An agreement has been reached between Salisbury Township and the Salisbury Township School District for the use of the Lindberg Park tennis courts by the Salisbury High School boys and girls tennis teams.

The use would mainly be during the spring and fall seasons. The public will not be able to use the courts when in use by the students.

The Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 at the Jan. 22 meeting to approve the tennis court agreement with the district.

Commissioner Robert Martucci Jr. made the motion to bring approval of the agreement to a vote. Commissioner James Seagreaves seconded the motion.

Township officials expressed concern the public will need to understand students will be using the tennis courts during certain times making the courts unavailable to residents. Officials hope to publicize the students' use, the township-district agreement and post signs at the Lindberg courts, alerting the public.

"After many revisions, I think we got it right," Salisbury Township Manager Randy Soriano told commissioners prior to the vote.

The agreement requires the school district to pay $250 annually to the township for use of the tennis courts. The agreement is effective from the time of the township vote until June 30, 2015.

According to the agreement, the township and district would each pay half the cost of the tennis nets, if and when needed to be replaced. The township is responsible for the courts' maintenance, the agreement states.

The agreement gives the district "exclusive use" for the "playing of interscholastic tennis games" in the fall for the boys and in the spring for the girls.

The delay in the agreement had to do with approval of an "indemnification clause," which would "hold harmless" the township in case of an injury. District officials did not initially agree to this clause, according to Soriano.

However, after negotiations between Atty. John W. Ashley, township solicitor, who insisted the clause be part of the agreement, and district officials, the district relented and agreed for the clause to be included, Soriano told commissioners.

The Salisbury tennis teams previously used the Lindberg courts, but without an agreement with the township.

The hours and days of use of the Lindberg courts by the students was not immediately available at the time of the deadline for this article.

Commissioner Vice President Debra Brinton and Commissioner Joanne Ackerman raised concerns about the agreement restricting public use of the Lindberg tennis courts.

"How are we going to notify the public of this?" Ackerman asked. "It is a public park."

"As long as they have the permit displayed [it should be OK]," Soriano responded.

"What if someone is playing tennis and they [the student tennis players] say, 'You must leave?'" Ackerman continued.

"That is one of the downsides: That the courts are going to be in use," Soriano answered. "This just puts the mechanics in place."

"It might be good to put it [the Lindberg courts use] on the township website," Commissioner President James A. Brown suggested.