VBT DDA looks at changing street lights to LED to cut costs

While considering lighting for the planned pedestrian freeway overpass on Belleville Road, the Van Buren Township Downtown Development Authority also is looking at the possibility of changing all its existing street lighting to LED.
At its 15-minute regular meeting on May 23, DDA Director Susan Ireland said she has met with DTE’s Community Lighting people on the overpass and DTE will contact MDOT to begin working on a photometric for the pathway and the pedestrian bridge area.
Ireland said DTE told her by changing the existing lighting to LED it will save the DDA on the monthly billing and should have a short payback period. DTE will put the information together for future consideration by the DDA, Ireland said.
Ireland said currently power for the street lights cost $57,994 per year and it would be $30,000 with LED. The cost to switch is $61,300, minus a rebate, and the payback period is estimated at 1.77 years, she said.
DDA chairman Craig Atchinson said he changed all his lights to LED at his Ford dealership.
Ireland said it is easy to change now because the units just slip in place.
Belleville Road Property
Ireland said after closings on the properties at 10065 and 10085 Belleville Road, a pre-demolition asbestos survey was conducted by TEK Environmental Consulting Service at a total cost of $1,494. While not a large amount of asbestos was discovered, there was some found in the attic space insulation and in the caulk and/or glaze on the interior and exterior windows.
Ireland said although there is only a small amount of asbestos present, there are regulations and procedures for removal and disposal prior to demolition.
She also said when the Phase I Environmental study was done prior to the purchase of 10051 Belleville Road, it did not include an asbestos material assessment and this must be done before demolition of that building.
TEK Environmental Consulting will do this study, as well, and it took samples on May 18, she said.
TEK will work with Axiom to ensure the asbestos is removed appropriately, Ireland said. Even though this is part of the contract with Axiom, TEK will provide three price quotes to the DDA so there will be price comparisons, she said.
Axiom and Wakely met with the township staff recently to review concept drawings for the PlaceMaking Initiative, Ireland said.
The REAL t-shirts
The use of some $40,000 in grant funding for The REAL summer work program for township youth left no money for t-shirts for participants. Ireland said the DDA was asked to provide the t-shirts for the students at a cost of about $270.
DDA member Ron Blank made the motion and Victor Delibera seconded and the motion to provide the t-shirts passed unanimously.
The 35 students hired will work for six weeks in the township this summer and will learn job skills.
Assistant DDA Director Lisa Lothringer reported on her E-Blasts on local businesses and ads purchased in the Strawberry Festival booklet and the A-Source Relocation Guide. The DDA also is working with VBT’s Public Safety Department on plans for the annual Public Safety Day.
Lothringer said they also are redesigning a few of the DDA promotional folder inserts to make them current and working at processing the data from the 2017-18 Marketing Strategy surveys that have been completed.