Austin schools ask Scott County to help fund tennis courts and softball field upgrades

Trevor Jones, superintendent of Scott County School District 1, asked the Scott County Redevelopment Commission on Jan. 9 for roughly $200,000 toward a roughly $300,000 project to upgrade the district’s tennis courts and the girls softball field.

Jones said the district has spent about $23,000,000 on facility improvements since 2021 and has kept the district’s tax rate “about the same.” He described the proposed work as two parts: resurfacing or replacing at least three existing tennis courts (with the option to ultimately replace all five) and renovating the girls softball field so it meets regulation size requirements for sectional play, including moving light poles, adding new fencing and brickwork, and laser-grading the infield.

Jones said the school district would bid the work publicly and that the district has already received informal cost estimates from contractors that previously built its tennis courts. “By law, I’d bid it out,” Jones said. He asked that the county share about $200,000 of the cost; the district would cover remaining costs and aim to avoid increasing the local tax rate.

Commissioners raised two main concerns during the discussion. Several members said they needed legal guidance about whether redevelopment or other county funds may be used for school athletic facility upgrades and whether such use could trigger review by the Indiana State Board of Accounts. “It’s redevelopment is a little tricky with funding,” one commissioner said, noting a past state board of accounts review of a municipal parks expenditure. Commissioners asked staff to check legal and funding rules before committing county money.

At the end of the school presentation the commission voted to table the request to allow time for staff to research legal and funding constraints and to invite Jones back with any requested clarifications. The motion to table was seconded and approved with no further action taken that night.

Jones said the upgrades could help the school host sectional tournaments and bring teams and visitors to Austin, and he offered that the district would keep newly built community courts available for public use outside school functions.

The commission did not set a timeline to decide on the request; members said they would review the legal issues and reconvene with the superintendent if more information is needed.

The commission’s tabling action does not commit funds and was described by members as a fact-finding pause rather than approval or denial.

The meeting record shows no formal appropriation or financial commitment by the county on the school request during the Jan. 9 meeting.