Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
The District 55 School Board last week accepted Sweet Home Economic Development Group’s revised offer of cash in exchange for the removal of the high school tennis courts.
SHEDG offered $25,000 for the removal of the tennis courts and replacement of them with athletic fields, useful for soccer or football, in the same location.
The gates to the tennis courts have been locked for several weeks, with signs announcing that the courts are unuseable due to safety concerns.
In addition, SHEDG offered up to another $75,000 any time over the next three years as match money is raised, which means the district could claim the entire amount this year if new money, including money allocated in the district budget, is raised to match SHEDG’s contribution. In-kind contributions will not be considered matching funds for the purposes of the SHEDG offer.
Previously, SHEDG had offered $25,000 annually with matching funds provided through the School District. The district turned down that offer last month and asked SHEDG to give the full $100,000 to the district all at once, with no match requirement.
In accepting the offer this month, board members said they wanted to make sure the tennis courts were not forgotten and would be replaced, even if they are not replaced in 2008.
“We believe a matching program will create avenues for other community members/organizations to contribute as well,” Moore said in a letter to the district.
Supt. Larry Horton said he is already working on a grant to replace the courts.
“At this time the tennis courts need to be removed because they are not able to be used by students safely,” board member Diane Gerson said. “Given the growth in participation of field sports, this field space would be used regularly by many more students than the tennis courts, as well as increased after-school use. SHEDG is willing to help financially with this expense, and I believe we should take them up on this gift.
“Whether we use the money for new tennis courts, the bleacher project or other athletic ventures is a decision that can be made as we see how successful we are in getting grants.”
She, like other board members, thought SHEDG should accept in-kind donations as matching money.
“How many times can you go to a community this size and ask for cash donations?” board member Ken Roberts said. He also expressed concerns about whether district staff would have time to work on finding matching funds.
“The courts do need to be replaced,” Horton said. “My feeling is we should take it and come up with $100,000 this year.”
SHEDG President Ron Moore asked the board to work with SHEDG if the district planned to build new tennis courts in areas, such as between the baseball diamond and Bus Barn on 18th Avenue, where the Oregon Jamboree has already sold camping for the 2008 event.
“I think all of our camping for 2008 is sold,” Moore said.
Board member John Fassler said the district had an obligation in its lease with SHEDG to allow the use of its property, and the district should not build on ground the Jamboree uses before the 2008 event.
The new field will provide the Jamboree with some breathing room, Moore said. He said Event Manager Peter LaPonte expressed it best: It would be like letting a notch out on the belt.
Removing the tennis courts might add up to 500 seats, but most of the room gained by removing the courts would be used to expand the entry gates and rearrange vendors, relieving the pressure from the crowds throughout the event, Moore said. Right now, the event is capped at 10,000 spectators.
The board unanimously accepted the offer. Voting to accept were Gerson, Roberts, Fassler, David VanDerlip, Leena Neuschwander, Jason Redick, Mike Reynolds, Jeff Lynn and Chanz Keeney, who opposed accepting the offer at all last month and reversed his position.