What?! is the city participating in the war on Christmas? Holiday lighting?
Kind of confused about this (Item #1), because I was always under the impression that DTSF paid for the holiday decorations and lights downtown while public works assisted in hanging them. Hopefully there will be some kind of explanation about this expenditure come Tuesday night.
I’m more concerned about the cost of lighting up Falls Park. From what I have seen it doesn’t even appear to be done artistically.
Joan, don’t get me started on that. I have often felt that the city should allow private businesses to do sponsorships of lighting to Falls Park, and have their own areas and different holiday displays at the park. It would be a great way for businesses to market themselves, while providing a little comradre between employees setting up the display.
Munson proposed a similar objective with Christmas Trees in the lobby of the Pavilion, but the first director, Steve Hoffman opposed it because he felt the cleanup and liability would lie on the Pavilion, and he didn’t want that mess. He even joked that is was kind of ironic the mayor was asking a Jew (Hoffman) to put up a Christmas tree display in the lobby.
Remember, it’s an election year. Our sultan Huether must hand out money for unqualified expenditures. DT merchants can be bought for the price of a few lights.
Several years ago different businesses sponsored professional light displays as a fund raiser for Heartland House. This was out at Yankton Trail Park and occurred for several years. They charged something like $7.00 a car load. Then one year this display was on and lo! Falls Park was lit up too. The following year there wasn’t a fund raiser for Heartland House.
During the CC meeting yesterday, Trent Lubbers explained that the reason they hired a contractor to do the work is because it is for ‘changing light bulbs’ and the work can only be done at night (so they can see what lightbulbs are burnt out) and they can’t have public works/parks city employees doing it because they would have to pay them overtime at night. I guess there is ZERO city employees working at night in the public works and parks department. Boloney. During the summer I see parks workers at night all the time. You can’t tell me you can get ONE single public works person to change their hours during the holiday season to change light bulbs. Whatever. Staggers was the only one to vote NO on the contract.