HomeMy WebLinkAbout[06] Water Tower Lights
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Council Agenda Item
MEETING DATE:
May 18, 2015
AGENDA ITEM:
Water Tower Lights
SUBMITTED BY:
Administration
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION:
On April 6 the City Council received a request from Wayne
Birkholz to consider permanently turning of the lights on the water tower (lights illuminating the skyline).
The Council delayed action to solicit other public comment.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In an effort to solicit public comment the City published notice
in the Newsleader that the City Council will be taking input on the water tower lighting in response to a
request received. The City Office received a call from two people requesting the lights remain on.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT:
ATTACHMENTS:
Request for Council Action
Information from the April 6 Council packet
REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION:
Provide direction to staff
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Council Agenda Item
MEETING DATE: April 6, 2015
AGENDA ITEM: Wayne Birkholz, Light Request
SUBMITTED BY: Administration
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION: The City Council considered the request of Wayne Birkholz to turn the water
tower lights off on March 28 in honor of earth hour. The Council authorized the lights to be shut off for that one
night.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The City Council received a request from Wayne Birkholz to turn the lights off
permanently.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT:
ATTACHMENTS: Request for Council Action
Email correspondence
REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION: Provide direction
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From: Wayne Birkholz \[mailto:wdbirk@hotmail.com\]
Sent: Thursday, April 02, 2015 12:32 PM
To: Judy Weyrens
Subject: RE: Request to permanently shut off lights on water tower
I'll see what I can put together.
I would like some information as well. Can you give me the development costs of putting up the lights (total
contract cost if outsourced), its history (when were they installed and if anyone present on the council was
involved in that process, and what the rationale was at the time), and the yearly operating and maintenance
costs allocated for the lights since the time they were installed broken down by year. In addition, can you
provide any data that supports the continued use of the lights as it pertains to the city's rationale for installing
the lights ? Basically a return on investment analysis: businesses that have chosen to locate here because of
the lights, or new residents that moved here because of the lights. Information on the lights themselves, the
make and model, type of light fixture (mercury vapor, sodium etc.) the rated output in watts , and the LUX
value of the lights. Also, a calculation of how far the light travels and is still visible to the human eye. I'm not
an engineer but I think that would satisfy most questions people might have.
Thanks,
Wayne
From: jweyrens@cityofstjoseph.comB
To: wdbirk@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: Request to permanently shut off lights on water tower
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2015 16:36:37 +0000
)
I have 10 – 15 minutes. Could you send me electronically the information, all of our packets are delivered electronically
and that works best. I can also include any links on the cover sheet for the Council. The packets go out tomorrow
morning by 10 AM so I would need any information by then.
Thank you
From: Wayne Birkholz \[mailto:wdbirk@hotmail.com\]
Sent: Thursday, April 02, 2015 11:30 AM
To: Judy Weyrens
Subject: RE: Request to permanently shut off lights on water tower
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Good Morning Judy,
I would be happy to be present at the next council meeting. How much time will be given to present the
request? I am in the process of asking for information and assistance from others that may have an interest in
presenting information.
Do you happen to have the information I submitted last year for the lights off request? I would like that to be
given to the council as background. In addition, can I submit internet links for review by council or do you
need hard copies? Can administration make copies if that is necessary?
Thank you,
Wayne
From: jweyrens@cityofstjoseph.com
To: wdbirk@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: Request to permanently shut off lights on water tower
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2015 15:08:32 +0000
Good Morning Wayne - I have been asked if you would be coming to present your request. We could place on the
agenda Monday, April 6 at approximately 6:05 PM. Please confirm that you will be attending.
From: Wayne Birkholz \[mailto:wdbirk@hotmail.com\]
Sent: Wednesday, April 01, 2015 2:31 PM
To: Judy Weyrens
Cc: rschultz25@msn.com; bobloso@q.com; Matt Killam; symanietzrenee@gmail.com; Dale Wick
Subject: Request to permanently shut off lights on water tower
Dear Ms. Weyrens and city council members:
I would like to thank each of you for voting to shut off the lights on the St. Joseph water tower during Earth
Hour 2015. It illustrates your understanding of the problem of climate change and its root causes, our
indiscriminate and wasteful use of the finite resources we have. The decision to turn off the lights was the
right one and demonstrates further the commitment each of you has to finding solutions.
