The future ownership and upkeep of the public tennis courts on the county fairgrounds property was debated in a special Eagle River city council meeting last week with a proposal to turn ownership over to the Greater Eagle River Tennis Association, Inc (GERTA) starting the process with debate by the Vilas County board.
Council member and 1st vice chair of the county board, Jerry Burkett, indicated there needs to be a along term lease to provide GERTA with planning options. “The tennis club would like a lease but the chairman of the Vilas County board, Ron DeBruyne, appeaers hesitant to approve a long term lease,” Burkett said. “I propose Vilas County give the courts to them as a non-profit 501 (c)(3). We could provide a letter from the city to the county saying the city would not oppose this action. The current two year lease doesn't allow the tennis club to make long term plans.”
The idea was supported by council members Kim Schaffer and Ron Kressin as well as city administrator Joe Laux and GERTA spokesperson Sue Richmond.
The council adopted a motion that directed Mayor Jeff Hyslop to write a letter to Vilas County not opposing transferring the courts to GERTA with a clause the property would revert back to the public entity surrounding the courts and not ever be sold.
Mayor Hyslop said he would expect the county would ask to city if we wanted ownership and this letter just passes that. It's expected the county to debate this idea with the public property committee before any action by the full county board.
