Turning on the lights to cost city another $500K per year

It will cost the city an additional $500,000 to power the city's street lights due to the increase in cost of hydro, city council heard at the March 2 finance commitee meeting.

The total 2011 budget for the infrastructure services department, which handles street lights as part of its responsibilities, is projected to come in at $118,868,007. In 2010, it was $114,490,205.

“Sudbury Hydro notified us earlier this year...that the cost to power streetlights has gone up about $500,000,” Greg Clausen, general manager of infrastructure services with the City of Greater Sudbury said. “We spend about $1,500,000 on hydro for streetlights and traffic signals.”

Clausen said he encouraged anyone who saw streetlights on during the day to report it.

“Anytime people see anything that's out of the norm, definitely give us a call at 311, 24-7 and we will get that information out to Sudbury Hydro immediately and they will investigate and repair that light,” he said.

The half-million dollar increase to power streetlights baffled Ward 1 Coun. Joe Cimino.

“It boggles my mind,” he said. “I never thought, and I'm sure citizens never thought, that we pay hydro bills for the streetlights and to see an increase of half a million dollars...it's mind boggling.”

Major projects for the department in 2011 include the Levesque Street and Bancroft Drive reconstructions and the completion of a major sidewalk report, including inventory and condition assessment.

“We're coming back to council...in the next two or three months with a detailed report explaining what our standards are for sidewalk...construction and maintenance,” Clausen said.

In recent weeks, members of the Sudbury Cyclists Union have been lobbying to have city council take three per cent of the roads budget and invest it in cycling infrastructure. Ward 9 Coun. Doug Craig questioned Clausen on the idea.

“In 2011 our roads capital budget is just under $40 million so...3 per cent would be $1.2 million per year,” he said.

Clausen said the topic of sustainable mobility is a new area that isn't really a part of the roads budget. He said his department is working with staff to possibly bring forward a program this fall that would deal with sustainable mobility plan, including a funding model.