Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent
The city street lights that the city of Clintonville removed in an effort to save money could be going back up.
The city’s street committee voted unanimously Aug. 5 to begin the process of determining the costs of replacing the lights with LED lights and discussing possible rate changes with the Public Service Commission.
“There is a strong urgency for constituents for getting the lights back up,” Alderman Greg Rose said. “There is no money in this year’s budget, or manpower, but it is important to start to get groundwork started to switch to LED and gradually switching over to all LED lights.”
The Common Council discussed the issue Tuesday but took no action.
“Putting the lights back up was the number one complaint by people in my district,” Alderwoman Mary Beth Kuester said. “I think this is something we could give the citizens.”
The council voted during its budget process in 2011 to turn off about 10 percent of the city street lights to save about $7,000.
LED lights provide similar coverage but do not use as much energy, thus reducing costs, as the older high-sodium light fixtures.