Shutting Down Some City Lights Saves $17,000

Anita Weston, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY- December 5, 2012-   Discussion was held concerning the street lights in Garden City.  Members of the Garden City Planning and Zoning Committee were concerned about the number of lights that had been turned off by the City.  Mayor Spuhler was present.  He handed out a list of every light that is within the City Limits and indicated which were still on and which had been turned off.

Mayor Spuhler explained that the electric bill for the City was very large.  He determined that perhaps many of the lights that were in the City were in areas where they were not needed.  He and Lance Bourne, an employee of Rocky Mountain Power Company, went through the City checking each of the lights and determining whether they should be left on or turned off. 

They found that there were about 58 lights within the City.  About half of them were in people’s back yards, in corral areas where cattle at one time had been fed, and so forth.  They decided to leave the lights on that were at intersections, at bus stops, and where elderly individuals lived.  It was determined that families and businesses that wanted to have the lights left on that were in their vicinity could pay for them themselves.  Many of the businesses in the City wanted to have the lights left on and were more than willing to pick up that power bill for those lights.  Any individuals could also assume the cost of any lights located in their areas.   

As a result of turning off about half of the lights a year-and-a-half ago, over $17,000 has been saved.  In addition, the City was able to get a grant to buy 20 new lights.  These new lights will be put in place as soon as permission has been obtained from UDOT.   These new lights are about15' high and meet all of UDOT’s standards.  They are LED lights so that the cost of running these lights is about a tenth the cost of the older lights.  The City will continue to buy more lights and add them along the streets as they are able to do so. 

The Planning and Zoning members decided there were perhaps two or three additional lights that should be turned back on.  Mayor Spuhler indicated to Bourne to do so as soon as he was able.

Several citizens in the community have complimented the City on the lights that they have at the City Office area.  These Christmas lights are also LED and use very little electricity.

 Currently the water treatment plant uses approximately $5,000 to $7,000 in electricity each month.  The City is trying to find a way to decrease the electrical costs at that facility.  They are currently looking into perhaps shutting down two-thirds of the plant’s capability during the winter months.  This might be feasible and would save the City additional thousands of dollars a month on that electric bill.