With a grant from the Edwin J. Wadas Foundation, the scoreboard at Brothertown Stadium at Waterville Junior-Senior High School will be replaced.
Waterville Athletic Director Tom Gifford told the Waterville Central School Board of Education at their meeting two weeks ago the Wadas Foundation agreed to fund the full request of $45,475, which includes a 30-second clock for football.
The scoreboard will have a purple Waterville on top and Athletics on the bottom.
The current scoreboard will be replaced in Augusta, so the new one is ready to go when fall sports start in September. Former WCS athlete Jeff Blau, a member of the Class of 1984 who died in a car accident while a student, has the scoreboard at the stadium dedicated in his memory.
Gifford and WCS Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Spring said Blau’s name will still be connected with the new scoreboard.
The Wadas Foundation was created by New York Mills native Ed Wadas, born in 1926, who died in 2018. Wadas volunteered his time for youth sports in a variety of ways, including as an official.
Over the years Wadas provided numerous donations to assist youth sports activities in Oneida and Herkimer counties. He created the Foundation in 1990.
Gifford said he was told this is the largest scoreboard the Wadas Foundation has funded.
Also new in the fall will be the mascot name for Waterville sports. Eight options remain to replace Indians, which will no longer be used as of June 30.
Choices for the new Waterville mascot: Wildcats, Bobcats, Huskies, Wolves, Purple Storm, Eagles, Hawks and Tigers. Voting, whether by choosing one or ranking them, will be done in a number of ways.
First, all WCS students will vote on the eight names and narrow the list to the most popular four. All residents who vote on the budget May 16 will be able to cast a vote for one of the remaining choices.
The District is working out how to allow people who live out of the district to vote, and how to allow one vote per person.
At their June 13 meeting, the BOE has to formally vote to retire the Indians mascot and accept the choice as decided. Waterville then has two years to phase out the Indians name and logo on all school equipment, uniforms and all other uses.
Spring said by June 30 Waterville has to inform the State Education Department of its new choice.
Also at the meeting Board members, Spring and Business Administrator Amanda Eaves reviewed the…