Evansville Park Board mulls removal of baseball lights? Are football and soccer lights next?

(Ed.note; This is a portion of the recent Evansville park Board minutes:)

Discussion on ball field lights – John Rasmussen was present to discuss the city charges for lights. Affects of removing lights – affects ball leagues, co-ed softball, soccer, relay for life, 4th of July, park store and pool will be affected, kids and family’s will not participate in park activities. Removing would be a grave mistake, as for cost, we are in the middle to high range with other communities. $5.90 per hour is the actual cost of electricity used; the base fee is $275.00 per month. Change in base rate would have to go thru Public Service Commission (PSC). Park could charge a small fee to recover energy cost. Lights could be addressed at next PSC rate hearing so that the City would own them instead of Water & Light. Changes that would occur with a rate case – electrical rate would triple for energy cost, customer cost would be $7.00 per month, city would have to maintain them, basically change bulbs ($15.00 each), typically about 12 bulbs per year, overall savings would be about 2/3’s of current cost. Rate cases are about $10,000.00 to request change. Rod Courtier questioned the cost of maintenance on the ball field light power house, John stated that it is minor in cost. John wrote a policy on ball field use, restricting the use and timing of turn on, he is not sure if it is still around. There is a policy for keys and use. Jon Frye thanked John Rasmussen for his research on helping resolve the light situation. Fred questioned what the alternatives are for the ball leagues? Jon stated they could play earlier, but it would be difficult. Farnsworth motion to recommend that W&L donate lights to the City of Evansville to restructure the fees for ball field lighting and Public Works to accept the donation, second by Modaff, unanimous.