Holiday lights give Selectmen pause

Posted Thursday, December 20, 2007 1:51 pm

The board ultimately approved the request with a few caveats and after some discussion during its regularly scheduled meeting last night.

Times have changed

Dlugosz and fellow Selectmen Peter Fish and Alan Inglis all noted that, in this era of conservation and with the town trying to be more ecologically friendly, the concept of stringing electric lights across the streets for six or seven weeks during the holiday season appeared to go against that idea.

The town, said Dlugosz, supports green initiatives and conservation. Leaving electric lights on at night is not necessarily in line with that, he said.

"I don't get as much joy out of (Christmas lights) as I used to," agreed Fish. "At a minimum, I'd like to ask the Chamber for a judicious use of the lights."

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Fish suggested that the board could work with the Chamber of Commerce to seek another way to observe Christmas as a community.

Town Manager Burke E. LaClair pointed out that the town does not pay for the lights. Rather, a private fund set up by the Chamber covers the cost.

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LaClair said the Chamber strings one set of lights across Main Street and a second set across Railroad Street. He said he did not know exactly how many lights are used.

Dlugosz said that energy conservation  not cost  was really the issue.

Keeping with the theme

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"The argument in favor of this," said Selectmen Chairman Anthony Blair, "is that as an economy based on tourism, the town is making an attempt to look festive. And that looking festive is a benefit to the merchants here, who derive a large portion of their income from the holiday season."

That said, Blair admitted that he did not disagree with the comments of his fellow board members.

"Many communities have found other ways to decorate their town for the holidays," he said.

Blair said he found Dlugosz's argument "principled, but I think it's unfair to turn (the Chamber) down at this late date."

Dlugosz agreed. He made a motion to approve the installation of the lights and to put the Chamber on notice to find a more energy-efficient way of celebrating the holidays next year. In addition, the lights are to be turned off by 10 every night. The motion passed 4-0.