MARYSVILLE – Marysville Little League donated $35,000 to the city Monday to help pay for lighting at the revamped Cedar Field.
The field also will be getting turf before the Little League ground-breaking at the end of March.
The council also discussed the playground at the field. New equipment will come later, but the city wanted to put turf under the playground equipment for safety. That added cost will be more than $38,500. They also voted to change the location of the playground so it’s farther away from busy Cedar Avenue and less likely to be hit by foul balls from the new all-weather baseball and softball field. Also at the meeting, vice president Doug Shafer of the Marysville Pickleball Club spoke. He talked about how the club has grown from 17 to 120 in three years, and that pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America. Members range in age from 14 to 75 and more than half live in the Marysville and Lakewood areas. Many play 30 or more times a year.
“It’s quite addictive,” Shafer said.
The club has reached the point that it is hosting tournaments and working with the parks department on leagues and clinics. Their goal is to work with the city to come up with a better place to play. Right now they play at Cedarcrest Middle School, where the courts are rough and cracked. They would like the court resurfaced and a bathroom placed there. They are seeking nonprofit status to raise funds to help in that effort.
Mayor Jon Nehring likened their goal to the Little League, pitching in to help improve a facility.
Meanwhile, representatives of the U.S. Census said 100 people are still needed to be hired to count in Marysville. Pay is $20 to $22 an hour. Hours are flexible. The job lasts for three months.
The count is important in receiving federal funding. They said even if only 10 people are undercounted, the area would lose out on $30,000 in funding for each of 10 years. It’s how communities get their federal taxes back in the form of helping pay for streets, schools, social services, etc. Washington state received $15.7 billion thanks to the last Census in 2010. Residents will start receiving the 10-question form March 12. Those who are hired will follow up in person to those addresses that don’t respond.
Also at the meeting
•City Council president Kamille Norton recently earned a Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities.
•City Finance director Sandy Langdon’s team received an excellent rating. “We all sleep better knowing our finances are in order,” Nehring said.
•The trees taken out along State Street because they were ruining the sidewalk will be replaced soon. •The city is working with the school district on a work internship program.
•A new resident said he has a radar gun and has clocked speeders on 51st Avenue going as fast as 67 mph in a 25 mph zone. He also clocked 76 speeders in one hour. He asked the city to put in sidewalks and traffic controls because of the nearby school.
•In committee reports, Norton said the public safety group met and found out that the records department is finally fully staffed, but they are still short six police officers. She did say the past eight new hires all received awards at the police academy. She also said crime is down, but the city is taking over patrolling Twin Lakes from the county.
