Club politics blamed for offfield fight over floodlights

INTERNAL club politics at the Narre South Lions Sports Club (NSLSC) have led to a small business owner being left nearly $30,000 out of pocket.
Ron Bell from DBE Floodlighting and maintenance says he has been left in the dark, holding on to thousands of dollars worth of unpaid floodlighting which was ordered by the NSLSC through committee member, Cr Rob Wilson.
The floodlighting was earmarked for the Strathaird Reserve in Narre Warren South, until funding stalled after the club failed to obtain a State Government grant.
Now the responsibility of paying for the lights has sparked various claims, counterclaims and fingerpointing between Mr Bell, Cr Wilson and the two main users of the gourd – the Narre South Lions Junior Football Club (NSLJFC) and the Maranatha Methodist Cricket Club (MMCC).
NSLJFC president Stuart Anderson said his club committee, officially formed only last month, never authorised the purchase of the lights.
This has led to claims that Cr Wilson acted inappropriately and brazenly in authorising Mr Bell to proceed with the order for the lights.
Cr Wilson says he was acting under authorised instruction from the NSLSC committee when he gave Mr Bell the goahead.
The NSLSC committee is made up of representatives from the various user groups at Strathaird Reserve, including the NSLJFC and the MMCC.
Cr Wilson said because of their involvement on the sports club committee, the junior football club was aware of the requirement to fund the lights, regardless of whether or not the government grant was obtained.
“Their president (NSLJFC) Stuart Anderson was well aware of it. If the grant didn’t come through, they were aware (the lights were) ordered,” Cr Wilson said. “The onus is on them (to pay).
“They’re the ones that wanted the lights and it was ordered on their behalf.”
NSLSC committee member and MMCC president Rob Ward said growing tensions between the football club and the cricket club at the reserve had led to the situation reaching the point it has.
Regardless of club politics, Mr Bell is about $30,000 out of pocket and still waiting for a solution.
“At this moment, I don’t know what’s going on,” he said. “I’ve just done what I was asked to.
“If I’d have known it was going to go like this I wouldn’t have started it.
“I’ve got all the wholesalers screaming at me for money and I need to pay my bills.
“I want it settled now. I can’t afford to donate $30,000 to the ether.”
Mr Ward said the ultimate responsibility to fund the lights lay with the NSLSC committee, which included both the football and cricket clubs.
“We’re looking at other avenues for the funding of the lights,” he said.
“There is something in the pipelines to get more funding.
“It’s just a matter of when and how.
“I really feel for the bloke at the other end.
“It’s sad it’s happened this way. The lights should be in and he should be paid by now.”