• The new courts would be located at Barsness Park

By Tim Douglass

tdouglass@pctribune.com

A new tennis court and two more pickleball court should  be under construction in Glenwood in the coming months.  

The Glenwood City Commission authorized the use of ARPA in city capital funds to cover the cost for the pickleball and tennis courts at Barsness Park.  There is a group that has been doing some fundraising for a tennis court, however, City Administrator Dave Iverson told the commission last Tuesday that he did not know the status of the fundraising.  Those fundraising efforts could be used to help replenish the capital funds used for the project, he added.

The city had established a spending plan for funds available under the revenue loss provision of the coronavirus local fiscal recovery fund established under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).  Based on that plan, Iverson said he would be using money from the administration capital fund, the park skating rink capital fund and the park capital fund to help pay for the project.  An additional $20,000 would likely come from local donations, according to the plan. 

The project will include soil work and installation of one tennis court and two pickleball courts at the former tennis court site at Barsness Park.  That site was more recently used as a sand volleyball court.  The project is moving forward this spring now that the commission authorized the use of capital funds and authorized staff to obtain quotes and bids per state bidding laws and enter contracts for the construction of the proposed courts.   

In other business, the city commission:

•Approved a resolution adopting plans and specifications and ordering the advertisement of bids for a Ravine Stabilization project in Glenwood.  The project utilizes a grant obtained by the Pope County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD).  The city will be responsible for 25 percent of the total project cost.

• Approved an agreement between the city of Glenwood and the State of Minnesota to receive a sub-grant for the Fire department to help fund gear for new firefighters.

• Accepted Mike Pfeiffer as the new Planning and Zoning Representative for Hometown Planning, the company that does the city’s zoning and planning.  Pfeiffer has been hired in the role that Fred Sandal had previously filled, according to an announcement from Hometown Planning.

• Approved  a request from the Pope County Humane Society for an event permit for Sept. 20.  The event, which will include food trucks and a 5K run, will be from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20.  The commission also waived the fee for the Glenhaven building.

• Approved a request for a wedding event permit from Christian Susing from noon until 3 p.m. on July 19 at Mount Lookout in Glenwood.

• Approved a request for an event permit from Minnewaska Area Elementary School to conduct a student run from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. on May 16.

• Approved a request for an event permit from Uptown Florist to conduct a Pop-Up Vendor event on 3 and May 24.  The event on both days will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Approved an agreement between City of Glenwood and the State of Minnesota to receive a sub-grant for Glenwood Fire Department to help fund gear for new firefighters.