SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. — Safety Harbor's Little League program may be forced to cut the number of children who can participate after City officials said aging floodlights at the league's fields do not provide enough illumination for evening play — and a potential $3.4 million annual budget shortfall tied to possible property tax cuts has left a long-term fix uncertain.
The cost to replace the lights is just under $1 million. As a short-term measure, the City is currently replacing select bulbs, a process Mayor Joe Ayoub said could take six to eight weeks. The Little League season is set to start in late August.
The budget pressure stems from potential property tax cuts that could be approved by voters in the fall. Mayor Ayoub said the cuts would have a significant impact on city finances.
"We're projected to lose $3.4 million a year moving forward, which is a big chunk of our general fund budget," Ayoub said.
For families already enrolled in the program, the lighting issue is creating immediate consequences. Parent Cristina Radford said sign-ups have already outpaced available spots.
"Now everybody who's signing up is immediately going to a wait list. So already one of their friends that they've played ball with the past several seasons is on the wait list," Radford said.
Coach Sean Hackett said the program dedicates 41,000 hours to children every year and warned that any reduction in capacity would have lasting effects on the community.
"[It's] going to impact our effect on our community, and that's just something we can't afford to remove any kind of involvement for our children," Hackett said.
Ayoub did not rule out exploring other options, including temporary lighting or alternative fields, while the City works toward a permanent solution.
"We're actually already in the process of replacing the bulbs at fields one and four, and then we're going to look at replacing the bulbs at the other lights at the next City Commission meeting on July 20th," said Ayoub.
The Mayor says this solution will work until they have clarity about the potential tax reform.
In an email, the Safety Harbor Little League Board of Directors sent Tampa Bay 28 this statement:
"Safety Harbor Little League values its longstanding relationship with the City of Safety Harbor and remains hopeful that a solution can be reached that benefits the more than 400 children in the league and the entire community. Our shared goal is to provide a safe environment for the children and families who use these fields.
The field lighting system is owned and maintained by the City. The City has recognized the worsening condition of the lights over a number of years, but nothing has been done. The issue has now become urgent because the City has indicated that the league will not be permitted to play after dark, which would effectively prevent the fall season from proceeding as planned.
The league appreciates the City’s efforts and looks forward to working collaboratively on both a short-term solution that allows the fall season to proceed safely and a long-term plan for the lighting system. If needed, the league is prepared to explore temporary lighting options at its own expense to help ensure the children in our community can continue to play."
The City Commission is set to vote later this month on allocating more money for replacing more lightbulbs.
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