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Players and ambassadors press Cortland to finish pickleball courts, seek funding clarity
Summary
Local USA Pickleball ambassadors urged the council to fund completion and safety upgrades at Randall/Brandon Park courts, citing missing sealant, player safety and conflicting coverage about whether occupancy tax or ARPA paid for the work.
At public comment, Steve Baroyles (speaker 10), a USA Pickleball ambassador, told the council the courts at Randall/Brandon Park remain unfinished and warned that missing final asphalt sealant and a sports coat threaten court longevity and player safety. "Our first concern is that without an asphalt sealant and the sports coat, the longevity of the courts will be diminished," he said, describing water infiltration, freeze‑thaw damage and reduced playability.
Baroyles also raised spacing and safety concerns when multiple courts are in use and urged the city to clarify funding. He said local press had reported occupancy tax shortfalls as the reason for delays, while another report noted appropriation through the American Rescue Plan Act. Mayor (speaker 2) responded in general that ARPA had funded the original courts and that later requests to use occupancy tax for additional coating were being evaluated; staff said RFPs for the coating work are circulating but funding verification is still pending.
Council members and staff encouraged continued communication with the youth bureau and finance director and accepted petitions and a drafted letter from players. No formal vote resulted from the public comment period; the council said it would consider funding options during budget discussions.
