Committee reviews $2.3 million net plan to convert street and park lights to LED; parks allocation set at $600,000

City officials discussed a proposal to convert the city’s streetlights and park fixtures to LED lighting, including a budget request in the mayor’s draft that staffs said would be sufficient to cover the net city cost of the streetlight conversion and a smaller, phased allocation for parks.

The committee heard that the mayor’s budget includes $2.3 million net for a streetlight conversion (a $2.58 million financing amount less roughly $284,000 in predicted rebates) and $600,000 earmarked for an initial phase of park lighting conversions. William Franklin, a meeting participant on Zoom, said the project’s financing shows annual energy savings of about $100,000 and additional savings on the utility ‘‘investment charge’’ of roughly $56,000 to $160,000 depending on the line item referenced; combined, the presentation identifies roughly $150,000–$160,000 in recurring operating relief.

Why it matters: converting to LED could reduce the city’s energy and operating charges and reduce dependency on aging bulbs and ballasts, but aldermen pressed for clearer inventories, a parks‑specific scope and costs, and a…