Patchogue approves foul-pole change order, will continue 11 p.m. softball end time while monitoring impacts

Patchogue trustees approved a $10,847.50 change order to furnish and install two 20-foot foul poles at the Ryder Avenue ball fields and authorized multiple community teams to use village fields this summer, while deciding to monitor — but not immediately change — the long-standing 11 p.m. game end time.

The change order for land-tech job 30-01-787 was presented at the June 9 meeting and listed at $10,847.50. The board voted in favor of the measure during the meeting.

The board also approved permits allowing Island Fast Pitch and other groups to use Shorefront Park and the new Waldbauer Sports Complex on a series of June and July dates. Officials noted the leagues play doubleheaders and need later start and end times to accommodate players who work daytime hours.

Parks staff said the 11 p.m. end time “has been the time for the ball games for always” and that leagues “need the 5 hours to get the 2 games in,” adding they will “monitor and see how the residents deal with it.” That statement was presented to the board as the rationale for retaining the current schedule rather than imposing an earlier curfew.

Trustees flagged that the village surveyed surrounding communities and found similar schedules in Brookhaven and Islip, which officials cited as precedence for the hours. Officials said they will contact leagues if neighborhood complaints increase.

Board members and staff also discussed use of the older Shorefront Park field and the new turf complex for scheduled nights; the village approved the dates presented to the board for both fields.

The votes on the change order and field-use permits were recorded as affirmative at the meeting. No ordinance or code change was proposed; the board framed the outcome as operational approvals and ongoing monitoring of neighborhood impacts.