City Manager Martin Berliner informed the City Council of his plan to replace the streetlights in New London with more energy-efficient and durable bulbs.
“We have lights that have burned out after six months,” he said. “I don’t know why that is happening.”
Berliner is seeking a consultant to perform an inventory of all the streetlights in the city.
Also, he announced that the police department has been charged with reporting outages of streetlights around the city.
Berliner said he was in error when he announced at a previous meeting that all of the lights in the city are functioning.
“I could not have been more wrong,” he said. “We are working toward an immediate solution.”
Berliner said that the city currently uses three or four types of bulbs that are not energy-efficient.
Councilor John Maynard said that properly functioning streetlights will help combat drug-dealing in the city.
The City Council also approved a program that provides homeowner assistance to New London police officers in hopes of offering incentives to live in the city.
Organized through the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, the program provides low-interest, fixed-rate mortgages to local and state police officers.
The City Council also increased the fine for illegally parking in handicapped spaces from $50 to $125. The new law takes effect July 1.
The council approved $9,593 for the installation of lights at Bates Woods Park Little League Field.
Berliner offered a note of thanks to the cadets from the Coast Guard Academy who participated in a cleanup of city parks. Berliner noted that the cadets will return next month to work on Riverside Park.
The City Council also apparently has learned first-hand about the thorough nature of the city’s new parking enforcement officer, as several of the councilors received tickets during last Monday’s budget hearings.