By Erin McViegh
mcveigh@newsroom.byu.edu
Orem made the long awaited decision on street lights July 11.
In unanimous decisions, the Council decided what type of lights would be used and how the project would be funded.
'At present only 10 to 12 percent of the city is lit,' said John Park Assistant City Manager.
'We have never had a lighted city so there is a definite need for the lights,' he said
Each area requires a different type of light so that it is lighted adequately, Park said.
The Council decided that each of these sections would have a different style light with decorative styles.
Details included everything from the Metal Halide bulb, green colored poles, the Salem Pole with Washington fixture in residential areas, Mongoose Pole in industrial areas to a combo of the Atlanta and North Yorkshire pole for the corridors.
'To me safety is our number one concern here, but I also want something that beautifies the community,' said Councilmember Stephen Sandstrom.
Orem resident Lisa Deason agreed.
'If you're going to put something in my yard I want it to be nice,' she said.
However, not all residents agreed.
Some were more concern about having too much light pollution in the night sky.
'I am in favor of dark skies, the City Council has worked this for a long time, how could they pick all the wrong lights,' said Richard Tinney an Orem resident.
Funding for the project will come from a lease revenue bond. The bond will use the Orem Public Safety Building as collateral and a franchise tax.
Councilmembers were concern about promises made concerning the Safety Building and causing residents of Orem unreasonable fees to maintain the lights.
But City manager Jim Reams said that using the Public Safety Building as collateral the fee of $3.25 per single family would be less likely to change.
However, if the city did not use the building as collateral, the fee for each family could go up as much as $1.50 depending on the type of bond they used.
Reams said the average space for a single family is 90 ft. Businesses with more than that amount of space would be charge according to how much space they occupy.
Sample lights have been on display on 800 East between 800 South and 1000 South.
'The city wanted the input of the community, that's why we allowed people to vote online or by telephone,' Park said.
More than 300 people responded to the survey and cast their votes for one type of poll for each area.