My understanding of the current pickleball situation is that the town acted with good intentions by refurbishing long‑neglected tennis courts using grant funding. Unfortunately, because of the geography of the area, the new courts sit lower than several nearby homes, creating a level of noise that has understandably frustrated residents. In response, the town implemented very restrictive playing hours, which has in turn upset many pickleball players who simply want reasonable access to a public facility.

It’s an unfortunate situation where two groups are experiencing negative impacts from a project that was meant to benefit the community. While I’m not certain about the ability to foresee the noise issue, it’s clear that some form of mitigation is needed so the courts can be used more broadly without placing an undue burden on neighbors.

At the moment, the quoted cost for a sound barrier is roughly $46,000, a figure that was not requested or budgeted in the FY27 cycle. Using Capital Reserve Funds, as currently proposed, is not a responsible option. That account is already at a low level, and spending one‑third of it would leave the town in a financially vulnerable position should an unexpected and critical capital need arise. Additionally, the proposal on the table does not fully meet the recommendations outlined in the noise reduction report, raising the risk of spending significant money without fully resolving the issue.

I encourage the administration to identify a comprehensive sound‑mitigation plan and pursue alternative funding sources including grants, partnerships, or other external opportunities that do not place additional burdens on taxpayers. In the meantime, I believe the town should revisit the current restricted hours with the goal of making the courts more reasonably accessible to the public while longer‑term solutions are developed.