To the Editor:
Soccer field lights have been quite a topic lately. I would like to write this letter to try and clarify the history behind the unfortunate situation that we are in for this soccer season.
Earlier this spring I received a phone call that a light pole had fallen on the field, and within 20 minutes I was standing on the field. I was amazed at the pole’s rotted condition, and don’t know how it stood as long as it did.
Within 24 hours I was on the phone trying to order a new one, only to find out that to replace the pole with one the same length was extremely expensive.
To order a pole the same length as what was there, and not knowing what was necessary for the light height, ran into many cost issues.
I reported to the Town Board what had happened and the costs related to the unfortunate incident, remembering that the lights were not useable.
In dialogue with the Board, it was concluded that, before ordering any poles, the remaining poles should be checked for safety reasons.
Easier said than done. The Supervisor got on the phone, calling numerous companies and found dead ends. This took lots of time. When we found someone with the capabilities to check the poles, we got a report on the remaining poles stating that two poles were suggested to come down immediately.
Now three poles needed to be replaced. This raised all kinds of questions within the Board, community and the School.
What is the best road to take? We heard just replace the poles with wooden ones… upgrade the field with metal ones…with more efficient lights….why do we need lights on the field…and so on.
Hope you get my point as to the frustration.
To date there have been three light stations ordered for Columbus tournament weekend. As for our high school teams, there have been adjustments in time schedule to still play in the daylight. (Sorry to the teams that play under the lights, but there are some things that are out of our control.)
Please feel free to call me anytime to discuss this situation. I am all for the North Street field and always have been.
Mike Ross, Councilman
Town of Webb
