City receives grant to upgrade downtown lights

Home City News City receives grant to upgrade downtown lights

The city of Hillsdale will replace 62 of its downtown light bulbs with new, energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (or, LED) lights, thanks to a $20,000 grant from the Michigan Energy Office. Replacing the old lights is costly up front but will save the city $4,500 to $5,000 per year afterward.

“The grant helps small communities to revitalize their downtown,” said Chad Culbert, electric distribution superintendent for the Hillsdale Board of Public Utilities.

Culbert and Mary Wolfram, director of economic development, worked together to apply for the grant, which totals $40,000 in increments of $10,000 and $20,000 to multiple cities in Michigan. The money given must be matched with city funds.

“We had already budgeted a category for street light upgrades and efficiency programs. When this came about and we were lucky enough to get chosen, it just helped to make that go further,” Culbert said.

Wolfram said that the money saved by switching lights will cut back on city spending on electric bills and BPU workmen, since the bulbs use less energy and do not need to be replaced as often. The money will instead be used for city improvements.

“People always say that the city should cut its budget to pay for road repairs. The city doesn’t really have a place to cut its budget. Here is a place in the budget to save money,” Wolfram said. “The money will be applied to other needs, and will be available because the city won’t be paying as much for electricity.”

The installation of the 62 lights is expected to begin at the end of January or early in February, when the Christmas decorations are removed, Culbert said. The new LED lights, which have already been ordered, will replace old bulbs along Broad and Howell streets surrounding the courthouse.

The other benefit of replacing the lights, besides saving costs, is that the newly directed light will shine down on historic Hillsdale instead of lighting up the sky and causing light pollution.

“It will provide what’s called a night sky, or dark lighting. It’s a new trend in urban centers to try to keep night sky dark. It directs light down as opposed to in a 360 globe direction,” she said.

Wolfram was in charge of the grant paperwork, which was reviewed by the federal government.

These type of LED lights have already been tested and are installed in the black, boulevard-style posts around the city.

Earlier this semester, the Collegian spoke with Director of Campus Security Bill Whorley, who praised the work of Energy Education Specialist Tim Wells for implementing LED lighting on the college campus.

“When I came here not quite two years ago, we needed light over the security office front porch and sign. Tim found an LED 20 watt light, but it throws at least a 100 watt equivalent, which makes it more accessible to students after normal student hours,” Whorley said.

While the college is responsible for lighting on campus, the city deals with lighting surrounding the campus, even the areas where college students live. Hillsdale Chief Operational Officer Richard Pewe said the college replaces lighting and improves it when necessary, especially when they develop new projects, like the tennis courts and Searle Center.