Schools: $65K Booster Donation Does Not Guarantee Friday Night Lights

It’s not news to anyone that there have been efforts over the years to install lights at the Beachwood High School football field.

What remains unclear, however, is why the lights are not there.

Last night’s school board meeting got heated after the Beachwood Boosters presented a $65,000 check to the board for football stadium lights.

Board President Beth Rosenbaum thanked the Boosters but said that the Board could not guarantee that the stadium would get lights, sparking passionate debate from football players, Boosters and coaches.

Attendees, who sat on the floor against the walls and stood in the back after chairs ran out, asked board members why members would not commit to putting lights on the field.

Member Mitchel Luxenburg said that the timing is not right. The city has to approve the lights, he said.

“There are many issues that are going on between the schools and the city, and it is incumbent upon all of us to bridge the relationships between the city and the schools.”

He added that for

“We need to get through this [high school renovation] project. We have a lot on our plates right now. That’s not to say that sometime down the road this isn’t going to move forward and we’re not going to take it to the city to do what we need to do, but right now we have to get through this construction,” said Rosenbaum.

Most board members said that, generally, they like the idea of lights, but none committed to supporting legislation to install them. Rosenbaum added that the board is not permitted to accept the donation without a resolution, and directed Schoen to go through district administration to draft one if the Boosters still want to donate.

Boosters President Herb Shoen alleged that City Hall does not want the lights, though he did not say why.

Schoen told the crowd, “The mayor directly told me, in a very loud tone, just about two years ago, that City Hall does not want lights on the football field. Specifically, the mayor and a number of council members.

“And it’s incumbent that — if you want lights, it’s incumbent upon you to ask them why.”

Mayor Merle Gorden did not respond to a request for comment.

In August 2009 the Sun Press reported that Schoen and the Boosters brought money to the school board to rent lights for one night game and the board turned it down. Six days later, the reporter wrote that no one – not Gorden, school board members or community members – said that they opposed the lights.

Tuesday Schoen listed reasons he has heard for city opposition to the lights: the Orthodox Jewish community does not want Friday night games, they would cause light and noise pollution and crowds at Friday night games could cause safety issues.

But he contests that these arguments are invalid. No Orthodox Jew he knows has a problem with Friday night games. Richmond Road is a busy state highway whose own noise pollution would drown out the stadiums, and the homes are at a lower elevation, which he said would provide a sound buffer. Lights today are designed to cause no light spillage. And, he said, he believes safety issues in a school district like Beachwood’s would be minimal.

Schoen added, "The leadership in this community has done a lot of things right. This is one thing they have completely and totally missed the boat on."

Councilman Saul Eisen said Tuesday that legislation to approve football stadium lights has not been brought before a Council during his four years in office.

“As far as I’m concerned, if they have the money, and they come to the proper authorities, and they do things they’re supposed to do, the city will give them a hearing,” Eisen said.

Shoen, who played football for Beachwood High School himself and is a volunteer coach at the school now, said that Friday night games would serve as a gathering place for the sprawling suburb, which lacks a town square. “It’s such a part of the big American pie.”

Schoen added that — because there are no lights to allow home varsity games on Friday nights — the games are played on Saturday, drawing a smaller crowd and making a seven-day work week for coaches.

He said the money was raised quietly over two years, and a big chunk came from an “angel” donor who hoped it could be used to install lights. For now, the Boosters will hold on to the check untill the Board contacts them, Schoen said.