St. Johns County approved a $645,978.72 golf cart lease for St. Johns Golf Club on September 1, 2026. The 48-month agreement covers 81 vehicles and 80 GPS units, with an existing Yamaha fleet valued at $240,000 applied toward the new lease. Commissioners approved the measure as consent item 11 during the county meeting, around the 15-minute mark.
Golf Cart Search reconstructed the approved $13,457.89 monthly payment from the 61-page public packet. The vendor's proposal initially lists $19,019.01 a month with the trade-in paid as cash back. Its alternative cart rates, which apply the trade value toward the new vehicles, reproduce the county's lower monthly amount exactly when the utility cart and GPS charges are included.
That reduces scheduled payments by $5,561.12 a month. The county also gives up 80 Yamaha carts to obtain those terms, so the payment reduction cannot be treated as net savings from switching brands.
Which golf carts will St. Johns receive?
The June 30 proposal on PDF page 22 lists 2027-model vehicles: 78 E-Z-GO RXV ELiTE carts, two E-Z-GO Libertys, and one Cushman Hauler Pro ELiTE utility cart. The accompanying PNC Bank lease form identifies the Libertys as ELiTE models. There are also 80 PACE 10EX GPS units.
The agenda summarizes the purchase as 80 E-Z-GO golf carts and one utility cart. The equipment schedules give the more specific mix, including the Cushman-branded cargo vehicle. Chargers and GPS systems are part of the county's stated request.
The proposal schedules delivery for October 2026 and the first payment for November. These are planned dates; the September 1 approval does not establish that the vehicles have arrived.
How does the $240,000 Yamaha trade-in affect payments?
The vendor values 80 model-year 2023 Yamaha Drive carts at $3,000 each. Its initial proposal shows a $240,000 cash-back option alongside the higher monthly lease amount. A note offers lower RXV and Liberty payments if the trade value is instead applied toward the new carts.
Golf Cart Search used those revised rates and the printed utility-cart and GPS line totals to reproduce the county's approved payment:
| Equipment | Quantity | Monthly calculation after trade-in |
|---|---|---|
| RXV ELiTE | 78 | 78 × $116.53 = $9,089.34 |
| Liberty | 2 | 2 × $225.93 = $451.86 |
| Hauler Pro ELiTE | 1 | $411.20 |
| PACE 10EX GPS | 80 | $3,505.49 for the GPS group |
| Total | 81 vehicles, 80 GPS units | $13,457.89 |
Multiplying $13,457.89 by 48 gives $645,978.72, matching the authorization. The original $19,019.01 monthly schedule totals $912,912.48 over the same period. The difference in scheduled payments is $266,933.76, which exceeds the trade-in's face value by $26,933.76.
The staff summary describes the lower total as the original lease cost less the trade-in. Simple subtraction does not reproduce it. The proposal's revised monthly cart rates do. The packet does not separately itemize the $26,933.76 difference as an interest saving, and we have not assigned it that label.
This analysis covers one procurement, using documents reviewed September 8. We used the GPS group's printed total because its rounded per-unit rate does not multiply back to the same figure. The calculation excludes taxes, insurance, separately excluded fees, and the end-of-term buyout. Download the lease calculation data (JSON) for the monthly breakdown, source link, method, and limitations.
How does this compare with the earlier Yamaha package?
The county's February 2022 procurement packet recommended Yamaha's $732,480 bid for 80 carts, chargers, and a fleet-management system after three firms submitted proposals.
The 2026 agreement uses Sourcewell contract 091024-JCS, a cooperative purchasing contract with a November 13, 2028 maturity date. County purchasing staff cited that competitively solicited contract as the basis for proceeding without a separate local selection process.
The two headline totals do not establish which brand costs less. The 2026 package includes a utility vehicle, a specified GPS package, and the $240,000 value of surrendered carts. Financing terms and equipment also need to match before making a cost comparison.
What costs fall outside the approved lease payments?
The county's authorization uses $13,457.89 a month, while the attached PNC lease form lists $13,458.00 plus applicable taxes. Over 48 payments, that is a $5.28 difference. The article uses the amount approved in the county agenda and resolution text.
The proposal excludes applicable taxes and insurance and says certain finance, documentation, or initiation fees may accompany the first payment. It also makes trade values conditional on inspection and requires the outgoing carts to run and their chargers to work. Those conditions prevent treating the approved scheduled payments as a final all-in ownership cost.
The proposed resolution describes a $1-per-cart purchase option at the end of the term. If the club keeps all 80 GPS units beyond 48 months, the proposal lists continuing cellular service at $18 per unit each month, or $1,440 monthly for the full group. That charge is conditional on retaining the units after the lease term.
Primary reporting source
St. Johns County: September 1 fleet lease packet
