Residents Upset Over Plan To Remove Street Lights
From 620WTMJ-The city of Racine is considering a controversial proposal to remove hundreds of street lights. But neighbors say that will increase crime, and they are saying they will fight to stop it.
“I am quite upset about it,” said Jan Vogt.
Vogt has lived on Neptune Avenue for nearly 40 years. She said she’s worried about crime going up here if the light in front of her home is taken out.
“We need to have some light here to keep track of what’s going on,” Vogt added.
“it is a cost cutting measure to meet our 2013 budget,” said Mark Yehlen, Director of Public Works.
Yehlen said that his plan would save more than $100,000, and involved removing more than 785 street lights. Another 181 would be relocated. He said the lights aren’t meant to prevent crime.
“Street lights are intended to provide driver and pedestrian safety they are not intended to provide security for individual property owners,” he said.
Harry Borth knows what it’s like to live in the dark. He lives on the other side of town.
“It gets really dark,” he said.
Yehlen said that blocks like Borth’s would get new street lights. He said the plan would make more areas more consistent.
“I’ve got three little grandsons and when I take them for a walk I usually carry some flashlights with me,” Borth said.
But that doesn’t make Jan Vogt feel any better. She plans to call her alderman and Yehlen to start this plan before it’s lights out.
“They’re are other things in this city they can cut beside safety for seniors, safety for people,” said Vogt.
The Public Works Commission will meet Tuesday night at city hall at 5:30 p.m., but the plan isn’t on the agenda at this point. The public will get the chance to speak at the end of the meeting.
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Yehlen said that his plan would save more than $100,000, and involved removing more than 785 street lights. Another 181 would be relocated. He said the lights aren’t meant to prevent crime.
“Street lights are intended to provide driver and pedestrian safety they are not intended to provide security for individual property owners,” he said.
What would The City of Racine do with all those savings??!! OF course, what does it cost to perform the study, and then send crews to do the work? Could it be this is make work for City employees, and possibly others…. another taxpayer funded Jobs Program, courtesy of Mayor John Dickert?
It stands to reason that where there’s sacrifice, there’s someone collecting sacrificial offerings. Where there’s service, there’s someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice, speaks of slaves and masters. And intends to be the master.
—Ayn Rand RACINE EXPOSED
Tricky Dicky
01/29/2013 at 10:41 am
I just saw this posted other places.. He makes 2012 base $112,731; 2011 benefits $31,926 a year?
stop the lies
01/29/2013 at 11:26 am
I remember years ago the city put up more street lights to prevent crime. Now that robberies are at an all time high among other crimes the city wants to take them down and instead go around planting trees. Sounds like some brain dead people are running the show.
jeff123
01/29/2013 at 11:55 am
Make sure to take the street lights down on Dickerts block.
jeff123
01/29/2013 at 11:58 am
Post updated to reflect Mark Yehlen. Hard to find much on him – impressive claims on Linkedin – but why you would end up here with those claims speaks volumes.
Here he is in Portsmouth, VA. – helping to construct a mock court room -
Circuit Court Chief Judge Mark Davis and Judge Johnny E. Morrison said building a mock courtroom was an idea recommended at a conference they attended last year.
The fake courtroom, which cost the city $10,000, will remain in the cafeteria in preparation for a final walk-through. Technological consultants also will assess the setup while planning for computer equipment and data cables.
The new Circuit Court building will have five courtrooms, with more permanent materials than cardboard box “computers,” plywood and unfinished drywall.
Moore’s designs for the three-story facility, which will be built on the downtown roundabout, call for indentical courtrooms outfitted with carpeting, wood paneling behind the judges’ bench and laminate desktops for the clerk and bailiff.
“If we don’t get something right in the final design, we build it five times,” Moore said.
“And correcting it is very expensive,” added Mark Yehlen, assistant city engineer.
Judging from the comments, it seems that Mark is well suited to the Mayor’s style…..
“$10,000.00 for “cardboard box “computers,” plywood and unfinished drywall”? Only the govenment would waist this kind of money like this. Better yet, all this material is re-usable! So for a couple hundred bucks worth of material that is reusable, the city is paying $10,000 of our tax money.”
“On top of the ridiculous amount of money that was spent for this court room mock-up is the fact that they paid contractors to do this work. Among the city staff is at least a half-dozen carpenters more than capable of building what you see in these photos.
Probably FOJ’s….
http://hamptonroads.com/2008/01/fake-courtroom-helps-builders-plan-real-thing
Tricky Dicky
01/29/2013 at 1:45 pm
I’m all in favor of removing lights, why are you afraid of the dark?
phoner
01/29/2013 at 8:23 pm
In this city I’m afraid of the lit up streets too.
jeff123
01/29/2013 at 8:35 pm
Let the cops walk around the streets in plain clothes and see how they do with the gun fights they get in.
jeff123
01/29/2013 at 8:38 pm