Mali LaGoe caught Scotts Valley City Council off-guard with some major announcements at the body’s regularly-scheduled meeting today.
“After extensive public outreach, it’s been determined that the highest and best use of the Siltanen ballfields is to immediately convert them to the largest dog park in Santa Cruz County,” said LaGoe, in her typical bright, conversational tone. “Off-leash dogs will be able to run and play in bliss, without fear of slipping on a rogue softball or bat.”
This will allow the local canines to dig up gopher holes “to their heart’s delight,” she added.
“And with this change, we can then build 50 new pickleball courts at the Al Shugart Park, where we were planning to build the dog park,” LaGoe stated.
“These courts can be opened 24/7, with permanent lights—and the neighbors at Skypark won’t hear a thing.”
The reconfiguration of parks infrastructure will solve multiple problems, given that there’s a shortage of both dog a pickleball facilities in the community, the City Manager continued.
‘At least they won’t have to listen to pickleballs’
—City Manager Mali LaGoe
“However, in Skypark, the sound of pickleballs will soon be replaced by airplane traffic, as the FAA has asked the City to reopen the Skypark Airport, in order to address the delays as SFO and SJC, due to the shortages of TSA workers,” LaGoe said. “A new runway will be constructed this week, spanning the Town Center site, through Skypark, to accommodate small commercial flights.”
LaGoe reported that she had visited the site with the FAA earlier in the day and learned there is a risk that some neighboring houses could have shingles blown off or windows broken, with the planes taking off an landing so close.
“But at least they won’t have to listen to pickleballs,” she added. “Oh—and that means that soccer will be moved to MacDorsa Park for the rest of this season.”
She concluded by asking people to follow the municipality’s accounts on social media and to sign up for their newsletter, but didn’t mention the date.
LaGoe’s presentation drew clapping and laughter from City Council, as Mayor Donna Lind pointed out it’s April 1—AKA April Fool’s Day.
“Well done,” Lind said, rating this report even better than a similar one previously provided by Derek Timm, when he was mayor.
“That was an April Fool’s joke, for the record,” LaGoe admitted, knowing she’d achieved quite the spectacular mic-drop moment in Council Chambers.
