City Swings For Gas-Powered Golf Carts … For Now

Seventy-five gas guzzling golf carts are rolling towards another three-year deal for New Haven’s municipal green links — with green energy plans in the works to go electric when the course’s clubhouse renovations are complete.

City Deputy Chief Administrative Officer and Department of Parks & Public Works Acting Director Rebecca Bombero detailed those plans Monday night during the latest Board of Alders Finance Committee meeting, which was held in person in the Aldermanic Chamber on the second floor of City Hall.

Bombero appeared before the committee to speak in support of a proposed new three-year lease agreement between the city and New England Golf Carts for 75 used golf carts to be used to the Alling Memorial Golf Course on Eastern Street.

The city already has a lease with New England Golf Cars, through the Yamaha Motor Finance Corporation, for the golf carts used at the municipal course. The current agreement expires July 31. This proposed new three-year deal, if approved by the full Board of Alders, would start Aug. 1 and include vehicle maintenance. The proposed new contract would cost $65,000 each year, and would be covered by use charges and paid out by the golf course’s so-called ​“enterprise” fund.

Bombero told the committee alders that the city wanted to lock in a new three-year deal for these 75 used carts because ​“the inventory of used [golf] cars is not static.” She said there won’t be any interruption of service because the city already leases carts from this same company.

The committee alders didn’t vote on the proposed new lease on Monday, thereby allowing the item to be discharged from committee so that the full Board of Alders could take an expedited final vote at its next meeting in early July.

“These are gas-powered golf carts,” Finance Committee Chair and Westville Alder Adam Marchand said. ​“Have you considered alternative modes of propulsion?”

Bombero said that the golf course is ​“not yet ready” for non-gas-powered carts. When the current infrastructure upgrades at the course are finished, the city will be able to break this lease with no penalty and then, hopefully, switch over to electric carts, she said.

City Engineer Giovanni Zinn confirmed that gas-to-electric-golf-cart plan during a follow-up interview on Tuesday.

“We’re redoing the clubhouse,” he said about the ongoing renovation project at the golf course. That means new bathrooms, common spaces, locker rooms, renovated restaurant areas, and an overall gut rehab at the clubhouse.

It also means ​“a significantly larger electric service” at the course, he said. ​“There’s a rather significant amount of power required to charge golf carts.” When the clubhouse project is complete, the city should have enough power on hand to go electric.

Which, again, is the city’s intention here. ​“I think every one wants to get to electric golf carts.”