Council approves sports‑court design contract, contingent on funding; CDBG covers part of project

Denison — The City Council on Dec. 29 approved a professional‑services agreement with Sunrise Services to design new sports courts, with the condition that no construction work will proceed until the city secures required grant funding.

Staff and a Sunrise Services representative told the council the project was estimated higher than earlier engineering figures and that the current Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) request is for $250,000. City staff said the CDBG program is competitive and that the city currently has roughly $215,000 in a dedicated savings account for the project; combined with CDBG the city expects about $465,000 but engineering estimates could approach $900,000 for the full build.

Because of the funding gap, staff outlined two options: split the project (build pickleball courts first, then basketball and lighting later) or pursue additional grants such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and Outdoor Recreation grants. Staff said combining design work for both facilities could save roughly 15–20% on engineering fees. Council voted to approve the contract on the condition that no work proceed until funding is committed and to permit later amendment if the city can combine the projects to save money.

Next steps: staff will finalize the professional‑services contract with the contingency language, complete required CDBG modifications and submit final applications in January, and continue pursuing additional funding sources.