The solution to overuse of any of our finite resources is conservation. To that end, I am requesting that the city
shut off the lights on the water tower permanently. The lights are unnecessary, do nothing to contribute to
the mandate of municipal government to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens and is a frivolous
use of taxpayer dollars . Since it may be deemed a frivolous use, it would mean a breach of public trust and an
act of malfeasance by city officials.
I am requesting that this matter be taken up during the next city council meeting for review and discussion. I
am requesting that action is taken by April 22, 2015 which happens to be Earth Day. It would be an
opportunity to have the lights shut off as part of a public event to bring further attention to the issue of
responsible stewardship of our resources and an example of proactive, forward thinking leadership by our city
officials.
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In addition to the lights off request, I ask that the city adopt an exterior lighting ordinance. The Minnesota
legislature has an Outdoor Lighting Fixture Model Ordinance, 16B. 328 It can be reviewed
here https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/statutes/?id=16B.328
Thanks again for the positive steps forward you have made with your decision to shut off the lights during
Earth Hour and I hope you will continue to show your resolve by shutting off the lights permanently.
Sincerely,
Wayne Birkholz
447 Elena Lane
St. Joseph, MN
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From: Judy Weyrens
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2015 8:23 AM
To: 'Wayne Birkholz'
Subject: RE: Water tower lights
How long is the DVD, you will be limited to 15 minutes at the most. The agenda is full that night. Will this all fit in the
time schedule. We will put the links in the packet and it will become part of the public record.
From: Wayne Birkholz \[mailto:wdbirk@hotmail.com\]
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2015 7:50 AM
To: Judy Weyrens
Subject: Water tower lights
Good Morning Judy,
Below are the articles from the web that relate to the lighting issue. If possible, can these be printed so they
are available to the public that do not have internet access? If staff is unavailable to do this, let me know and I
will make an effort to get the articles printed. I would like these articles to become part of the public record
on the subject.
I have a DVD of a concert at Kennedy last year that I would like to play at the council meeting. Is there A/V
equipment available in the council chamber?
Thank you,
Wayne
http://darksky.org/night-sky-conservation/88-international-dark-sky-communities
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/07/let-there-be-night/278070/
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http://www.startribune.com/local/west/177179761.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2627884/
http://www.energybooks.com/pdf/D1150.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_good
http://economics.fundamentalfinance.com/negative-externality.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/electricity_generation.cfm/state=MN
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/coalvswind/c02c.html#.VR4N7ZVFCM8
http://blogs.mprnews.org/updraft/2015/03/2015-already-warmest-year-globally-so-far/
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/03/us/californians-concerned-that-efforts-to-conserve-water-will-not-
help-much.html?partner=msft_msn&_r=0
https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/statutes/?id=16B.328
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/136843363.html
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From: wdbirk@hotmail.com
To: jweyrens@cityofstjoseph.com
CC: rschultz25@msn.com; bobloso@q.com; mkillam@cityofstjoseph.com; symanietzrenee@gmail.com;
dwick@cityofstjoseph.com
Subject: Turn off lights on St. Joe water tower: Earth Hour 2015
Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2015 09:29:35 -0500
Dear Ms. Weyrens and city council members:
I would like to request the city of St. Joseph to shut off the lights on the St. Joseph water tower in observance
of Earth Hour 2015.
Earth Hour is a global awareness campaign to promote responsible use of our
limited resources and to educate people about global climate change.
To join in the effort, we are asked to simply turn off all unnecessary lights for one hour on March 28th, at 8:30 PM
local time. However, I also ask that the lights be turned off permanently at some near term time frame.
We are all charged with acting responsibly as individuals in our public actions, city government is no exception.
The lights are unnecessary, produce many negative consequences and is simply a waste of resources.
I would like this matter to be placed on the city council agenda on March 16, 2015 to be considered for immediate
action.
More information about Earth Hour can be found at earthhour.org A web search on the detrimental effects of
light pollution should also convince you it is the right thing to do.
If I can provide more information to aid in the discussion, I will be happy to do so.
Sincerely,
Wayne Birkholz
447 Elena Lane
St. Joseph, MN 56374
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