LIVERMORE — Administrative Assistant Aaron Miller told selectpersons Tuesday that a request for in-kind work to improve the tennis courts at Spruce Mountain Elementary School in Jay would need town approval.

“Deb Roberts, president of Hollandstrong Community Foundation (who) has been working on this for several years, is looking to revitalize the tennis courts,” Miller said. She’s submitted a grant application and is seeking in-kind work from the town as part of the required match.

The Hollandstrong Community Foundation was created in memory of Roberts’ son, Michael Holland, who died when the SS El Faro sank on Oct. 1, 2015, near the Bahamas, she said. The foundation has provided scholarships to graduating seniors from three area school districts, she noted.

The two tennis courts have been unusable for more than 10 years, Roberts said. The fence has been taken down and the lighting disconnected.

Roberts said she was at the Jay Select Board meeting Monday and planned to go to Livermore Falls for that board’s meeting after leaving Livermore.

“I worked with Marc Keller from Regional School Unit 73, wrote a grant and we’ve received state approval for a 50/50 match for a grant of about $410,000 total,” Roberts said. Of the $200,000 needed for the match, some 60% of that has been committed from vendors offering their work at discounted prices, she noted.

“It’s not a done deal,” Roberts said. “We do have state approval (through the Bureau of Parks and Lands Water Conservation Fund).” Once it goes to the national level there are usually three cycles a year, she noted.

Roberts is seeking $27,202 of in-kind work from Jay, Livermore Falls and Livermore, or about $9,000 from each town. The towns could get together to decide what resources each could provide, such as one or two trucks to work with the contractor, she said. Trucking old materials away and hauling gravel for the new courts were suggestions.

Roberts asked whether it would go on the Town Meeting warrant.

“That’s the board’s warrant,” Miller said. “It’s kind of early right now, we haven’t even started the budget process. They’re probably going to want to look at the budget numbers.”

“Tennis is a lifelong sport,” she said. “The courts would be very accessible to all members of the RSU 73 community, young and old. It would be great for the community and a great way to honor our son.”

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