Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Tekoa and Colton school districts are both looking to replace their football lights after they were deemed a problem over the summer.
Colton has played afternoon games this fall as a result, while Tekoa-Rosalia played two night games at the Tekoa field, completing the last season of use for the lights.
Other home games were played at Rosalia for the Timberwolves team.
The Tekoa lights were installed by volunteers in 1953 and have been inspected periodically since. They were inspected this summer by Quality Resources and Services of Spokane and three of the 10 poles were deemed not able to pass inspection next year.
Quality Resources’ recommendations were given to the Tekoa school board. The report noted incipient decay, shell rot and heart rot in the poles, as well as the condition of transformer bolts. The board accepted the report.
Estimated cost for new lights – which would require four to six poles with modern lighting – is $100,000.
Tekoa District Superintendent Connie Kliewer said replacement bulbs are no longer made for the lights on the poles.
“At this point, we can’t get any more,” she said. “You just be thankful that not all of them are out. In my four years, if it goes out, it goes out.”
The board now seeks grants or other funding to pay for the replacement project.
“It’s hard to come up with that amount of money all at once,” Kliewer said.
The removal project will go out to bid on the city-owned land which the school district leases.
In Colton, representatives from Avista inspected their poles and lights in August, then made a recommendation to the district.
“Avista felt it was in the best interest of the school district not to use them again,” said Gordon Steinbis, Colton Elementary School Principal.
The Colton school board has discussed the matter and is seeking grants and other funding sources.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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