Holiday Tree Lights Being Installed Now

Fairhope, Alabama






Even though Summer just ended, LED lights are already being installed in downtown trees in preparation for the annual Lighting of the Trees event in mid-November.

For the second year, Winterland Inc. is installing the lights to save on labor/overtime costs and free-up city electric department employees for normal duties.

For the first time this year, however, about 10% of the strands will be more durable to allow them to remain in the trees for up to three years (and reduce future installation cost).

Cost for installation is $147,800 plus up to $20K for the lights themselves.



Comments

Anonymous said…
Always enjoy the downtown area when the trees are lit up !!
Anonymous said…
A ridiculous amount of money. Enough to hire two more po9lice officers.
Anonymous said…
And the way the new company strings the lights is embarrassing.
Anonymous said…
Charge admission from out of town patrons, those of us who actually live in Fairhope and pay for all amenities can't get downtown on a good day because of no parking, traffic, construction, etc., let alone to enjoy the lights because of the tourists! Oh yeah, their revenue pays for them...right...
Anonymous said…
Maybe we should just cancel Christmas so the crumudgeons on here don't have a stoke?
Anonymous said…
What is a stoke, young fella?
Anonymous said…
A good city manager could figure out a way to do this cheaper.
Anonymous said…
I agree that a good city manager would get it done cheaper and also in a more uniform fashion.......but the City Council thinks that they are all reincarnated Albert's. Fairhope is toast unless we get this vote for a Manager. One would think that intelligent men with real jobs would jump all over this; when they don't, we are prone to believe the rumors that they are living the high life off of their city power.
Anonymous said…
A city manager would only be another big salary to pay.
Anonymous said…
On top of the salaries of the army of new employees to carry out duties...
Anonymous said…
No. A city manager would replace some of the management employees already there reducing the payroll.
Anonymous said…
Not a commenter on here could manage lemonade stand, just a bunch of blowhards!
Anonymous said…
All those new people who moved here who want to change everrthing around should not b allowed to vote.
Anonymous said…
Their are very few that will work under such hostile working conditions as in Fairhope.
Anonymous said…
Have you seen how the city has "hacked" up trees prior to this? Disgraceful!
Anonymous said…
The tree trim job is atrocious, especially in front of the Hampton Inn. While I think the city manager is a good idea, this will be a tough job to fill. They cannot even fill the Electric Superintendent job that has been open since May. The salary is too low, the environment is not encouraging. Finding a manager that knows all the ins and outs of the utilities will be tough. You have to have those utility guys that know the utilities and can run them, and let them report to a manager. He/she won't be able to do it. But better yet, separate the utilities out and form a utility board, and get the politics out of it. You would find qualified people that would be willing to come work in that structure.
Anonymous said…
Trees are terrible. While Jennifer may not have been the best of every thing, the trees have never, never looked this bad. Saving on lights maybe?
Anonymous said…
Itsnot so bad people. Lighten up some.
Anonymous said…
Before Tim Kant was Mayor he WAS THE CITY MANAGER.Then after the dissolution of that system of government.The city was returned to the current mayor council form so been there done that and now we just crap.
Anonymous said…
We badly need the change to using a professional city manager in Fairhope. With a professional city manager instead of the current crazy inefficient political agenda driven system, our costs will go down and and efficiency will go way up. With current crazy system, costs and staff always growing because both Mayor and the council members are constantly playing politics to protect certain staff and managers loyal to them regardless of job performance.