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Pipestone residents urge 'dark-sky' motion-sensor lights; council to study costs
Summary
At the 2027 budget hearing, Dave Andrews urged the city to consider switching streetlights to solar-powered, motion-sensor fixtures to restore dark skies and potentially save money; council members asked staff to investigate costs, security concerns and utility incentives.
During the public hearing on the 2027 budget, Dave Andrews told the council he would like the city to explore a ‘dark nights’ program that uses motion-sensor, solar-powered lights to reduce nighttime light pollution and operating costs. “What I'm proposing is something that other towns throughout the country and even in Minnesota have done, and that is called the dark night's claws, And that is, these lights would be on motion sensors,” Andrews said.
Council members thanked Andrews and asked staff to map how many lights are on at night, estimate the cost to retrofit or replace fixtures, and evaluate law-enforcement or security implications. The council noted potential rebate or incentive programs from the power company and directed staff to investigate payback periods and alternatives as part of the broader 2027 budget discussions.
The public hearing also included general budget discussion about a likely minimum 3% cost-of-living increase and requests for departments to justify capital-equipment needs; no budget decisions were made at the hearing.
