A) Proposed city tennis tournaments

- city eager to partner
- FoNT will write operational and marketing plan for tournament (based on USTA standards)
- city will promote and register all participants
- men's and women's singles in May-early July time frame
- men's and women's doubles in September-early October time frame- format (single elimination or round robin) to be discussed
- city will work with city tennis vendor to offer court availability at Newton Centre, high schools and elsewhere- FoNT selling of sponsorships (cash and in-kind) acceptable to city

Action Items
1) form FoNT tournament committee by 12/2/20

2) draft operational plan by 12/31/20
3) draft marketing plan by 12/31/20

B) Status of RFP for City tennis services vendor contract  
- issued via city website on 11/5/20 ( see http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/purchasing/current.asp )
- final submissions due Thursday, December 3, 2020 at 10:30 AM
- Potential bidders: Joe Smith, Phil Butera/Tim Mayotte, Mike Lewitt, David MacBurnie  
- city employees are not allowed to engage in two-way communications with any outside groups
- city employees are bound by strict state non-conflict and confidentiality bidding laws
- FoNT will NOT make an endorsement but believes candidates on balance are excellent

Factoids from RFP FAQ:

- annual gross revenue: $378,875.00 (2019), $373,563.00 (2018) and $369,417.00 (2017)

Action Items:
1) none at the moment

C) Review of Yourcourts.com reservation system

- former paper system was replaced with this on-line reservation system

- 98 percent of 120 members tested or used the system

- tested between August 15 thru Oct. 3

- launched formally Oct. 3

- 542 hours of reservation time scheduled between Sept.1 and October 30  

- each member scheduled at least four hours of tennis during the above period

- adjusted to enable at least 2 advanced reservations per week

- Mike Lewitt has assumed ownership of Yourcourts.com subscription ($30 / month)

Action items:

1) none at the moment

D) Windscreen storage and reinstallation at Newton Centre clay courts

- city has agreed to pick up and store over Winter

- FoNT has responsibility to "help" take down and reinstall in the Spring 

- Mike Lewitt will schedule and oversee the dismantling process

Action items:

1) contact Mike Lewitt re: above

2) can volunteers to take down windscreens (due to Mike's historic liability concerns)

3) folding and transport of windscreens

Note: Sami has arranged for Parks & Rec to remove windscreens week of Nov 16 from Cabot Park and Stearns Park Tennis Courts; windscreens stored offsite at Mount Alvernia High School, where Sami coaches

E) Transfer of banking and administration to Tom F. and Paul H.

-Tom, Bob and Paul met at Citizens Bank this Monday

- all paperwork filed and finalized

- debit card to be re-issued

Action Items:

- Sami and Eric need to sign updated internal corporation papers for Citizens (bank managing)

- Tom will close loop with bank within two weeks

F) Proposed Fundraising  

- Sami and Paul to head up fundraising plan initiative (purpose, goals, objectives and timetable)

- Covid-19 watch party in January (Sami)

- Next season digital photos of players (Tom F)

- Tennis tournament sponsorships (Tom F)

Action Items:

1) Sami and Paul to create draft fundraising plan (12/1/20) and final (1/1/21)

2) create branding, website and social media presence  

Newton South Courts Update: November 24, 2020

Memo from Bob Jampol  

Today two crews descended on the Newton South courts to do some work. The city crew removed the six nets from the southern bank of courts, the side next to the marsh.  Those nets will be stored in the shed adjoining the courts over the winter and put back up in early March.  Six of South’s twelve courts will remain open for play, even on the coldest days.*

At the same time three members of the Friends of Newton Tennis performed some necessary maintenance at South. First, we cleared out all the trash and leaves on that southern bank before the city crew locked those courts up for the winter. Why lock the gates?  To prevent roller bladers, skate boarders, and kids playing catch with lacrosse balls and baseballs from damaging the surface in the interim. Then we gathered up nine bags worth of leaves and trash from the six courts on the northern bank by the hill. Many an empty plastic bottle and tennis ball can was recycled, and we collected over thirty tennis balls as well. Finally, we adjusted the net heights on all six courts to thirty-six inches.

I will return periodically over the winter to adjust the nets and to check on the condition of the courts. In the meantime, I would like to make a plea to all of you who use and love our courts at South. As it required a long political campaign to get those courts resurfaced and up to speed, let’s all try to maintain and preserve them for the long run.

Most importantly, please haul off the courts all that you have brought onto them: bottles, tennis balls, cans, food wrappers, hats, jackets, towels, band aids, and so forth. The courts should not be a place to dump trash. Let’s keep South’s wonderful courts clean so that everyone can enjoy playing tennis there.

*Note: Six of North’s ten courts will also remain open through the winter.