Lighthouse caught in middle of ownership battle

TYBEE ISLAND - When the Tybee Island Historical Society applied last fall to take over ownership of the island&#39;s historic lighthouse from the Coast Guard, the City Council was all for it. <br> <br> But new members of the City Council are now saying the city - not the historical society - should own the 120-year-old lighthouse. <br> <br> A park official says the transfer is scheduled for summer, however, and the city&#39;s efforts to reverse the deal will likely come to nothing. <br> <br> The National Park Service special assistant to the director, Dan Smith, said -- quote -- ``I don&#39;t know what the City Council could do to stop the historical society&#39;s application, short of going to court, and I don&#39;t see the court ruling in their favor.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The Coast Guard has owned the lighthouse since 1939, but for the past 15 years has leased it jointly to the city and the Tybee Island Historical Society. The historical society operates the light and adjoining museum and has raised most of the money to restore the structure. <br> <br> Since the Coast Guard can&#39;t afford to maintain the hundreds of historic lighthouses it owns nationwide, it seeks to put them in the hands of groups that can.