HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.a. Holiday LightsCITY OF ROSEMOUNT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR DISCUSSION
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
DATE: NOVEMBER 4,1996
AGENDA ffEM: Holiday Lights on City Hall Trees AGENDA NO. 2.A.
PREPARED BY: Thomas D. Burt, City Administrat"J�tr
ATTACHM[ENTS: MEMO
There have been opinions on either side of lighting the trees at City Hall. Staff would like direction on this issue
as it is soon approaching the time to decorate.
RECONDAENTED ACTION NOTES:
MEMO
TO: MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL p4s
FROM: BUD OSMUNDSON, CITY ENGINEER/PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
DATE: OCTOBER 18,1996
RE: HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING
Yes it is about that time to begin planning for the holiday season! In past years the
City has installed decorative lighting on street light posts, lighting on trees at the
Community Center and installed lights an the 30' pine trees adjacent to City Hall and
the driveway into the lower parking lot.
The City has numerous strings of "large" bulb lights which were installed on these
large evergreen trees. Every year we spend approximately $600 in bulb costs alone
replacing burnt out or broken bulbs on these light strings. It is about a three day
operation of installing these lights and replacing the bulbs with approximately 4-6
Public Works Maintenance workers. In addition, we have to rent a boom truck to
install these lights for 3-4 days. All the other lights that are installed can be hung
with the use of a loader bucket.
What we are contemplating doing in 1996 is to not install the "large" bulb lights on
the large trees, saving the City thousands of dollars in labor, bulb replacement and
boom truck rental costs. What we are proposing, is that "small" light strings which
are very inexpensive could be installed on the smaller pine trees which are adjacent
to the sidewalk between the large trees and 145th Street. We believe that this will
save the City thousands of dollars and will still provide a holiday spirit to the City Hall
area. Please contact me if you have any feelings one way or another on this
proposal. I have heard from a resident in the past that, "yes, it is a lot of work to
install lights on the big trees, but it sure does look nice down by City Hall" when
those lights were installed. If you have any. comments from citizens or yourself,
please let me know in the next couple of weeks so we can make arrangements to
rent the boom truck if needed, and/or purchase more light bulbs, or purchase the
more inexpensive small light strings.
cc: Tom Burt, City Administrator
Rick Cook, Public Works Supervisor