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Council reviews $300,000 plan to replace lights, debates fees and equipment at Lake June Park
Summary
At a Lake Placid budget workshop, council members and staff discussed replacing rotten light poles and fixtures at Lake June Park, equipment requests including a $35,376 sand-grooming machine, and whether user fees or grants should cover costs.
Lake Placid council members and staff reviewed a capital plan to replace lighting and buy field-maintenance equipment at Lake June Park, focusing on safety, recurring electricity costs and who should pay for upkeep.
The discussion centered on the town’s proposal to replace poles and lighting on the park’s Fields 1 and 2 and to replace fixtures on Fields 4 and 5. Horticulture supervisor Harry (last name not specified) said the poles on Fields 1 and 2 are rotten at the top and need full replacement — poles, fixtures and electric lines — while fields 4 and 5 would need only fixtures replaced. “Those poles are no good anymore,” Harry said, describing why patch repairs would be unsafe.
Council members questioned funding sources and ongoing operating costs. Council member Worley noted the town has historically budgeted for lights but struggled to keep those items in the final budget. Council member Charles and others pressed for clarity on user fees and whether leagues who use the fields contribute to electric costs; Harry and staff said user fees exist but do not cover lighting power. A staff summary on the dais showed a $28 hourly lighting charge when a user group requests lights, but staff and council said that charge has not covered the facility’s large seasonal electric bills, which were cited as roughly $20,000 a year for Lake June Park’s multiple meters.
Council members and staff also discussed three maintenance purchases included in the proposed capital budget: a Sampro sand-grooming machine listed at $35,376, a truck budgeted at about $20,000 and a mower at roughly $11,000. The Sampro was described as an item the horticulture crew has sought for many years to groom base pads and light warning tracks more effectively than the current improvised wooden drag.
Council members debated whether volunteer donations or user fees could offset equipment purchases. Staff and multiple council members said volunteer labor and donations have declined from historic levels and cannot be relied on to fund capital equipment. One council member suggested developing a formal agreement with the youth ball league that has de facto exclusive use of certain concession and storage areas.
On balance, council members acknowledged the operational need for safer poles and improved equipment but also emphasized the budget constraints the town is facing and the importance of seeking grants and other external funding for capital items.
No formal vote was recorded on the lighting or equipment requests during the workshop; staff said grant applications are being pursued and the budget will be revisited at future meetings.
