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Alpharetta council signals support to study permanent power for AlphaLoop lighting; funding to be considered in next budget
Summary
After a work‑session discussion, Alpharetta city staff and council members agreed to pursue adding permanent electrical service for the AlphaLoop 'Lights on the Loop' program to the city capital budget and seek to fund it from parks bond dollars rather than the general fund; staff said permanent installation is more cost‑effective over time than annual temporary power.
Alpharetta officials signaled broad support to include permanent electrical service for the AlphaLoop 'Lights on the Loop' program in the next capital budgeting cycle, but the council took no vote and directed staff to pursue the item through the ordinary budget process.
Public Works Director Austin Lagerbloom told the council that a temporary power installation used this season approaches about 80% of the cost of a permanent hookup and that converting to permanent power would produce cost savings if the lighting program continues year‑to‑year. "There's really no reason to give somebody money to then have them give it to Mirror Electric when we can, as a city, engage our on‑call vendor to do the work," Lagerbloom said during the discussion.
Karen Richard, who identified herself as a foundation volunteer, described the foundation's request as financial support for future permanent installation north of the Northwinds Tunnel to Chelsea Walk. "What we're asking for is for money to go towards future permanent power installation," she said.
Council members and staff discussed funding options and process. Several members said parks bond funds — not the general fund — would be the appropriate source if the council elects to move forward. One councilman noted the foundation previously paid roughly $17,000 for temporary lighting this year and said that recurring temporary costs make a permanent installation more attractive. Lagerbloom said staff would present the item as part of the normal budget cycle and prepare a recommendation on scope and estimated costs.
Several council members urged care in prioritizing capital requests and emphasized the need to follow the established budgeting process. Mayor expressed concern about stepping outside the normal budget cycle without public notice; council members replied that adding the project to the capital list and funding it from the parks bond would address that concern. "The clarity I have moving forward is that this will be presented as a part of the budget process, in the ordinary course," Lagerbloom said.
The council did not authorize immediate spending or a contribution to the AlphaLoop Foundation at the Octant meeting; instead it asked staff to return with budget language and a recommended funding source (staff said the parks bond contains available AlphaLoop allocations). Staff said any actual appropriation would be subject to the council's future vote as part of the capital/budget process.
What comes next: staff will prepare cost estimates and a budget request for consideration during the next capital/budget cycle and will identify whether work can be funded from the AlphaLoop/parks bond allocation.
