While the outcome remains uncertain, the Baldwin County Board of Commissioners has at least agreed on options for new pickleball courts.
Commissioners decided at a work session on Tuesday to authorize County Manager Carlos Tobar to prepare bids for four possible options for new courts, to be located adjacent to the new Aqua Center under construction on Highway 22 at the county recreation complex.
Following considerable discussion, commissioners agreed to request proposals for 12 pickleball courts, with three options: four additional courts, eight additional courts, and a pavilion with restrooms.
Early in the discussion, it did not appear restrooms were included in the plans. That did not sit well with one commissioner.
“I can’t see building these pickleball courts without restrooms,” District 5 commissioner Henry Craig said. “It’s absolutely essential in my opinion.” Craig added he was not suggesting portapottys or similar temporary alternatives.
“As part of this project, it will never be seen as professional in support of our community unless we think of the human needs in this process,” Craig told fellow board members. “If including the pavilion means we go for 12 courts and the option for another four, and another option for another four, that’s what I would suggest.”
District 3 Commissioner Sammy Hall pointed out the recreation gymnasium and its restrooms are already nearby and provide an option for pickleball players. However, Craig noted the gymnasium is not open in the evenings or early morning hours when many pickleball players are on the courts.
Hall suggested making the gym could be made available as needed but agreed with Craig on various options.
“I like Henry’s idea, where you bid it out for 12, then you have an option for another four, an option for another four, and the option for the pavilion,” he said. “If you need to come up with just 12 of them, plus the pavilion; that would work.”
Commission Chairman Johnny Westmoreland suggested starting with 16 courts and the pavilion, pointing out the cost of adding courts later would be extensive.
“That would be our start,” Westmoreland said. “That’s what we go out for and see what happens, see what the number comes in. If it comes in too high, we start cutting.”
Debate continued on various alternatives for bidding out the project. Tobar noted that if commissioners were concerned with a possible cost overrun, the option of 12 courts with the three options would give the county the best chance of staying close to budget.
“You may not have enough money for all of it, even the 12 and the pavilion. You can’t guess that,” Tobar said. “But at least you have a better chance of being able to award something with the 12 and the options.”
Craig said he wanted to make sure each of the three options were equal, in that the pavilion could go with 12, 16 or 20 courts, if the board so decided.
Tobar told board members he hoped the engineer would finish project design by the end of next week. He also said bids for another option, lighting, would be in by Friday.
The next potential Board of Commissioners vote on the pickleball court project will be following the submission of bid proposals.