Politics & Government

Village Considers Smaller Holiday Light Display

Buffalo Grove officials are considering scaling back the village's holiday light display in an effort to save time and money.

Buffalo Grove officials are looking into ways to save time and money by scaling back the village’s holiday light display.

Village employees spend 500 hours — nine to 10 weeks — putting up and taking down the holiday lights each year, Rick Kuhl, deputy public works director, said.

That’s time the department could instead spend on tree trimming and parkway maintenance, he said.

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While the program doesn’t require the village to pay overtime wages to employees, it costs Buffalo Grove about $4,000 each year in materials and electricity, Deputy Village Manager Jenny Maltas said.

The lights were among the items the village staff proposed for elimination in an effort to reduce a projected budget deficit next year.

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Trustees this week indicated they were hesitant to cut the lights, which are strung on about 100 trees on the municipal campus and on the Lake-Cook Road median.

“The community appreciates it,” Trustee Mike Terson said.

Trustee Jeff Berman suggested placing the lights in the most visible and highly trafficked areas.

“You can still make the statement that you’re cutting it back without cutting it completely,” he said.

Bragg said he will work with the public works department to determine what changes can be made. The department is about to begin this year’s display, he said.

“We’re going to work it this year if we can,” he said.


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