The Butler parks, recreation grounds and facilities authority hired a contractor to fix the scoreboard at Kelly Automotive Park to get it ready for the BlueSox season opener on May 31.

The authority hired Novell to repair the 10-year-old scoreboard for $1,550 earlier this week.

“We’ve had trouble with the scoreboard. It’s old. It needs maintained,” said Mick Lefevre, authority board member. “We have trouble with lights burning out.”

Lights that illuminate extra innings, at bats, balls, strikes and outs burn out, but the authority has managed to keep the board operating, he said.

The LED lights and control panels will be replaced, he said.

The scoreboard is supposed to be sealed, but moisture is getting inside and causing the panels and contact points to rust, said Bob Graham, who also serves on the authority board.

He said the contractor believes 15 panels need to be replaced, but the authority wants to have some extras in stock, he said.

“It’s 10 years old. That thing is antiquated as it stands right now,” Graham said.

The repairs should keep the scoreboard working for four to five more years, he said.

“It will keep us going until we can find money to buy a new one,” Graham said.

Lefevre said the authority is looking into grants and sponsorships to obtain a new sign.

“A new one is too expensive right now,” he said.

The 30 home games the BlueSox play are the main attractions at the park, but game ticket sales from the county high school teams and area college teams that use the field help generate revenue needed to keep the facility operating, Graham said.

He estimated that the mortgage, insurances, elevator, water, phones and electricity for the facility cost $8,000 a month. The city provides no funding.

The authority purchased a point of sale system that electronically records ticket and food sales and tracks stock.

“It will help give us an overall picture to see if we can be profitable,” Lefevre said.

Graham said the Butler Hot Dog Shoppe is operating the concession stand this year and it should help attract more people to the venue.