Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Rec Events topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sahuarita staff recommends one‑year extension for holiday lights; council discusses buy vs. rent, storage and Santa logistics
Summary
Parks and recreation staff recommended a one‑year contract extension with the town’s holiday-light vendor and briefed council on costs and alternatives including buying lights outright or a hybrid buy/rent approach. Councilmembers offered ideas on a permanent photo feature, staffing and Santa schedules.
Parks and recreation staff asked the Town Council for input on municipal holiday lighting and recommended a one‑year extension to the town’s contract for decorating and storage while staff develops a procurement plan for future years.
Lacey of Parks and Recreation presented recent costs and options. She said the current contract with the Christmas light decorators expired in fiscal 2025 and staff is seeking a one‑year extension through fiscal 2026 while preparing a full request-for-proposal before fiscal 2027. She reported recent annual costs of about $48,000 in FY23, $65,000 in FY24 and roughly $71,000 in FY25. "Our scope of work has not changed...and we're at a total of $71,000," Lacey said, noting the increase reflected inflation and a small expansion of garden-area displays.
Staff outlined three options: (1) amend the current contract and continue renting decorations; (2) purchase lights and equipment outright (which would add storage, maintenance and staffing responsibilities); or (3) a hybrid approach of owning some pieces and renting others. Lacey recommended option 1 for the short term and said staff would return with procurement plans during the budget-retreat process.
Council discussion covered aesthetics, staffing, storage and programming. Several council members supported continuing the rental arrangement for the coming year while studying ownership costs. Suggestions included creating a permanent photo frame or identification element for the site so visitors could easily identify and photograph the complex for holiday cards, and exploring partnerships with local school art programs to design future elements. Council members also raised operational concerns: mounting, takedown, weather exposure, and whether town crews could handle the labor if the town moved from renting to owning decorations.
Council members discussed logistics for Winterfest — including long lines for Santa — and asked staff to consider extending Santa’s hours and reducing gaps between parade arrival, tree lighting and Santa appearances. Staff said they would extend Santa’s presence and revisit event timing to reduce wait times.
Parks and recreation said it will place a one‑year contract-extension item on the consent agenda for the council’s September meeting and bring a longer-term procurement recommendation during next year’s budget discussions.
