MONROE - Junior varsity tennis players may need a new court to call home down the road as the Monroe School District's Finance Committee has to weigh what to do with the deteriorating courts adjacent to the high school.
The courts are used for JV tennis, summer school tennis courses and varsity tennis tournaments. Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the tennis courts are past their life expectancy.
The finance committee toured the tennis courts Monday, Sept. 9 and is debating whether to build new courts or turn the courts into a parking lot or grassy area. The committee is considering adding a new tile tennis surface, adding a new top coat court or a new asphalt court.
Monroe Finance Committee and school board member Larry Eakins, is well aware the district has had several discussions about upgrading the courts in his 28 years on the board.
"We still have tennis courts and we are not taking care of them," Eakins said. "If we are going to have tennis courts we should take care of them instead of constantly patching them. If we are not going to have tennis courts, we probably are not going to put anything there that costs any money except a parking lot."
Tom Rufenacht, the district's director of buildings and grounds, said every year, he fills cracks on the court for about $5,600 cost to the district.
Some committee members estimated the cost of a new tile court with fencing could cost the district $200,000. Another stumbling block if the district decides to build new courts is when the project can be completed and when it can be funded.
Rufenacht said if a new court is installed using money from the long-term capital projects, new courts could not be added until 2015-16 school year.
"If we are going to have a new court in two to three years, we would do crack filling, but we would not color coat it because that costs $35,000," Rufenacht said.
Olson said adding a top coating green tennis surface like Recreation Park is less expensive, but has more maintenance costs because it has to be coated again. He said the new tile surface courts have more upfront costs, but don't have as much maintenance costs.
Rufenacht will bring estimates for installing a new tile court back to the committee and Monroe High School Athletic Director Dave Hirsbrunner will survey other high schools to see if they have courts on school grounds and what types of courts they have.
The courts are used for JV tennis, summer school tennis courses and varsity tennis tournaments. Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the tennis courts are past their life expectancy.
The finance committee toured the tennis courts Monday, Sept. 9 and is debating whether to build new courts or turn the courts into a parking lot or grassy area. The committee is considering adding a new tile tennis surface, adding a new top coat court or a new asphalt court.
Monroe Finance Committee and school board member Larry Eakins, is well aware the district has had several discussions about upgrading the courts in his 28 years on the board.
"We still have tennis courts and we are not taking care of them," Eakins said. "If we are going to have tennis courts we should take care of them instead of constantly patching them. If we are not going to have tennis courts, we probably are not going to put anything there that costs any money except a parking lot."
Tom Rufenacht, the district's director of buildings and grounds, said every year, he fills cracks on the court for about $5,600 cost to the district.
Some committee members estimated the cost of a new tile court with fencing could cost the district $200,000. Another stumbling block if the district decides to build new courts is when the project can be completed and when it can be funded.
Rufenacht said if a new court is installed using money from the long-term capital projects, new courts could not be added until 2015-16 school year.
"If we are going to have a new court in two to three years, we would do crack filling, but we would not color coat it because that costs $35,000," Rufenacht said.
Olson said adding a top coating green tennis surface like Recreation Park is less expensive, but has more maintenance costs because it has to be coated again. He said the new tile surface courts have more upfront costs, but don't have as much maintenance costs.
Rufenacht will bring estimates for installing a new tile court back to the committee and Monroe High School Athletic Director Dave Hirsbrunner will survey other high schools to see if they have courts on school grounds and what types of courts they have.
