A new policy for controlling lights at Recreation Department-run fields and courts was approved by the City Council on Aug. 12, despite some confusion coming out of the Committee meeting on the issue.
The purpose of the policy, said Councilor Tony Palmoba (chair of the Committee on Parks and Recreation) is to have effective lighting while balancing community needs, public access and energy conservation.
Generally, lights will turn on at fields and courts at sunset and turn off at designated closing times. The closing time varies by the facility, and typcally lights will be on if the facility has been booked. Recreation Department staff can also control the lights. A few facilities — the basketball courts at Arsenal, Moxley and Saltonstall parks — have push-button controls which allow people to hit the button and turn on the lights for an hour.
The lighting policy has specific rules for different facilities. The lights go off at 10 p.m. at Arsenal, Casey, Filippello, Saltonstall parks, and Victory Field (9 p.m. in winter months). At Moxley Field, the lights are turned off by 9 p.m.
Lights are controlled in three different ways: a phone call to the Musco Lighting Center, remotely with the Musco Lighting app, and using the Musco Lighting website.
Confusion Among Councilors
Palomba noted that members of the Committee on Parks and Recreation, and others at the meeting on March 27 left with some confusion.
“I had left that meeting with a different impression of what we had decided and felt that one of the issues around Victory Field was not resolved in terms of when the lights would be on and off,” he said. “I had considered maybe seeing if we could reconvene the committee to do that. After consultation with my other members of the Committee, it was clear that we should go through the process of having this brought to the Council for a vote, which we are doing now, I would like to reconvene the committee to look at the final proposal.”
Councilor Caroline Bays agreed.
“That meeting was very confusing, and I don’t think that we all quite understood what we were endorsing,” she said. “And I would prefer, before we vote on endorsing this that we have a meeting with Mr. (Recreation Director Ernie) Thebado so that we can clarify exactly what he was going to do.”
Councilor Lisa Feltner said she believed the issues had been dealt with.
“Everyone seemed on board when the meeting ended,” she said. “People that attended seemed satisfied. The Recreation Department indicated flexibility.”
City Manager George Proakis urged moving ahead with a policy, even if it has to be adjusted. He noted that the meeting was several months ago, and that the new policy replaces one which many people are dissatisfied with.
“While the staff and I are always available to come to a Council meeting or committee meeting to discuss updates and improvements,” he said, “I would just encourage the idea that having something better than the previous version in place now, even if we get a referral to do another review of it, puts us in a better position than leaving this unapproved and still sitting with the old set of rules in place without this new set in place that’s before you tonight.”
Councilor Vincent Piccirilli said that while he agreed that there was some confusion about what the Committee’s recommendation said, he preferred to approve this policy and allow the City staff to make some changes.
“I believe, to the Manager’s point, that we should vote to endorse it with the understanding that the administration will then turn this draft into a final policy, and that will be an opportunity for the staff to fix any typos or other conflicting information,” he said.
The City Council unanimously approved the lighting policy for Recreation Facilities. See the report on the Committee on Parks and Recreation meeting here.