Good things happen when people work together.
A perfect example of that simple philosophy will soon be seen shining in Highlands when new stadium lights are installed at the town baseball field on 4th Street.
While lighting one baseball field may not sound like a monumental task, it has been nothing more than a dream for the Town of Highlands for several years. With a price tag of $275,000 for the latest and best technology, the project was pushed from one annual operating budget to the next.
That is until Thursday when town manager Josh Ward informed the Highlands Board of Commissioners the stadium lights had been split between the town and county’s proposed budgets. If approved, each entity will pay $137,500 for the lights and their installation. There was almost a visible sigh of relief from the commissioners, who have understood for years that the lights are outdated and nearing the end of their life.
Macon County has made great strides in parks and recreation funding in the past decade with additions like the Parker Meadows Recreation Complex and complete remodels of the Robert C. Carpenter Building and construction of a new dog park in Franklin.
The county has also been amenable to lending a hand in Highlands when a worthy project presents itself because, after all, Highlands residents pay county taxes too. The lighting of the ballfield is a worthwhile endeavor.
The news lights will focus their beams on the field itself and be installed in a way that harnesses light from escaping to nearby neighborhoods, thus lessening the impact of light pollution and keeping the Highlands night sky dark.
Biting the bullet on a $275,000 project was too much for either board to bear, so splitting the amount into two more reasonable pieces is the easiest and most practical solution.
Highlands will likely get its new lights, which will hopefully last for decades, when both the town and county budgets are passed and Macon County will get another parks and recreation feather for its cap.
Being able to work together isn’t just good for baseball and softball players, it’s good government.