St. Clair Shores approves EV chargers at Kite Monroe, OKs change order as tennis/pickleball debate continues

St. Clair Shores City Council approved two separate actions on Kite Monroe Park on Sept. 2: a cost-share agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation to install two EV chargers and a contractor change order to stabilize the base under the park’s court surface after crews uncovered inadequate foundation material.

The council voted unanimously to accept MDOT’s NEVI grant allocation and to allocate the city’s 20% share of the project — $19,500 — so work can proceed. Parks and Recreation Director Rob Spinazzola told council the low bid for installation was $88,001.68; the city approved the earlier $19,500 estimate to notify MDOT and begin scheduling with an anticipated completion in spring 2026.

The council also approved a change order authorizing Best Asphalt to supply a crushed-limestone base and reinstall the court surface after crews found the existing subbase was insufficient. Best Asphalt recommended crushed limestone instead of crushed concrete because limestone compacts more tightly and is less likely to produce rust spots that can show through the playing surface, Spinazzola said.

Councilmember Fred Frederick moved the change-order approval and Councilmember John Karen supported it. Council accepted the contractor’s $42,093 change estimate and approved administrative authority to increase the allocation up to $55,000 to allow small adjustments — including adding up to a few feet of length to the playing area so standard competitive layouts can be accommodated — without returning to council. The motion passed 6-1; Councilmember Roussy voted no on procedural grounds because the initial contract had not been competitively bid for this extra work.

The change-order vote followed public comment in which four residents urged the council to retain tennis courts at Kite Monroe. Julie Piccolo, Laurie Piccolo and Rachel Haddad described multi-generation use of the park’s tennis facilities and asked the council to preserve one or two courts; Tony Gergenti, who identified himself as a longtime resident, offered condolences on a separate proclamation and did not press court changes. Spinazzola told the council no final decision has been made about the exact mix of tennis and pickleball courts and that fencing and final layouts will come back to council after design bids are evaluated.

Councilmembers discussed implementation details during the meeting. Frederick and others asked for flexibility so designers can add 3–5 feet if needed to meet competition spacing standards; administration and the contractor said the excavation at the site had already been started and the change-order funds would cover the recommended limestone base, asphalt surface and limited site adjustments. Council also requested that staff report back with finalized court plans and pricing before final installation.

On the EV chargers, councilors asked staff to press MDOT about long-delayed work at other city charger sites and to confirm ongoing maintenance obligations. Spinazzola said MDOT’s NEVI grant funds the chargers and that the city’s $19,500 share is part of an 80/20 match; he said the chargers are expected to be functional for vehicular charging and that the contractor name on the purchase order would be corrected before execution. Council asked administration to coordinate public communications and listing of charger locations in common charging apps once the chargers are activated.

Why this matters: Kite Monroe is a heavily used neighborhood park; council decisions will affect public access to court-based recreation and add a publicly funded EV charging point in a high-traffic park. The two votes move both projects forward but leave the final mix of tennis and pickleball courts unsettled pending design bids and a future council action.

The council’s decisions: approval of the MDOT cost-share agreement and allocation of $19,500; approval of the change order to install crushed-limestone base and overlay the court surface with administrative authority to increase the change order up to $55,000. Spinazzola estimated the court work would be completed alongside other park construction and said fencing and final layouts will be presented to council for approval with the final bid packages.