Residents press Cerritos council on pickleball reservations, cell coverage and library hours

During the Nov. 13 public‑comment period at the Cerritos City Council meeting, several residents raised quality‑of‑life concerns and suggestions for city policy.

Teddy Lloyd, a longtime resident and avid pickleball player, recommended the city make some of its recently added pickleball courts reservable for nonresidents and events to generate revenue. Using Liberty Park as an example, Lloyd said the park has 13 courts in total and suggested designating a subset of courts for reservations and events, and partnering with organizations such as UCLA for tournaments.

Neighborhood Watch block captain Toby Balma asked the council to tackle persistent cellular and Wi‑Fi coverage problems in the Heritage Park area, saying he has been disconnected from calls — including medical appointments — and reported that carriers had not corrected dead zones despite outreach. Balma urged the city to work with carriers such as Crown Castle to evaluate adding equipment to existing utility poles or other technical fixes.

Resident Kerat Chahan spoke against a proposed closure of the library on Sundays, arguing the cost savings would be small relative to the city’s investment income and that the library is a community “gem.” Chahan urged the council to prioritize residents’ needs and avoid punitive cuts.

Council members listened, acknowledged the concerns and incorporated public sentiment into the guidebook debate later in the meeting. The staff did not announce immediate budgetary or infrastructure actions in response, but the council directed staff to continue work on the guidebook and to prepare ordinances and reports for the new advisory bodies and commissions discussed during the meeting.