Gate strikes account for 75 percent of gate malfunctions in The Villages.
The renewal of a contract for gate maintenance sparked a conversation about the gates during Wednesday morning’s meeting of the Amenity Authority Committee.
The $187,088 contract with Royce Parking Control Systems prompted questions from AAC member John Wilcox, a frequent critic of the costs associated with maintaining the gates.
“We are not a private community. We are a community with gates,” Wilcox said.
He raised an eyebrow when he saw the contract included gate maintenance for Oak Meadows and Hickory Head Hammock. Oak Meadows is a golf-cart accessible community located behind Rolling Acres Plaza and Hickory Head Hammock is not accessible using a standard-issue Villages gate card.
Those who knock down gates are assessed a fee of $250.
Last year, the District recovered about $50,000 as the result of gate strikes.