Lighting up Peabody for Christmas
The 2006 holiday season is upon us. Many of you have noticed over Thanksgiving the lights on the downtown buildings have been turned on as well as set pieces in the park by the bank and on the library lawn. Also a new 21-foot tree will be lighted near the new Peabody sign at the corner of 9th and Walnut once an electrical supply problem has been resolved.
The Christmas light committee that handles the above program is made up of myself, Susan Marshall, and Pam Lamborn. Our committee was formed in 1999, when the Christmas lights on the buildings were deemed unsafe and we had no lights that year. The city council authorized us to take over the lighting program in the city on their behalf. I put together an independently funded, maintained, and up to electrical code plan to first put the lights back on the buildings. We worked with Westar and put in new metered power on either side of the downtown district and in behind the park at the bank. The city pays for this electrical usage. The lights on the private buildings in the downtown area are wired in to their existing breaker boxes. All of the lights on the buildings are controlled by automatic light sensors.
Through donations in 1999 and the early part of 2000, we raised the initial funds and put new lights on the buildings in 2000. It then was necessary to have a funding plan for continued yearly maintenance and to purchase future set pieces and lighted pole decorations for the downtown light poles. This happens through monthly contributions on residential city utility bills that fit in with an individual's budget, in addition to other donations made by people who enjoy the lights. Our yearly maintenance costs range from $800 to $1,400, depending on weather, specifically ice and ice storms, as well as vandalism, which happens almost every year, and normal replacement of bulbs, sockets, wiring, and sensors.
In spite of the ongoing maintenance costs, we have been able to purchase the set pieces in the bank park in 2004 and the pieces on the library lawn in 2006. Our committee has both short- and long-term plans for additional decorations and lighting which include railroad theme set pieces at Santa Fe Park, light pole decorations in the downtown area, holiday banners, as well as lighting other buildings in downtown area.
Earlier this year the Ralph Hicks family came to us and wanted to do something in the Christmas light/decoration area as a memorial to Ralph. Ralph, as most of you know, played Santa for many years in Peabody. As a result they purchased, and we ordered through our vendor, the new 21-foot tree located at the corner of 9th and Walnut near the Peabody sign. If you are interested in doing something similar, contact one our committee and we will go over various options that are part of our ongoing plan.
If you would like to financially help with our program to continue to "Light up Peabody" for the holidays take advantage of having a monthly amount of your choice added to your city utility bill. You also can make individual donations by dropping them off with Susan Marshall, Pam Lamborn, myself, or Stephanie Ax at the city building.
I hope the lights we have in place help put you into the holiday spirit as well as make you want to help us add new lights and decorations.
— Tom Schmidt, mayor
