POUGHKEEPSIE – Conversion of Poughkeepsie
streetlights to LEDs may save the city money in its utility bills and
be environmentally friendly, but Dutchess County Legislature Chairman
Robert Rolison Saturday urged officials to hold off on further implementation
of the first phase of installation.
In a letter to City Administrator Milo Bunyi, Rolison, who is a candidate
for mayor, said while the conversion may be conceptually appealing, the
changeover “of these pole lights in practice has resulted in unintended
consequences I feel should be immediately addressed” by the city,
including with neighborhood meetings.
“Of particular concern to the affected residents is the total fixture
replacement of the existing lights with LED lighting fixtures, which are
devoid of an aesthetic value, are glassless, and which emit a light far
too bright for residential neighborhoods,” Rolison write in a letter
to Bunyi. “Ours is a diverse city; what may be appropriate lighting
for Main Street – as evidenced in the demonstration project undertaken
by the city there last year – may not work effectively in other
neighborhoods, especially those with traditional or ornamental street
lighting.”
