Why Have the Pickleball Courts Been "Privatized"?

Why did the city allow a small group to take over the public pickleball courts to function as private courts by charging to use the dedicated and temporary courts everyday during the hours of 7-12 even when courts are not all being used. Where is all the money going? The pickleball courts were paid for with grant money for the enjoyment of the public.

Denise Hoffman
Key Colony Beach

Here's how it happened:

At the August 17 meeting, the Recreation Committee reported extensively on their recommendation to form a Pickleball Club. The city commission gave a head nod to the Rec Committee to work with city attorney Smits to form the club.

At the September 21 meeting, the commission approved giving the Pickleball Club a management agreement for the courts. The minutes have an extensive writeup of the discussion starting on page 4.

The City Commission will host the first of its monthly "Townhall Meetings" at the Key Colony Inn and as a Zoom webinar this Wednesday, January 17 at 9:30 a.m. That's a good time to ask them about this.