The young boy stood on the fringe of a crowd gathered Thursday afternoon to welcome Gov. Sonny Perdue to Peachtree City and leaned toward the group of adults to ask, "Has he signed the new law yet?"

No, he was told - the governor was running late, but should be there around 1:30.

"What time is it?" the teen asked.

"1:15," came the reply from State Rep. Virgil Fludd, one of dozens of politicians and dignitaries waiting for Perdue's visit.

The boy sighed and turned away, frustrated that he'd have to wait another 15 or 20 minutes to once again get behind the wheel of a golf cart in Peachtree City, a privilege that would be restored just moments later in a bill-signing ceremony in front of the Gathering Place senior center.

When Perdue and First Lady Mary Perdue did roll up just before 1:30, it was in a golf cart caravan accompanied by Sen. Mitch Seabaugh and Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, sponsors of HB 1063 that gave Peachtree City the right to set its own rules and regulations allowing unlicensed and underaged drivers to operate carts.

He was greeted by resident Ashley Keeney, who lives with a physical handicap, holding a sign that read "Thank you Gov. Perdue - I'm living independently again!" As he signed the poster, Perdue asked, "Young lady, will this help make your life easier?"

Keeney nodded enthusiastically.

The welcoming crowd was heavy on senior citizens and teens, many of them representing the Peachtree City Youth Council that lobbied hard to get the new law in place.

Before introducing the governor, Westmoreland explained the terms of the new law and urged the youngsters to "be responsible."

Perdue echoed that sentiment when he took the podium.

"Now there will be a lot of older folks out there on the cart paths starting today and they'll run over you if you're not careful," Perdue said to laughter. "So you young people, be careful."

Perdue called the Peachtree City golf cart legislation a good example of democracy in action.

"Whenever the people give clear direction about what they want, it's the responsibility of the legislature to do what they want," he said. "This is a great example of your representatives being accountable to the constituents."

Then he added, "I'm preaching to the choir here, because I know when you people in Peachtree City have something to say, you don't have a problem being heard."

Residents young and old were encouraged by Mayor Steve Brown to crowd in for the actual bill signing and photo op, which Brown followed by presenting Perdue with a proclamation declaring this week "Alternative Fuel Transportation Week" in the city and a copy of the Fayette Recreational Path System map and guidebook.

"There's always a golf cart in Peachtree City with your name on it," Brown told Perdue.

Meanwhile, administrators at McIntosh High are preparing to welcome back some golf cart driving students to campus starting Monday.

Principal Tracie Fleming said the school will sell golf cart parking permits for the first time this year through the month of May, though the fee will be pro-rated.

Revenue from the parking permits goes to pay the salary of the school's parking lot security attendant, a fund which fell short this year because construction on the school gym cut into the number of regular student parking spots and generated far less revenue than expected.

The parking crunch has been a headache all year.

"It's a positive for us that some kids will be able to drive our golf carts and park them over there in the golf cart lot again," said Fleming.

Some students have been driving carts and parking them along Steven's Entry and Prime Point behind the stadium, which the city has apparently allowed though a few tickets have been given out for illegal parking, Fleming said.

Students have not been allowed to park at Holy Trinity Catholic Church next door to McIntosh, said Fleming, at the church's request. But the congregation has allowed for faculty and staff to park next door, which freed up about 40 more spaces on campus for students to use.

The entire parking squeeze is expected to lessen next fall, when work is completed on the new gym. Though a completion date is set for December, school board members were told Monday that the contractor hopes to have the new 2,000-seat facility open earlier in the year.

On Friday, Peachtree City and Global Electric Motors (GEM) are offering a view of community multi-use path infrastructure to officials from the state department of transportation, Atlanta regional governments and interested residents. GEM will have some of their new 2005 models available for test drives on a select course within the city. The program begins with a press conference at 9:30 a.m. and will end at 2 p.m.

Residents interested in attending the GEM demonstration on Friday can come to Drake Field next to City Hall and the Peachtree City Library on Willowbend Road at 9:30 a.m.