How to Add or Upgrade Streetlights
Posted: November 1, 2021By Sheena Marrs
Thank you to the AVEC village chairpersons and secretaries who held community meetings in 2021. A special thanks to community members who attended. Delegates have done an excellent job addressing resolutions and concerns discussed during those meetings.
Due to the pandemic, the time allowed for members to hold their community annual meetings was extended. The window for community meetings is usually November to March. This year, the deadline was extended
to August 31, which allowed more delegates to participate.
Twenty-seven communities held meetings that achieved quorum. In addition to official resolutions passed at community meetings, staff combed meeting minutes and discussed community comments and concerns.
AVEC arranged individual phone conferences with 19 delegates whose communities had comments or resolutions. The phone conferences were attended by AVEC department personnel who could best respond to communities’ concerns.
The main topic expressed in resolutions and comments from this year’s community annual meetings was streetlights. This graph shows additional topics found in meeting minutes and discussed during individual phone conferences with delegates.
The information regarding community issues and resolutions was compiled, and the results are shown in the graphic above.
Streetlights
Many AVEC communities showed interest in adding streetlights or upgrading existing streetlights to LEDs. A few steps need to happen for a community to get
additional or upgraded streetlights:
1. The local government must identify the location(s) for the new lights, provide the AVEC pole number(s) and pass a resolution requesting the lights from AVEC.
2. A copy of the resolution and payment for the cost of the fixture(s), shipping and installation—currently $600 per streetlight—must be received by AVEC.
3. AVEC will open a work order, design the installation and list needed materials. If additional wiring or poles are required, AVEC will estimate the cost. Payment must be made in full before parts are ordered.
4. When full payment has been received, and all parts are on-site, AVEC will schedule linemen to complete the installation.
The cost estimates for standard streetlight installation and maintenance do not include travel time for linemen.
Streetlight work will be done in conjunction with AVEC’s regularly scheduled power line construction and maintenance. Any special trips requested to install or repair
streetlights will be at the member’s expense. The estimated costs of a special trip to install or maintain streetlights must be paid in advance.
Streetlight Repair
Power plant operators in each community inspect streetlights, power lines and poles twice a year, then report those findings to the operations department. In between those assessments, AVEC relies on members to report issues, including streetlights that need to be repaired.
Members are encouraged to contact AVEC immediately so a work order can be opened and service can be scheduled. Streetlights not operating are removed from the community’s monthly streetlight bill until they are repaired.
To ensure there are no delays when requesting service, please have the pole number available before contacting AVEC.
If you see a streetlight that needs repair, contact Heidi Bowlus at 907-565-5340 or hbowlus@avec.org.
