Mathews to continue Friday night football

By Jordan Cohen

A transformer purchase averted a switch to daytime Saturday football games.

VIENNA — Mathews High School can look forward to watching its football games this season on Friday nights instead of Saturday afternoons.

A transformer malfunction, which forced Superintendent Lee Seiple to consider moving the games to daytime Saturdays, has been resolved.

Seiple said he was able to locate a less-expensive transformer and has allocated $14,300 for its purchase from Progressive Electrical Contractors, Niles. He expects installation to be completed in time for the Mustangs’ first home game against Western Reserve on Aug. 22.

Seiple had disclosed in June that he was considering having the games on Saturdays because of the expense of replacing the transformer, which at that time had been estimated at more than $23,000.

The superintendent said the replacement would not be mobile and could prove to be an unnecessary expense should a new stadium be part of a major construction program that will go to the voters next year.

A dozen Mathews district parents and fans protested to the board of education against Saturday football during its meeting last month. There were no statements from the public in favor of the change.

Seiple said Tuesday he was satisfied with the cost even though the new transformer cannot be removed from the light stanchion. Coincidentally, the source of funding for the purchase, a five-year, 2-mill permanent improvement levy, was renewed by voters last November.

In another item, the board rescinded its July vote to lower the current 9.76-mill tax levy to 9.25 mills, only to approve it again Tuesday evening.

Treasurer Teri Andrika explained that state law requires four affirmative votes and only three members attended last month’s meeting. All five board members voted in favor, and the reduced issue will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Meanwhile, the board and the representatives of the Mathews Education Association representing the district’s 67 teachers resumed contract negotiations after the brief board meeting. The teacher contract expires Aug. 24.