A Few Minutes with the Mayor – October 2023

At the end of the September 6 City Council meeting, I left the building with a heavy heart, after the Council had to vote on a difficult agenda item. At this meeting, your City Council had to make yet another decision regarding our current Tennis/Pickleball courts at Pheasant Meadow. The Council had the task of voting on continuing to spend funds on improving the Pheasant Meadow courts, and whether to complete the courts with two or four courts for Pickleball. The tennis court overlay would remain the same as it is now. Council ultimately voted to spend money from the Parks Fund reserves to resurface the courts and finish off the courts with two Pickleball courts, rather than the present four courts.

This was a divided vote of 4 to 3 for the Council and it was a no-win situation for everyone involved. Both the neighborhood and Pickleball players have expressed complaints for the last two and a half years that Pickleball has been allowed. Almost everyone involved has friends on both sides of this issue. It is heartbreaking and frustrating at the same time for everyone. The divisive points for the neighbors are noise, traffic, and congestion. Some also feel the single most expensive investment they will ever make, namely their home and its value, are at stake. For the Pickleball players, not being able to exercise, meet up with both old and new friends, have fun, and enjoy a new physical activity, is very disappointing. At times disrespect on both sides has been experienced when tempers ran hot. This is not the Jacksonville we usually observe.

Over the course of the last two and a half years as Mayor, I have received over 230 emails regarding Pickleball in Jacksonville. So have your councilors and our City Administrator. We have also received numerous telephone calls and visits. This has evolved into a long civil war, with both sides having legitimate complaints. The best way to solve this, and be fair to everyone, is to find a new site for Pickleball, away from a neighborhood. City Administrator Jeff Alvis and I have actively been looking for a suitable site for the last two years. Each time we think we have found a site it is usually not big enough, not flat enough, too close to homes, or has inadequate parking. We have several sites we are hopeful might work, but these projects take time. We will continue our search, and continue to try and resolve conflicts regarding Pickleball. We will keep you updated on any new developments.

In the interim, I ask that you take a minute to think about how this issue affects us all as friends and neighbors. I have met and become friends with so many of the wonderful people who live in Jacksonville; people I meet on the street, through friends, and through the clubs and organizations I belong to. I don’t think any of us could have ever predicted we would see a conflict over something like this, come to the little city we love. It is up to us individually how we react to situations like this, especially when there is no clear solution to making everyone happy.

I would like to thank everyone who has voiced an opinion on the “Pickleball Issue.” You have all stated legitimate complaints and worries. I also want to show my appreciation for our City Staff who haven’t stopped trying to find solutions for a dedicated Pickleball Park. I am very grateful to our City Councilors who study each item on the agenda, and come to a Council meeting with a full understanding of each situation requiring a vote. Even when it’s a very challenging decision, we try to be fair and follow the rules. This is one of the most difficult issues Council continues to deal with and it is even more difficult when you don’t have a solution that makes everyone happy. I’m very sorry to see the folks in Jacksonville at odds over this issue. However, I do believe, that in time, we will find a way through this dissension. If you have any thoughts or ideas that would work well for everyone, equally, I would love to hear them.