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Bicknell committee seeks power to light Main Street poles for holiday displays
Summary
A Bicknell volunteer proposed installing AC outlets on Main Street power poles to support holiday decorations, asking to phase work (6 poles this year) and use remaining beautification funds; estimated total cost was given as roughly $11,475.
Speaker 4, an unidentified participant and member of the Bicknell Beautification Committee, told the town council on Dec. 4 that the committee wants to install AC outlets on Main Street power poles so the town can run holiday decorations year-round. "So we're looking at a total outlay of about $11,000, 11,475," Speaker 4 said, and proposed phasing the work by energizing six poles this year and completing the remaining seven when new funds are available.
The committee reported that new signs from McCoy Bridal are finished with fabrication and are now in powder coating. Speaker 4 said the pole work would cover about 13 poles across town and that the group will survey which poles need work. An Andrew estimate cited during the meeting put the cost at roughly "$4.25 per pole" for a full drop and hangers, which Speaker 4 said he would confirm.
Why this matters: powering the poles would let the town install more permanent, higher-quality displays during the holidays and spread beautification spending across the year instead of concentrating it in spring planting. Speaker 4 urged the council to authorize use of the committee's remaining funds so planning and a limited first phase could begin in time for next year’s season.
Council members were supportive but cautious. Speaker 3 said several poles already have plugs and suggested the committee may be overestimating the work and cost; Speaker 4 responded that he intentionally used conservative estimates "to make sure money is allocated and available." Speakers also discussed utility details: Speaker 4 said the poles are not metered and that LED decorations would use minimal wattage, while others raised the north/south side distribution of poles (11 on the north, fewer and more spread on the south) and the need to prioritize a continuous line for best visual effect.
The Beautification Committee will get an updated survey of pole locations and return to the council with a detailed plan and several decoration options for council selection. No formal council vote on funding occurred at the Dec. 4 meeting.
