Unsafe stadium poles prompt rapid replacement of lights at Liberty and Westminster; crews install LED systems to keep fall sports on schedule

A structural report flagged the stadium light poles at Liberty and Westminster high schools as unsafe, and school and county facilities staff moved quickly to restore safe lighting for fall athletics, officials said at the joint meeting.

School leaders described an urgent timeline: staff found the existing poles on the ground within 24 hours and then coordinated expedited procurement and installation of new poles and LED fixtures. The district selected Musco LED systems already in use at some county recreation sites; facilities staff said that prior county installations helped shorten vendor checks and installation time.

John (school staff) credited the facilities teams for acting quickly. Facilities supervisor Joe Morningstar and assistant supervisor Dave Valentine oversaw procurement and installation; Valentine worked long shifts while crews installed poles and LED arrays, staff said. The companies installed eight poles at each stadium and completed wiring and commissioning in time to support scheduled home games.

Officials described the new LED fixtures as modern, programmable and safer to maintain than the old systems: the LED fixtures provide computer-controlled, zoned lighting (instant on/off and dimming), use smaller replaceable LED modules and keep control equipment at ground level to reduce risky access at elevation. The district and county also said the LED systems meet the lighting performance the schools need for competition and spectator visibility.

No athletic season was canceled, officials said, and the district planned on-site testing before subsequent games. The district acknowledged additional costs for an unexpected capital need but presented the rapid work as necessary to preserve student activity and public-safety expectations for school events.