RCSCW nets court decision

Pickleball players in Sun City West have reason to celebrate.

At a workshop meeting of the governing board of the Recreation Centers of Sun City West on Friday, it was announced that a decision was reached by a special committee convened solve the pickleball debacle.

The Court Utilization Study Committee, after researching court usage data, past governing board decisions and opinions of club members involved, offered a recommendation for the construction of six new courts, which the association’s Properties Committee unanimously accepted earlier this week.

The resolution — and corresponding revelation in budget presentations this week that $200,000 would be set aside in the upcoming year’s budget for new courts — indicates the Pickleball Club, which has been grappling with space and court-time issues for months, may soon have a space to call their own. The club plays its games on modified tennis courts.

"I think that what the committee has brought forth is an improvement to the community," board Vice President Ron Gillmeister said. "It brings an end as best as could be made to a difficult situation."

The Tennis and Pickleball Clubs have been embroiled in the battle for court space as pickleball popularity has grown in the last year and club membership has risen. The resolution marks a tentative solution to an increasingly volatile problem.

"As you put one club against the other there have been a lot of harsh words passed back and forth," board member Marty Bell said. "I think the Pickleball Club only has goodness in their heart and I think the tennis people also have the same feeling. While we work toward these things, we shouldn’t become bitter with one another."

Tennis and pickleball players who attended the meeting seemed relieved a resolution had been reached, often applauding as comments were made supporting the decision.

"The Property Committee has been working, I would say for years, and I’m glad your job is finished and I thank you for all your work," said resident Mal Jacobson.

In other news, the board:

• Discussed extending the time frame of a special committee for communications and marketing. According to community bylaws, special committees are created for one-year terms and are generally dissolved on June 30 each year unless prolonged by the board. Members of the committee requested an extension to continue researching ways to increase involvement at the recreation centers.

Board Secretary Sunny Wandro read the request in part, "Perhaps the board would be willing to establish a special committee so the members of the current PR committee could continue with their enthusiastic work on establishing a program to improve communications between the rec centers and its residents."

Wandro said she would ask the board to establish the yearlong extension at the board’s regular meeting April 24.

• Heard a request from Treasurer Norm Bunas regarding the rescindment of a contingency fund, which was a recommendation of the association’s budget and finance committee. Bunas said the fund was established for emergencies but is unnecessary.

"We do not use this and as a financial person, I am against using these kind of line items in budgets," he said. "If you have an emergency that comes up, there are other ways to handle it."

Gillmeister agreed with the rescindment.

"Contingency funds as a line item in a budget are most useful when you really didn’t put together a good budget and you need a way to get out of trouble in a hurry," he said.