Will San Carlos Turn Off Streetlights?
Budget cuts could darken city’s streetlights
February 15, 2010, 03:30 AM By Michelle Durand
Nearly half the streetlights in San Carlos could darken and traffic safety requests deferred indefinitely under a list of proposed cuts by the Public Works Department meant to meet its share of a $3.5 million shortfall.
“It’s going to be a very different form of city government if these cuts go through. It will be a real radical change,” said Public Works Director Robert Weil.
Weil needs to cut $125,000 from his budget to meet the target set by City Manager Mark Weiss of all city departments. While the chop is far from the hundreds of thousands of dollars potentially coming from other areas, such as parks and public safety, public works is challenged by not having as many places to cut, Weil said.
But like its departmental counterparts, public works also contributes to the quality of life by keeping streets lit, sewers flowing and both pedestrians and motorists safe.
The biggest proposed cut is turning off 45 percent of the city’s street lights for a cost savings of $75,000 annually. Ironically, flipping the power will first cost the city $60,000 but the savings will begin the second year.
No specific locations are suggested; the proposal is just a figure used to reach the required number, Weil said.
The department also suggests a 79 percent reduction, from $47,100 to $10,000, in professional services. Namely, this means no more consultants for traffic engineering, leaving city staff to field the approximately 20 inquiries received annually about traffic safety issues like stop sign requests, reports of dangerous intersections and concerns about pedestrian safety.
Requests currently can take up to a year to process but after the cuts, they will be on hold indefinitely until staff can finish an informal assessment — if at all.
The revised budget does not include fee hikes or cuts to the $8 million sewer enterprise fund.
The Transportation and Circulation Commission will touch on the cuts and their impact on its work plan at the Feb. 16 meeting. The commission receives preliminary assessments on requests and transportation issues before making recommendations, if necessary, to the City Council.
The commission’s role will take on greater importance after the traffic engineering support evaporates and may need to prioritize requests, Weil wrote in a memo to members.
Weil also suggests erasing four tasks from the work plan: Completing the bicycle transportation plan, establishing a working relationship with the Safe Route to School Committee, improving communication and education of the community on all transportation matters and evaluating the need for a future transportation plan for the San Carlos Avenue Corridor.
None of the budget cuts proposed to hit the $125,000 mark are set in stone; the City Council will consider them and those from other departments at the March 22 meeting.
The San Carlos Transportation and Circulation Commission meets 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16 at City Hall, 600 Elm St., San Carlos.
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