Keokuk Saddle Club asks council for preliminary OK to pursue county grant for accessory building

Teresa Murray, president of the Keokuk Saddle Club, asked the Keokuk City Council for preliminary approval to pursue grant funding for a 32-by-40-foot metal accessory building with an 8-by-40-foot porch to support events at the club’s Joyce Park grounds. Murray said the club signed a five-acre lease on the park in August 2017 and has since built a 130-by-250-foot arena and other improvements. She told the council the structure would provide space for registration, an announcer, bookkeeping and restrooms.

Murray said the club has consulted Donnie Lewis and the health department about septic-system installation and expects approval to be required from the department. She said the club installed a water line and two hydrants at the site with permission from the Joyce Park Commission and by agreement with the local school board, which allowed a connection to the ball fields' water line. The club has been saving toward construction and has received roughly $80,000 in private grants and donations; Murray said the Saddle Club is not requesting direct city funding at this time but needs the council’s preliminary approval so it can apply for the Helman Lee County impact grant, which will close on April 6.

Council members said the request could not be acted on at this meeting because it was not on the published agenda; staff and council agreed to place the item on the next agenda so the fire chief and legal staff can clarify whether the site is city or county property and address hydrant and permitting questions before the council takes formal action.

The council did not vote on the Saddle Club’s request at this meeting; staff indicated they will add the matter to a future meeting packet for formal consideration.