STREET LIGHT DECOMMISSIONING – ANNOUNCING UPCOMING PUBLIC MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 17

As has been previously reported, several months ago, members of the Energy Committee approached the Town Manager and Board of Selectmen expressing a desire to examine the Town’s existing street lights and potentially identify lights for decommissioning. The primary motivation for decommissioning various lights would be annual utility cost savings and the environmental benefits of reduced energy consumption from non-renewable sources. In order to be considered for decommissioning, a given light needs to meet certain criteria. For instance, the illumination being provided by a given light must not be serving a useful public purpose and/or it must be demonstrated that the light is duplicating illumination from another nearby light source in an unnecessary manner. In the weeks and months that followed there was additional discussion between members of the Energy Committee and the Town’s administration as efforts were made to work with Liberty Utilities to generate a comprehensive map of the Town’s street lighting system. The Energy Committee ultimately prepared a list of 46 lights that they recommended for decommissioning. The Town Manager and Police Chief subsequently accompanied a volunteer working with the Energy Committee on a brief visit to each of the lights that had been identified for possible decommissioning. Many of the lights that had been identified by members of the Energy Committee for potential decommissioning were perceived by the Town Manager and Police Chief as serving a useful purpose (promoting public safety being a primary consideration) and it was agreed that further review would be needed. After further evaluating the illumination provided be each during nighttime hours, the Police Department and DPW provided their concurrence for decommissioning 27 of the 46 proposed lights. An additional two lights were also suggested for decommissioning by the Police Department and DPW.

The Town Manager has reviewed the subset of street lights proposed for decommissioning by the Police Department and DPW, and is in agreement with their recommendations. However, in the interest of transparency and encouraging resident input on this important subject, final decisions on the proposed decommissioning of the 29 street lights will not be made until there is opportunity to discuss this matter publicly at the Board of Selectmen’s September 17 business meeting (which will start at 6:00 PM in the DPW Building Conference Room).

A complete list of the street lights currently being proposed for decommissioning can be accessed HERE.

Please don’t hesitate to contact the Town Manager at 603-632-5026 or raylesworth@enfield.nh.us if you have related questions or interest in the Town’s ongoing efforts to evaluate street lights.