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Resident proposes turning downtown string lights back on for July season; council asks DPW to weigh costs
Summary
A resident proposed leaving downtown string lights up and reactivating them for June or July to boost foot traffic and tourism; council continued the item to the next meeting to let DPW report on costs, tree impacts and possible alternatives such as wrapping poles.
A Bristol resident proposed leaving decorative string lights on downtown trees past the winter season and reactivating them for the weeks around Independence Day to increase evening foot traffic and support small businesses.
Kayla (presented in the record as Kayla DeSilva / Kayla Da Silva) told the council that aesthetic lighting can raise pedestrian traffic and benefit establishments with outdoor seating. She proposed lights on at sundown and off at midnight and suggested using red, white and blue for the July season.
Town staff and council members raised concerns about tree damage, maintenance and cost. Council members noted the town spent substantial funds upgrading holiday circuits and bulbs and that the DPW director was absent (family matter). The council agreed to continue the item to allow DPW to advise on labor, materials and potential alternatives (wrapping poles instead of trees, donated lights, seasonal variants) and asked the petitioner to return with refined proposals.
Next steps: Item continued to the next regular meeting for DPW input and a refined proposal from the petitioner; council flagged budget and maintenance as core considerations.
