With the city of Smithville finding itself having to maintain the municipal golf course with the departure of RiverWatch from the scene, purchases have been approved by the city board for equipment to keep the course lush and green.

The deal with RiverWatch to maintain the city’s golf course expired Aug. 31 after the group opted not to renew the maintenance contract. That leaves maintaining the course up to the city.

Given the immediacy of the issue, a special meeting was called this past week with aldermen voting to buy equipment from Abell Turf & Tractor of Georgia. The agreement will mean the purchase of mowers, a tractor, and blower for the cost of $22,750 plus delivery costs. The costs will be offset by monies generated in the city’s golf course fund. A zero turn mower and spreader is expected to be bought from Tri Green Equipment for $10,000 under a state government bid contract.

It was reported in the meeting that given the $77,000 that had been allotted to pay RiverWatch the coming year and the money generated by the course since it reopened in April, there is enough money in the budget to buy the equipment without having to change the present budget.