At its regular meeting last week, the Peachtree City Council declined a citizen’s request to form a volunteer school advisory board.

Council also turned down a request to allow Segways to be operated on the city’s golf cart paths.

The board had been requested by Peachtree City resident Cele Eifert, who hoped to provide information to the City Council on school-related issues. But Thursday night City Attorney Ted Meeker informed council that the city has no authority under Georgia law to create such a board.

Meeker added that he was dubious as to whether the city could even expend city funds on such a volunteer group. He was not sure whether the law allows the Fayette County Board of Education to start such a volunteer board.

In voting down the Segway access to the cart path, Councilwoman Judi-ann Rutherford noted several safety concerns from Police Chief James Murray which were contained in an email. Murray’s officers evaluated the scooter a while back for use by the police department. Among the police findings:

• The Segway doesn’t adequately protect the officer if a collision were to happen with a golf cart (and there are numerous blind curves on the path system which would increase the likelihood of a collision);

• The paths are uneven in many areas making it difficult to operate the Segway;

• The Segway is considered a motor scooter under the ordinance and if it were allowed perhaps other scooters would also have to be allowed; and

• The Segway is best suited for areas such as sidewalks, airports, malls and other places with flat surfaces.

The request to have the Segway added to the list of allowed vehicles on the cart path came from a shopping center developer that has lured a Segway store to the McIntosh Village retail center on Ga. Highway 54 West.