The City of Clear Lake is being asked to fund one-half of the cost to create outdoor pickle ball courts in the community.
Jeff Bertz, representing the Clear Lake Pickleball Club, presented a plan to the City Council Monday night. The plan asks the City to consider conversion of little-used basketball courts at the municipal tennis site on North 20th Street to six dedicated public pickleball courts.
“We feel this would be the best, most affordable plan,” Bertz told the Council, who took the idea under advisement.
Pickleball has exploded not only nationally, but locally in recent years, with local players spending an estimated 350 to 400 hours weekly on indoor and outdoor courts, Bertz reported.
Bertz said he met with Clear Lake Schools Superintendent Doug Gee, who said he would back the club’s plan if there was another place for the public to be able to shoot hoops.
The club is suggesting a concrete pad be poured in the grassy area north of the old basketball courts large enough to allow for two backboards and hoops.
At the suggestion of City Administrator Scott Flory, the local club spent $1,000 to have water samples done at the site. The report came back favorably, according to Bertz. In addition, Heartland Asphalt officials stated minimal maintenance and crack filling would be needed at the site.
Bertz estimated the cost for the project would be just under $100,000, but the club has set a goal of $120,000. They are asking the City for 50:50 participation.
The club intends to begin fundraising in January and begin grant-writing.
“We are ready to go to work for the City on this project,” said Bertz.
Other business
In other business, the Council awarded a contract for street lighting in the new Emerald Edge subdivision to K&W Electric, of Cedar Falls. The firm submitted the only bid for the job. Their offer of $99,840 was accepted.
As part of its development agreement with Sukup Ag LLC, the city agreed to offset the costs associated with the installation of an “upgraded” street lighting, similar to what the city did for the developers of the Courtway Park subdivision east of Interstate 35.
Under the plan, the developer will reimburse the city of the cost of the standard Alliant street light fixture. The project consists of: the placement of nine new decorative street light fixtures, including foundations; about 2,000 feet of electrical conduit and conductor; and a lighting control panel. The tentative schedule for the work is a March start, with completion in May.
Early retirement
Approval was also given by the Council to offer a voluntary early retirement incentive program. According to Creighton Schmidt, director of finance and administrative services, some interest has been expressed in making the program available again. The City has periodically offered employees who are age 55 and older, with more than 15 years of service to the City, who are IPERS eligible, to retire from employment with the City and utilize their accumulated paid leave to offset health insurance premiums.
Eligible employees must provide notice of intent to retire prior to Dec. 22, 2022 and must retire from employment with the City between Dec. 1, 2022 and Feb. 28, 2023.
