(Fairmont) Fairmont city officials have settled on a location and size for new pickleball courts, but final design work is on hold for now. The City Council Monday unanimously approved a plan for four tournament-ready courts at the north corner of the Jeffery Kot soccer fields. Shade structures are included, while lighting and landscaping could be added later. The decision follows a city survey that received 247 responses. Sixty-five percent of respondents preferred an indoor pickleball facility, while 54 percent favored four courts. The council also discussed whether design plans from pickleball courts in Iowa could be used to save money on engineering costs. City staff said the city would need to determine who owns those plans and whether an agreement could be reached to use them. The council tabled a proposed 37-thousand-650-dollar contract with Bolton and Menk for design work, construction plans and soil testing. The matter will return to the council September 14. The city currently expects to bid the project next spring, with construction planned for later in 2027.
