Munster staff outline $3.2M–$4M tennis-court plan, urge quick vote to hold contractor bid

School Town of Munster staff and consultants on Thursday reviewed a plan to relocate and construct new tennis courts on town-leased land and said bids for the courts themselves came in "right about 3,200,000.0," with total project costs likely near $4,000,000 once lighting and surfacing are added.

The presentation centered on trade-offs between long-life post-tension concrete and cheaper asphalt surfaces, the absence of utilities for on-site restrooms, site constraints including an underground pipeline easement and a high water table that will require underground detention. Director of Operations (Speaker 2) told the group that Musco stadium lights would be procured separately (about $180,000) and court-painting would be a separate contract (about $100,000), leading staff to estimate the overall project at roughly $4 million.

Why it matters: staff said bids expire in 30–45 days and urged the board to schedule a special meeting to approve the bid if the contractor will not hold pricing. Failure to act on this timetable could delay the project and jeopardize the school’s ability to host sectional competitions.

What staff presented: Speaker 2 and contractor/consultant speakers reviewed a site plan that places courts west of an existing pipeline easement, with an elevated viewing stand and entrances to the facility. The team identified the high water table as a major budget risk, noting additional cost for underground detention systems. As Speaker 2 put it, water retention "keeps me up at night."

On amenities and materials, speakers discussed whether to build 10 or 12 courts. Athletic staff (Speaker 4) said 10 playable courts would allow the school to host sectionals or regionals, while 12 would mostly add practice surfaces. The group generally favored 10 courts as sufficient for competition needs.

Bathroom and maintenance concerns: staff acknowledged the lack of utilities at the proposed site and recommended relying on existing accessible restrooms for now, leaving bathrooms or other amenities as potential future add-ons if additional funding becomes available. Multiple speakers raised liability and maintenance risks for permanent, unlocked bathrooms in a public park setting.

Other design questions included bleacher elevation, fencing, windscreens (and the upkeep cost of slatted privacy inserts), and choices of materials for elevated viewing areas. Speaker 2 cautioned against Trex-style decking due to slipperiness and maintenance risk.

Schedule and approvals: Speaker 2 gave a target construction window of "February to July" if the schedule holds. Speakers said town review boards will expect landscaping and finish standards to meet town code; staff emphasized the lease provides site access but not funding for construction. Staff agreed to circulate dates and notice a special board meeting to approve the bid if the contractor cannot hold the price; they noted approval might alternatively wait until the regular December meeting if the contractor agrees to hold the bid.

Next steps: staff will send meeting-date options and formal meeting notice; the board did not take a final vote on the bid during the session. The meeting concluded after a motion to adjourn was seconded and adopted by voice assent.

Quotes from the meeting: Speaker 3 said bids were coming in "right about 3,200,000.0 for the tennis courts," and Speaker 2 summarized ancillary costs: "Musco lights...about $180,000" and court painting "about another $100,000." Speaker 4 warned that missing the construction window "would be gone for 2 more years" with respect to hosting sectionals.

What was not decided: no formal approval of the contractor or contract terms occurred in the meeting; the board must still schedule and hold a meeting to take formal action on the bid. Several substantive items remain unresolved in the project scope, including onsite utilities for bathrooms, final landscaping requirements from town boards, and the exact contingency for water-retention work.

Acknowledgment of data limits: the transcript includes an unusually large figure ("$304,100,000" in the discussion) that does not align with other cost estimates; staff did not clarify that number during the meeting and it is recorded here as presented in the meeting transcript, not as a confirmed cost.

The board will circulate meeting dates for a potential special session to approve the bid; no final contract award was recorded during this meeting.