MONROE - Monroe girls and boys tennis coach Brad Saugstad understands that at some point, the Monroe school board won't patch the high school tennis courts and will have to build a new court or the junior varsity teams may have to find a new home down the road if the court is ripped up.
The district's finance committee toured the tennis courts last fall and is weighing what to do with the deteriorating courts adjacent to the high school. The board is still 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 as part of the district's long-term maintenance plan.
The courts are used for JV tennis practices, matches, summer school tennis courses and varsity tennis tournaments. The tennis courts are past their life expectancy.
"Those courts are important to us," Saugstad said. "We are thankful to have those courts. If we do have to cut it down to seven courts, it would affect our program. If they (the JV tennis team) had to find a different place to practice and play, it would probably be Northeast Park and that could lead to transportation problems for the younger players. We would have to cancel our tennis tournament we host or cut down the number of teams."
Monroe School District Superintendent Cory Hirsbrunner said the board hasn't had any recent discussion about the tennis courts.
"It's something we will have on one of our future agenda lists," Hirsbrunner said.
Tom Rufenacht, the district's director of buildings and grounds, said filling cracks on the court this summer would cost about $8,000 to $10,000 this year.
"I have a feeling I will probably be filling cracks this summer," Rufenacht said. "They (the tennis courts) need to be torn down and need a new base with a green color coating. That just keeps them in average shape. Resurfacing courts is usually a seven- to 10-year period. We are beyond that because of budget constraints."
The original high school tennis courts were added in 1981. Rufenacht said the courts were replaced in 1994 with a new base.
"We are just getting by right now," Rufenacht said. "Right now, we just don't know (the type of court the board will favor)."
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 are the questions of 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.
"I doubt we will have a tile court," Rufenacht said. "There is not a school around that has a tile court, and the ball takes a different bounce."
Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson in the fall 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.
The district's finance committee toured the tennis courts last fall and is weighing what to do with the deteriorating courts adjacent to the high school. The board is still 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 as part of the district's long-term maintenance plan.
The courts are used for JV tennis practices, matches, summer school tennis courses and varsity tennis tournaments. The tennis courts are past their life expectancy.
"Those courts are important to us," Saugstad said. "We are thankful to have those courts. If we do have to cut it down to seven courts, it would affect our program. If they (the JV tennis team) had to find a different place to practice and play, it would probably be Northeast Park and that could lead to transportation problems for the younger players. We would have to cancel our tennis tournament we host or cut down the number of teams."
Monroe School District Superintendent Cory Hirsbrunner said the board hasn't had any recent discussion about the tennis courts.
"It's something we will have on one of our future agenda lists," Hirsbrunner said.
Tom Rufenacht, the district's director of buildings and grounds, said filling cracks on the court this summer would cost about $8,000 to $10,000 this year.
"I have a feeling I will probably be filling cracks this summer," Rufenacht said. "They (the tennis courts) need to be torn down and need a new base with a green color coating. That just keeps them in average shape. Resurfacing courts is usually a seven- to 10-year period. We are beyond that because of budget constraints."
The original high school tennis courts were added in 1981. Rufenacht said the courts were replaced in 1994 with a new base.
"We are just getting by right now," Rufenacht said. "Right now, we just don't know (the type of court the board will favor)."
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 are the questions of 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.
"I doubt we will have a tile court," Rufenacht said. "There is not a school around that has a tile court, and the ball takes a different bounce."
Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson in the fall 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.
