Residents Claim Kehler Field's Lights An Issue

WESTFIELD, NJ — Residents shined a light on Kehler Field in Westfield at the recent Board of Education meeting.

The issue continues to be lighting at the field.

Gregg Lemberg, spokesperson of the Kehler Neighborhood Association, which consists of 24 households complained about the lights on the field citing the "orientation of the lights was the worst its ever been" during the Nov. 1 Board of Education meeting.

He suggested adjusting the lights so they are not as intrusive to neighbors.

Greg Kasko, a resident of Everson Place, whose home is right across from Lincoln School said lights on Nov. 1 were shining right onto his home causing a "safety hazard" and didn't go out until around 8 p.m.

He added that the temporary lights on the field are "way above 15 feet as stipulated by town code."

This isn't the first time the lights have become an issue with residents.

It started after the field was retrofitted with turf and more teams such as the Westfield Soccer Association began to utilize the field.

Kasko filed three complaints against the board in 2015, which had to do with the alleged violation of ordinances on the basis of noise, the height of the lights and the shielding of the light fixtures, according to tapinto.net.

Judge James DeRose dismissed complaints against the Westfield Board of Education and residents had 20 days to file an appeal. No one filed an appeal.

Westfield Board of Education President Gretchan Ohlig did apologize to the residents, yet noted a "huge motivator for me is cost savings to practice on our own fields."

Rather than pay for field usage in other towns for Westfield's teams.

However, Kasko noted that if the board did not abide by the "15-foot" rule he would be "instituting summonses again."

(Image via Shutterstock)

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