen, has filed a lawsuit to to try to stop that. No hearings have been held in that case so far.
Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or bshea@messengernews.net