GULF SHORES, Ala. – Gulf Shores OK’d a contract with Fitco Fitness for $83,840 to lease exercise equipment in the fitness center at the Bodenhamer Recreation Center.

The council discussed the contract in a work session on Monday and then approved the contract in the regular council meeting that followed.

“Instead of making a capital purchase to move those out and purchase new we came up with a lease arrangement,” Grant Brown, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Director, said. “And we put an open bid out for equipment and we would recommend approval of Fitco Fitness’s bid. It’s a three-year lease on the equipment.”

The current equipment is aging and there is a current costly repair contract to keep the machines in working order.

“The idea behind this is the fitness center having the most up to date, best equipment at all times,” Brown said. “This completely includes all the maintenance costs which we are going through a significant amount of repair items. We’ve got a contract with a company that has to come in and pay a contract fee for them to come in and fix our machines.”

The lease agreement will include all maintenance and repairs required during the lease period.

“Full maintenance, 24-hour response time,” Brown said. “Something goes down, the cost to repair, all travel, everything. It’s their equipment. They’ll keep it up and running for the period of the lease.”

Buying the equipment outright would cost essentially the same amount, but would not include maintenance.