UPDATE:Old Bridge holiday lights show: Homeowner hires attorney, will flip the switch Saturday

OLD BRIDGE - A Central Avenue lights display at a private home that has grown into a month-long extravaganza will go on despite concerns that the display costs the township $45,000-plus to cover police and security costs associated with crowd control and safety.

Thomas Apruzzi and his wife, Kris, have put on the lights display for about the last 15 years. However, it appeared the annual showing was in jeopardy Tuesday when Apruzzi spoke to My Central Jersey and claimed the township was trying to dim the lights.

But Apruzzi came out of the meeting with an incorrect understanding of the township's concerns, Mayor Owen Henry said Wednesday.

"I'm not a grinch," Henry said. "It's all about public safety. We need to take the steps necessary to make sure that event goes off in a safe, orderly manner. We have not told Mr. Apruzzi to shut his light off. We have not and I will not."

Apruzzi said Wednesday the lights will be lit.

“I think it’s amazing how all of a sudden in a matter of about 12 hours the mayor is changing his story now,” Apruzzi said. “I’m not paying for nothing.”

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At issue

According to Apruzzi, he and his wife were called to police headquarters Monday to discuss their holiday lights show.

"We thought we were going to work on arrangements," said Apruzzi, who has been living in the township for more than 44 years. "But instead they said I have to pay the police department $2,000 a night to have police officers at my house to maintain order.

"We said no. It's my First Amendment right — my freedom of speech and my freedom of religion. I am a Catholic and I believe very much in Christmas. That's how I express myself — through my lights. There is so much negativity in the world that if I can make people happy just one day, why not?"

Apruzzi said he was told by the chief of police and Mayor Owen Henry that if he doesn't follow orders the display would be shut down.

Apruzzi said he was also told he would have to find a public place for people to park and he would have to pay for school buses to shuttle the people back and forth to the house.

"I told them that's not going to happen," Apruzzi said. "My Christmas lights are going on. The mayor keeps saying it's a safety issue. It hasn't been a safety issue the last 15 years. The township had all year to figure it out."

The light display became an issue last year when residents complained to the township about the sparkling, musical light display attracting so many. In response, township police reportedly were set up in the neighborhood to help with the traffic.

As of result, Apruzzi said he intends to only turn the lights on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 6 to 10 p.m. from Dec. 1 through Jan. 1. He also intends on running the show all week during Christmas week.

"It's 16 hours a week and they want to charge us $8,000 a week to direct people and tell them where to walk," Apruzzi said. "In addition, it will cost me $750 a night for the shuttle service. The mayor doesn't want to hear anything. He just wants to shut us down."

Township response

Henry said there was an increased number of complaints lodged last year and this year leading up to the event, but "it's not about the complaints, it's about public safety."

"We've had a number of people come to my office and voice their concerns," he said. "I have to admit I share their concerns, but this isn't complaint driven, it's about public safety. We've dodged bullets during the last couple of years. We've had so many close calls there."

Henry said there are concerns about traffic and pedestrian safety, as well as access to the neighborhood by emergency personnel. He said there are no sidewalks in the area and the roadways are "very narrow."

"All I'm saying is that when those lights are on, anyone coming to see those lights and anyone living in that area is going to have free access to the roads," the mayor said. "The roads are going to stay open and the pedestrians walking to the event are going to be safe. The chief of police and his traffic and safety bureau have a plan that we are going to implement this Saturday."

While the show is going on, Henry said parking will be allowed on one side of Brookside Avenue and a safe walkway to accommodate pedestrians will be made on the other side of the street. Motor vehicle access on Central Avenue will be limited to residents only, the mayor said.

"We will keep a travel lane open throughout the neighborhood for the nights the show is scheduled to go on," the mayor said. "We have determined that that additional police resources is going to cost the township of Old Bridge — every taxpayer in Old Bridge —about $2,000 per night. That is money that is not in our budget. That is money that the council is going to have to make an emergency appropriation for.

"As the mayor and the chief of police we have no choice. Even if the council doesn't go there, I still have to go there. At the end of the day, we are going to expend to this money — $45,000 or $50,000 of hard-earned taxpayer money — regardless of whether he is going to reimburse us or not. The residents of Old Bridge are paying for this. They have to acknowledge that. We have to make sure that that venue is safe."

Henry said the township will keep track of the spending.

"I assume he will be sent a bill on Monday for what it cost us over the weekend to show him where it stands," the mayor said. "It could be more or it could be less. If we don't see big crowds coming, we can reduce it. If we have big crowds coming, we'll have to increase our presence."

The township's past policy is that at every single similar event to this event the event organizers have been responsible for paying for police, the mayor said.

"When there's a multi-day carnival, the event organizers pay for the police, crowd control and traffic control every night," he said. "They are sent a bill and they pay it. When some of our nonprofits in town hold a rally, such as a motorcycle rally, they pay for police at their event. When the Board of Ed has a football game, they pay for the police department to be there. This is not something new. When we take control of a scene and in this choice we have no I can't walk away from it. I need to be proactive and the chief agrees. We can't be reactive."

Henry said the township also has not told Apruzzi to provide shuttle service.

"We recommended it," he said. "We thought it was a great idea to bus people in and drop them off at the corner. That would be great, but he wants us to pay for that."

At the Nov. 19 township council meeting, the council voted down an ordinance that would have restricted parking to residential parking only on Central, West, Brookside and Riverdale avenues and North Street.

The annual display

For Apruzzi, assembling the light display, which consists of about 300,000 lights, is no easy task.

"This year, I started attaching roof mounting plates to my house in July," he said. "We actually physically started Oct. 1. I have tens of thousands of dollars invested in my display."

The display is free, but people can leave donations, Apruzzi said.

Over the last six or seven years, the light show has raised about $13,000 for Home for Our Troops, more than $12,000 for St. Jude's and more than $2,500 for the Old Bridge PBA, Apruzzi said.

Donations

A GoFundMe account has been set up for the Apruzzi family display in hopes of helping the family continue their light show. The account, which was set up on Monday, had raised $1,320 by Wednesday afternoon. The issue also has been the subject of discussion on social media.

According to the GoFundMe account, "For 15 years Thomas and Kris Apruzzi have been putting on a Christmas Light display which has become a tradition not only for their family, but for many families in Old Bridge and neighboring towns. Residents will tell you that they were brought to the Apruzzi house as kids and now bring their own kids to witness the amazing display."

The post says "The TA Sprinkler Light show became world famous in 2014 when the Apruzzi family was selected to compete in the ABC Great Christmas Light Fight (that continues to air on ABC network television). 2017 was a transformational year for the TA Sprinkler Light show with all new props and animation, so good that the family was asked to once again compete on the ABC Great Christmas Light fight for the 2019 season. The Apruzzi family respectfully declined out of consideration for their neighbors as they already attract a large amount of foot traffic each night. It is the foot traffic that has stirred up some of the scrooges which have collaborated with local government officials behind closed doors in an attempt to shut down the show."

"The TA Sprinkler Light show is scheduled to kick off Saturday December 1st," the post continues." The Apruzzi family is so passionate about sharing their light show and dedicated to continuing the annual traditions for their neighbors as well as Homes For Our Troops, that Thomas is determined to fund the first couple nights out of his own pocket. Please help Tom and Kris continue this holiday tradition this year! Any and all donations are greatly appreciated as well as helping us share this message."

To donate, visit the GoFundMe account at bit.ly/2Q0RXpH.

Staff Writer Susan Loyer: 732-565-7243; sloyer@gannettnj.com

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