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Council discusses city-managed winter park lighting; asks staff to solicit bids
Summary
Councilors weighed whether the city should take over contracting and long-term responsibility for seasonal holiday lighting in City Hall, Thorpe Park and Cottage Wood/Children’s Park. Staff will solicit consolidated bids for Thorpe and City Hall; Cottage Wood will proceed for this year.
The Deephaven City Council discussed whether the city should take over contracting and long-term responsibility for winter seasonal lighting in City Hall, Thorpe Park and Children's Park. Dan, a city staff member, told the council the city previously provided modest support but community groups normally arranged and paid for installations; he said the city budget includes funds for winter seasonal lighting this year and staff could help consolidate bids for multiple locations.
Jamie Hansen, who identified herself as a resident and gave her address, said the total price for Thorpe last year was $2,872.08 and that neighborhood volunteers covered some tasks; she said her group would be willing to contribute funds if the city handles contracting. Hansen also described logistics volunteers face when lights are damaged or unplugged and how public works must be available during installations.
Councilors and staff discussed liability and consistency. One councilor noted it is “unusual to have a private community group contracting for something taking place on city property,” and asked whether city staff should run contracts while preserving community input on design and site choices. Staff recommended getting three quotes and said public works would coordinate installations; the city will solicit bids for City Hall and Thorpe Park, while Cottage Wood will proceed with its existing contract for this year.
Several councilors said they favored consolidating work to get better pricing and to ensure consistent maintenance, while also preserving local groups’ role in shaping what is installed. Staff said the city budget includes winter seasonal lighting funds and that the exact dollar allocation for 2025 will be reported back with the bids. The council asked staff to return with quotes for approval.
The discussion closed with staff agreement to solicit bids for City Hall and Thorpe Park and to coordinate with Cottage Wood on children’s-park lighting that has already been contracted for this year. The council did not take a formal vote on policy change during the meeting.
