Fairhope, Alabama
PRIVATE COMPANY TO INSTALL FOR FIRST TIME
After a controversy about how it was done last year, at its last meeting the city council passed a resolution authorizing a private electric company to install the miniature lights on downtown trees this year.
Low bidder Bay Shore Electric was to be awarded the contract ($138,800) if ethics issues could be worked out by city attorneys and the state ethics commission; one of its owners worked for the city within the last two years and participated in a pre-bid meeting.
Subsequently though, the ethic's commission raised objections and the next lowest bidder, Winterland Inc. for $147,800, was to be awarded the contract instead.
Mayor Wilson estimated it cost the city about $167K last year for electric department employees to install them, mostly in labor and overtime -- but emphasized the department has more important maintenance work to do that should not be neglected: they should not be tied up for the several months to install them.
Indiana-based Winterland Inc. specializes in decorative lighting installation and it should only take about two weeks for them to string the 15,000 strands of LED's; installation should begin immediately.
LED's (light emitting diodes) are more expensive up-front; but the cost is more than offset by the power savings.
The mayor said she discovered Winterland (click) at a convention in Atlanta she attended earlier in the year.
Councilman Boone said this is the ideal time to test private installation, since a city electric crew was just sent to Florida to help with hurricane recovery.
Parts of some city streets may have to be closed during installation.
PRIVATE COMPANY TO INSTALL FOR FIRST TIME
After a controversy about how it was done last year, at its last meeting the city council passed a resolution authorizing a private electric company to install the miniature lights on downtown trees this year.
Low bidder Bay Shore Electric was to be awarded the contract ($138,800) if ethics issues could be worked out by city attorneys and the state ethics commission; one of its owners worked for the city within the last two years and participated in a pre-bid meeting.
Subsequently though, the ethic's commission raised objections and the next lowest bidder, Winterland Inc. for $147,800, was to be awarded the contract instead.
Mayor Wilson estimated it cost the city about $167K last year for electric department employees to install them, mostly in labor and overtime -- but emphasized the department has more important maintenance work to do that should not be neglected: they should not be tied up for the several months to install them.
Indiana-based Winterland Inc. specializes in decorative lighting installation and it should only take about two weeks for them to string the 15,000 strands of LED's; installation should begin immediately.
LED's (light emitting diodes) are more expensive up-front; but the cost is more than offset by the power savings.
The mayor said she discovered Winterland (click) at a convention in Atlanta she attended earlier in the year.
Councilman Boone said this is the ideal time to test private installation, since a city electric crew was just sent to Florida to help with hurricane recovery.
Parts of some city streets may have to be closed during installation.
Comments
I can't wait for the tree lighting to see how Fairhope shines!