About 105 street lights in the City of Sturgeon Bay will be removed from service as a result of action taken by the city council Tuesday evening. The final outcome came after multiple votes were taken to amend the original recommendation from the city’s community protection & services committee. The idea is to save about $18,000 annually by making the lights go dark. Each year, the city spends about $190,000 for maintenance & energy use for more than 1100 lights. During preliminary voting on the matter, the council defeated a proposal from Alderman John Lodl that five street lights be added to the removal list, but instead brought back two of the five. Council members also decided not to remove bulbs from some light fixtures to test if they were really needed. While the lights will be removed in locations across the city, Alderman Stu Fett, who sits on the Sturgeon Bay Utility Commission, says there is an alternative for residents who want to retain a street light near their homes…[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/N1533.mp3|titles=Alderman Stu Fett]
The criteria used to determine which lights should stay & which should go indicated that…”A light be provided at every road intersection & at locations approximately 500 feet from each intersection if possible…”
“That lighting be left near schools, churches & public gathering locations…
“That high visibility pedestrian areas be left as is.”
