FAIRHOPE – The city of Fairhope is already making Christmas plans with the purchase of some new lights that will illuminate downtown trees during the upcoming holiday season.
The City Council voted Monday, June 28, to buy 5,000 new outdoor miniature LED lights to be used with the current stock of decorations. The city bought the lights through the OMNIA Partners contract at a cost of $48,750.
Paige Crawford, director of community development, said the cost is lower this year than in the past because many lights still in stock from last year can be used again.
“We actually inventoried about three times to make sure, but we do have a good bit of backstock from last year, so that cost is a lot lower than it normally is just due to the fact that we do have some lights left over from last year,”
The city has also saved money over the past several years by using Fairhope employees to install the lights instead of hiring contractors, officials said.
Council President Jack Burrell said the council made the change more than four years ago and the new system is working well, even including some overtime pay for Electric Department and Public Works employees.
“I believe I calculated a cost savings, not including overtime, which would probably be very nominal, of about $170,000 for the lights this year,” Burrell said. “I’m very happy that the crews want to do that, and we didn’t have to buy that many lights this year.”
Mayor Sherry Sullivan said the employees like the extra pay and the city does not have to give the money to outside sources.
“I do think the employees enjoy doing it because they get paid overtime,” Sullivan said. “Plus, they also will get some comp time. A lot of them like to use that during the holidays or during hunting season, but it will be a mix of electric and public works employees.”
The trees in downtown Fairhope along Fairhope Avenue and Section Street are lit during a ceremony each year in November. The trees lights will remain illuminated through the Carnival season and Mardi Gras, which in 2022 will end on March 1.
