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Resolution Instructing the City Administrator to Re-Energize DTE-Owned Streetlights and to Suspend Plans to De-Energize Additional DTE-Owned Streetlights and Appropriate Funding to the General Fund Street Lighting Budget ($120,000.00) (8 Votes Required)
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Whereas, The United States has recently experienced the deepest recession since the Great Depression;
Whereas, the City of Ann Arbor has experienced revenue reductions during the past few fiscal years due to reduced state revenue sharing, the near-elimination of interest income, and the sale of the Pfizer property to the University of Michigan, etc;
Whereas, City Council instructed the City Administrator to explore a wide variety of expense reductions in FY 2011;
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor spends approximately $1.45M per year to energize and maintain streetlights;
Whereas, DTE owns approximately 78% of the street lights in the City of Ann Arbor and an agreement has not been reached to pass on to the City of Ann Arbor the substantial savings that would accrue in the event LED lights were installed in DTE-owned street-lighting fixtures;
Whereas, Municipalities across the United States, including Colorado Springs, CO: Andover, MA; Concord, MA: Cranston, RI; Muskegon, MI; Rockingham, VT; and Santa Rosa, CA, among others have reduced or eliminated street lighting in an effort to reduce expenditures and others are considering this action;
Whereas, Some areas of the City of Ann Arbor enjoy the benefits of street lighting that exceeds the vehicle-centric standards established by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America's (IESNA) Recommended Practice for Roadway Lighting ("RP-8") (the "Standards"), which Standards were adopted by the City of Ann Arbor in the 1970s;
Whereas, The City Administrator proposed in the FY2011 Budget, and City Council approved, a plan to de-energize 17% of the streetlights in the City of Ann Arbor in a manner that would maintain street lighting in conformity with the Standards and would save the City of Ann Arbor approximately $120,000.00;
Whereas, The City Administrator performed a pilot program in order to determine the City of Ann Arbor's technical ability to effect the de-energizing and the effect of the de-lighting program on residents;
Whereas, The residents of the pilot area have reported dissatisfaction with the pilot program and indicated their common perception that their accustomed level of street lighting is an important element of the vehicle and pedestrian experience and contributes to their feelings of personal safety; and
Whereas, The State of Michigan has not made further cuts to Revenue Sharing in FY2011;
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council directs the City Administrator to re-energize the street lights in the pilot area, suspend the further implementation of the de-lighting program in FY 2011 and consider a new plan that would involve a more comprehensive look at street lighting throughout the City of Ann Arbor as well as other cost saving measures that would reduce or eliminate the need to de-energize streetlights until such time as more lights can be replaced with LED's;
RESOLVED, That the City Council approves the appropriation of $120,000.00 from the General Fund Fund Balance to the FY 2011 General Fund Streetlighting Operations and Maintenance budget for electricity costs associated with the suspension of the de-lighting program; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take any other necessary administrative actions to implement this resolution.
Sponsored by: Mayor Hieftje and Councilmember Taylor
Date: October 4, 2010