On? Off? None of the Above?

A number of residents attended last night’s Select Board meeting to express dissatisfaction with the current street lights. Several agreed with Ricki Carroll that the lights, which bathe residences in the middle of town in bright, orange light all night, are extremely annoying. Board Member Doug Field also reported that he’d heard from more residents who wanted them off.

But some spoke in their favor. Nancy Hoff, while acknowledging the feelings of residents, said that the lights in town are needed for safety, especially in the months of the year when it gets dark before town businesses close. Rick Chandler said they are a visual cue that motorists are entering town and serve to slow traffic.

But no one was completely satisfied with the current lighting system. After hearing a number of suggestions for improving it – keeping the lights on only six months of the year, putting them on timers so they shut off after businesses close, even installing new, lower light posts that would direct the light only to where it’s needed most – the board voted to establish a committee of between three and five volunteer members to look into the issue.

In the meantime, the board agreed to propose an amendment to Article Two of the warrant at next week’s Special Town Meeting to restore the lighting line-item to its 2010 level. DeHerdt said that the lights can always be turned off, but that it would be expensive to turn them off, then have to turn them back on.

There were certain lights everyone agreed on. The four lights mentioned at last week’s meeting – two in Spruce Corner, the Town Hall light and the light at the Belding Park boat ramp – will remain on. The light above the tennis courts and two lights at the end of Buckland Road will be turned off.

David King