WESTBROOK – A fundraiser to pay for lights at Westbrook High School’s Olmsted Field reached its goal of raising $50,000 just shy of the two-month mark.

“It was gratifying to see not only how many Westbrook residents and businesses stepped up, but I also got a multitude of checks from outside of the community from businesses and others who had heard about the project and appreciated it,” said Ray Richardson, who spearheaded the fundraising project.

Richardson, the Westbrook City Council and the School Committee all worked together to each raise $50,000 to pay for the lights, estimated to cost around $139,000. The rest of the money will be used as surplus to cover any unforeseen circumstances during construction.

“I am meeting with rep from the company that constructs the lighting system [Wednesday] and moving forward with signing a contract for the installation for that structure,” said Superintendent Marc Gousse on Tuesday afternoon.

Last October, the lights that once illuminated Olmsted Field were removed after one light was discovered dangling from a pole. The lighting was deemed hazardous and removed. Newer lighting fixtures will provide better visibility on the field and work more efficiently than the old system, which was put up on wooden cross pieces by the National Guard in 1973.

According to an email sent out by City Administrator Jerre Bryant congratulating everyone involved in the fundraiser, the city will be responsible for two-thirds of the cost of the lighting project – which includes the money Richardson raised – while the school will carry the other third of the project.

As of Tuesday, Richardson said he raised $50,325, but not all that money had been collected yet. Richardson said he asked anyone who wished to donate to make a pledge, and that he wouldn’t collect all of the money until the total amount was raised.

Richardson said all funds he receives on behalf of the fundraising project will be made out to the city to deposit in an account to be used for the lights and should be in hand by next week.

“I didn’t want to collect it in case we didn’t meet the goal and then we’d give it back,” Richardson said.

Some of the biggest contributors to the fundraising efforts were the Westbrook Environmental Improvement Corp., which donated $15,000, and Westbrook’s Recreation and Conservation Commission, which donated $5,000, according to Richardson.

“The $50 checks were just as important to reach the goal as the $2,500 checks,” Richardson said.

Despite the meeting with the lighting company, Musco Lighting, Jim Violette, school board chairman, said he’s still nervous about spending the money until it’s all been deposited into the city accounts.

The committee had voted previously not to release its third of the $150,000 commitment to the project until the fundraising goal was verifiably reached.

“I applaud him [Richardson] going out and doing this but, again, until we actually receive the monies, that’s when I’ll feel 100 percent comfortable we did right thing. I’m concerned we haven’t seen the money yet,” Violette said.

Gousse said the project should be done by the first week of September, around the same time new bleachers are installed on the field.

Lights at Olmsted Field were removed last October because of safety concerns. But new lights will be going up in September, thanks to money from the city, the School Committee and a fundraising effort.