Christmas in July: Batavia to talk downtown decor Tuesday

As we sweat through a sweltering summer, it's time to start thinking about how to decorate downtown Batavia for Christmas.

Should the city festoon lightpoles with artificial greens or go natural? How many poles should be decorated? How much money should the city spend?

The city council's city services committee will take up the matter at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the city council chamber at the Batavia Government Center, 100 N. Island Ave.

The committee will also discuss a couple of warm-weather issues: road buckles and mosquito abatement.

In 2008, the city changed from putting up lighted Christmas trees on 75 light poles to wrapping poles in lighted garland. Some were then topped off with bows, while others had wreaths, LED-lit wire snowflakes or, on Houston Street, the Christmas trees.

To save money last year, the city limited the decorations to 26 lightpoles. And at the end of the season, it wrapped a pole in artificial garland, so the public and city officials could compare it to the natural stuff. It also hired outside help to do the decorating, rather than having electrical department workers do it, as had been done for many years.

If the city went with artificial, it would rent the greenery from a landscaping company, which would hang it, take it down, and store it for reuse. But Gary Holm, public works director, is leery of entering a multiyear contract for a nonnecessity, estimated at $15,000 to $25,000 a year, given the current state of the economy. He recommends sticking with the natural greenery, which can be put up by city workers, and reviewing the issue each year.

Of course, putting up Christmas decorations means the electrical staff won't be working on electrical projects, he noted in a memo to the committee.

Holm is also recommending using more greenery and lights - about $2,500 worth, compared to last season's $1,542. That will address concerns that last year's display looked kind of dinky.