Keeping the street lights burning
Town officials are backing off a plan that called for turning off two-thirds of Belmont's street lights, most of them along residential side roads.
After reviewing the plan put together by Town Administrator Thomas Younger and listening to feedback from residents, members of the Board of Selectmen said they think it's too extreme.
"Conceptually, it seemed like a good idea when we talked about it," said Angelo Firenze, the chairman of the Board of Selectmen. "But it doesn't make sense to do this. No one supports it."
Firenze said his objections are related to public safety and economics. He said it doesn't appear as though the town will save enough money to warrant risking the public safety by turning off so many lights.
Selectmen said they still believe the town can come up with savings by turning off some lights and they are considering other options besides focusing on all the side streets.
The issue is on the selectmen's agenda for discussion tomorrow night, said Jeffrey Conti, the town's assistant town administrator.
Resident Suzanne Bass, a Town Meeting member, said she'd love some darkness so she could see stars at night but doesn't think it's worth the risk.
"Safety is an important part of the town's job and I'm glad to see the selectmen have backed off," Bass said. "I'm sure there have to be other ways to save a little bit of money."
Town officials originally discussed the idea in the spring before Town Meeting as a way to save money. Officials proposed cutting the street light account from the operating budget and then Town Meeting approved the reduction of about $178,000.
Younger then started working with other town departments on a plan. The proposal called for maintaining lights along main roads, the town's 10 most dangerous intersections, crosswalks, parking lots, business districts, and bus stops.
That meant in order to stay within budget, most of the street lights along side streets would have to be turned off, said selectman Daniel Leclerc. In all, about two-thirds of the town's 2,400 street lights, which are owned and operated by the Belmont Municipal Light Department, would have gone dark.
Police Chief Richard McLaughlin, who worked on the plan, said he wasn't happy with the outcome. He said he's glad the selectmen aren't pushing it and will take more time.
"Being a police officer, when you look at an area, you want to make sure there's ample lighting," McLaughlin said. "This flies in the face of everything we're trying to promote. People feel safe if there is lighting."
Firenze said it didn't make sense to come up with a blanket policy of shutting off most side streets without looking at the impact. Firenze said the selectmen will discuss different options and see if there is still a way to safely and sensibly turn off some lights.
Firenze said it might make sense to try a pilot program along one of the major streets to see how it will look without lights. Otherwise, he said, it's difficult to assess the impact.
Firenze said one idea is to shut off every other light along Concord Avenue, for example, and go from there.
"We could just try it and see what the impact is," Firenze said. "If it makes sense, expand it."
Firenze said different options may not generate the amount of money officials were hoping to save, but he's not willing to jeopardize public safety. "First and foremost, public safety is the highest concern," he said.
Conti said it would have cost the town about $27,700 in labor costs to manually shut off each light under the previous plan, but in the end, the town was expected to save $178,120 for the year.
Conti and selectmen said the town has received many comments from constituents.
"Certainly, we've gotten a lot of feedback from residents, both positive and negative," Conti said.
Firenze said about two-thirds of those he's heard from have been opposed to the plan and one-third in favor. Leclerc said it was about 50-50. Residents who support the plan have told town officials they believe it's a good way to save money and cut down on light pollution. Residents opposed have raised public safety concerns.
Leclerc said he's heard from many parents who don't like the idea of neighborhoods being completely dark.
"We're getting a variety of input and at the moment, we're not in a rush," Leclerc said. "We're back to the drawing board."
Belmont isn't the only community that has considered turning off its lights.
Representatives for National Grid and
Northbridge, Barre, Dartmouth, and Winchendon are among the communities that have turned off lights; Shirley, Freetown, and Yarmouth are considering the option, utility officials said.
Jennifer Fenn Lefferts can be reached at jflefferts@yahoo.com. 