If the average Joe can’t cruise city streets in a golf cart, then the police shouldn’t be allowed to either, according to Live Oak City Councilman Mark Stewart.

The city council voted 4-1 Tuesday to allow Live Oak Police Chief Buddy Williams to buy a golf cart for officers’ use during Christmas on the Square and other special events. The purchase will be made with federal stimulus funds LOPD was awarded. Stewart was the lone dissenting vote.

The award was for $83,000 and can be used for such purposes as crime prosecution and prevention, drug treatment and various other programs. As part of the stimulus agreement, Williams was required to supply a list of items he wanted to buy with the funds, for approval by the city council.

One of those items was for a golf cart or similar such vehicle.

“We would use the vehicle for the occasional detail work and events such as Christmas on the Square,” said Williams.

But Stewart said if city residents can’t operate golf carts on certain roads in the city, the police department shouldn’t be able to either. He said that would be “unfair.” The council passed a golf cart ordinance in June, allowing residents to operate the carts on streets with a posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour or less.

Stewart said at Tuesday’s meeting that he didn’t “care about Florida Statutes” after Williams explained that Florida law distinguishes between what law enforcement officers may do that regular citizens cannot. When contacted by phone Wednesday, Stewart backed up his original statement.

“I don’t care that the Florida Statutes say that they (law enforcement) can drive on the city streets, that does not sway my opinion,” said Stewart. “I know what the statutes are and what they mean, but it does not sway my opinion.”

He said he had no problem, however, with the department using the carts for special events. But, “when you have an ordinance in the city that disallows the citizens to do something, it’s not right.”

Some of the items on the list Williams wants to purchase is a voice stress analyzer, protective gear for the Radkids program and Taser guns with cartridges.