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Students and district push to add lights to Massapequa softball field; board flags capital-reserve vote
Summary
Students urged the Massapequa Board of Education to include field lights as a capital-reserve project; district staff said conduits and planning are in place and recommended a May proposition to spend from a voter-approved capital reserve.
Students, coaches and district staff pressed the Massapequa Union Free School District on plans to install lights at the high school softball field, and administrators said the upgrades could be funded from the district's capital reserve if voters approve a proposition in May.
At the start of the meeting, students including Mila Solito, Samantha Ports and Sienna Perino told the board the renovated field has improved team safety and competitiveness and asked the board to add lights so practices and games can run later. "Having lights would allow us to extend our playing time and be able to see the ball better as the sun sets," said Samantha Ports, a senior and team captain.
Ryan Ruff, assistant superintendent for business, told the board the field was built with conduit already run under the surface to avoid future street or turf disruption. "What we have is something called a capital reserve fund," Ruff said, explaining the district sets money aside over budget cycles; using the reserve to fund a lights project would not raise taxes because the money already sits in that fund.
Ruff said if the community approves the use of reserve funds in May the district would speed design work with architects and attempt to pair the lights project with a building-aid-eligible project so the work can proceed quickly. He estimated a realistic installation timeline of about six months once procurement and design are complete, and noted winter work may be possible for some tasks because conduits are in place.
Superintendent (Dr.) Brennan and other administrators said the capital reserve has been built up over previous years and that spending from it requires a separate voter proposition. "This is money we have; can we spend it this way?" a board member asked; administrators confirmed the board would recommend a May proposition and that projects drawn from the capital reserve can generate building aid that offsets future general-fund costs.
The public and students urged the board to prioritize lights in the district's list of capital-reserve projects. Administrators said projects in the reserve are prioritized in part by community advocacy and by the district's planning with architects and procurement vendors.
