From Marilyn:   You can participate in discussion about the lighting project at WPHills.com on the forum.  First log in to your account.  Under navigate, click forum.  Click on the Lighting project when you reach the forum.  To express your opinion, click reply.  Type away and then submit.

From Scott:

Lighting Project Update 8/15/2008

As of this week, each of us has received the letter from the City of Winter Park regarding the final vote for our lighting project. If this is not the case please notify me immediately at scottsieck@msn.com or call Keith Moore  to secure another copy of the letter. I have received many emails and calls in support of this proposed project.

Please be sure to acknowledge your approval (or disapproval) and return in the pre- paid postage envelope included with the letter as soon as possible.

Please be advised in order for this project to move to the scheduling phase the City will require 2/3’s affirmative votes.  I believe there are 51 homes in our neighborhood and as such 34 affirmatives will be required to carry the project forward.

A recap of this proposed project includes 22 new decorative lamp poles spaced as indicated by the stakes. I am trying to secure some photos of  existing projects within the city for upload to our web page. In the meantime a quick visit down Palmer to North Park Avenue or Old England ( between Webster and Palmer) will give you a firsthand view of the proposed lights.

You will note that at corners the stakes are place exactly where a street sign or stop sign currently exists. This is because the street name signs and or “stop” signs will be removed and attached to the lamp pole. In addition all new lamp poles will be wired underground thus eliminating both the over head wires feeding the existing concrete “butterfly” poles and the concrete poles themselves.

The underground wiring is done with a special burrowing device that actually burrows under and around tree roots and other underground obstacles. I’ve been asked if this might interfere with our irrigation systems…I am told the device burrows deep enough as to not affect and existing pipe lines. I also wish to mention another misconception. Majority rules , that is to say even an objecting household will be billed the monthly costs. This is not a homeowners association fee ,this is a City billed utility charge and as such subject to the city’s customary collection rights.

The proposed lamp project is a ZERO out of pocket upfront cost to each homeowner. It however is a perpetual cost, paid monthly, as a separate line item on our utility bills. The quoted cost was stated as $8.17 per month, lower than previously quoted. To put this project into perspective, if we as a neighborhood were to do it ourselves and install 22 lamps the cost has been estimated to exceed $50,000 or about $1,000 per household paid upfront. Add to that the annual maintenance/replacement cost plus utility bills to light 12 hours a day 365 days a year every year.

For $98 a year each we elevate the overall beauty of our neighborhood, increase the safety for ourselves and children and elevate our property values. I encourage all to respond quickly to insure we as a neighborhood are in fact budgeted by the city for installation. I would appreciate an email from those voting affirmative so I can monitor our progress during the next several weeks.