Town Council officers are investigating the removal of the solar lights in Hartley Street, one of the town’s main thoroughfares.
This follows uproar over their visual impact on the streetscape.
Left: The lights looking north towards Anzac Hill.
The $192,000 cost of the lights included approximately $30,000 (15%) for their installation, says council CEO Robert Jennings.
“These lights are an asset and can be re-used in other council areas requiring this type of light structure.
“The benefit of using these lights is both the clean capacity of solar energy and ease in which they can be relocated if necessary,” says Mr Jennings.
– Kieran Finnane
$28,800 to install these ugly lights.
$5,000 to remove?
Another $28,800 to install elsewhere.
$62,600 of our rates.
Ongoing. Costs to repair damage?
So many stuff ups and waste.
Fixed the no standing zones in front of residences to make it easy for rubbish collection?
Councillors who are prepared to openly support a review of the Town Council with submissions from ratepayers will get my vote.
The others will not.
@ Corinne. It would be refreshing to hear from Mr Jennings that they stuffed up and apologise to ratepayers and will do better in future.
Instead, he defends the indefensible.
On the issue of preventing ratepayers from parking outside their own houses the Council has not responded to complaints including from the Ombudsman for more than six weeks.
Part of a reply to me from a councillor was: “Given the operational nature, I cannot involve myself in it at this point.”
So much for councillors getting things done.
A review of the Alice Springs Town Council is essential.
Councillors who support a review will also get my vote.
Well it’s early days yet, so give the newbies a chance. Robert Jennings seems to have a good head and Sabine appears to have some financial experience.
Hopefully Mr Jennings will sort out the misfits in the council, or will they continue to outsmart him as they did with the former CEO? There is some very bad culture in the town council that goes back many many years.
Anyway hang on for the ride ratepayers and keep paying for services that we don’t receive.
As ugly as they maybe, why not just put up with them and save the rate payers from only wasting more money from the removable and relocation of these lights.
Next time ensure there is consultation with everyone, not just jump the gun.
@ Zac. As good as it would be to leave the lights and save ratepayer funds they are just too ugly to remain.
We are a tourist town and as far as possible must present an attractive face.
What I find interesting about this saga is that Council has told us nothing about the history of these lights.
The decision making process in the Town Council is mysterious and hidden.
Councillor Cocking told us that he will ask questions and reassured us that Councillors can get things done.
Then we didn’t hear from him again.
From another comment it seems that Councillors cannot intervene in “operational matters”.
Was the selection of the ugly lights an operational matter?
Is their relocation and the selection of an alternative also operational so internal and secretive?
@ Betty: Well Betty, as you mentioned, it “present an attractive face”. Well all the Town Council folk who make decisions about attractive, need to visit Cowell in SA!
It’s a beautiful spot and the council and everyone takes great pride in the place.
They even have nice paintings in the public loos that are for sale and this works on an honour system.
Hell, if the Alice Springs Town Council could achieve that, we’d all be over the moon.
So ASTC, get off your high horses and measure your performance on a place like Cowell and you may regenerate some pride and respect for the council.
Now they are building shade structures over the river bank gym equipment. Equipment that no-one uses.
Maybe they should just move the solar lights to the gym? The solar panels will provide some shade and get them out of the CBD.
The river gym area was not well thought out. There was no need to separate the equipment by a kilometre along Barrett Drive. No one does a half work out, runs 4 minutes then does another half work out.
Fail
Fail
Fail…
And they are gone …