A budget adjustment of $308,200 was approved by the Calvert County Commissioners Jan. 14, meaning that a plan to install lights at the Solomons Town Center Park (STCP) may move forward. The adjustment was OK’d following a public hearing. According to a memo from Calvert County Government’s Capital Projects Analyst Julie Paluda, “energy efficient, dark sky friendly field lighting” is to be installed on the park’s multi-purpose fields. “We’re lighting an entire area, two or three fields,” said Walter McKain of the Division of Parks and Recreation.
“It will give us a lot of flexibility.” Paluda stated $241,000 was approved for the project in fiscal year (FY) 2014 with $180,750 the funding coming from Maryland Program Open Space grants and $60,250 in general funds. In order to fund the contract for the vendor, Musco Lighting, the Department of Finance and Budget recommended using $246,924 from the completed STCP restroom project, $12,416 from the park’s preliminary design and $48,860 from prior approved repair and maintenance funds from the Cove Point Park project. Musco Lighting’s contract includes installation, equipment, a 25-year warranty, two full re-lampings and repairs.
The lights will be monitored via the Internet. McKain said the monitoring site is in Missouri. The park, which is located off Dowell Road and was dedicated in 2011, continues to be developed. Commissioner Gerald W. “Jerry” Clark [R] asked if there were any plans to include a basketball court at the park. “It’s one of the things we thought of,” said Parks and Recreation Division Chief Doug Meadows, who indicated that was likely to be an additional park amenity in the future.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
