City Council approves LEDs for traffic lights
By Angela Greiner Community Reporter

Marlborough - At its April 28 meeting, the City Council voted in favor of accepting $12,000 in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funds to install LEDs in the city's traffic lights. The money will be used to replace 837 lamps in stoplights and pedestrian signals at 24 intersections.

The grant money, which is to be used in fiscal year 2008, was awarded to Marlborough to support the city's involvement in the EPA's "Community Energy Challenge." According to the grant application, the challenge is an EPA initiative to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy in New England cities and towns.

Mayor Nancy Stevens recommended the grant.

"We have a commitment to energy conservation within the city," Stevens told the City Council. "These are small steps working in the right direction."

The money will also be used to partially support the salary of a part-time employee who will conduct energy audits of the city's municipal buildings. The additional position will enable the city to move toward a sustainable energy future. The goal is to evaluate how the city can adapt its energy consumption: to use alternatives like renewable energy sources, to purchase "green" power and also to identify means of increasing the fuel economy of city vehicles.

In other business, Ward 4 City Councilor Peter Juaire raised concerns about the future use of the Boys & Girls Club as a polling station. The Preston Street entrance to the club, he said, was not user-friendly or handicapped-accessible during the presidential primary in February.

"People have said they will not come back and vote if they have to come back to vote at this location," Juaire said.

Ward 3 City Councilor Scott Shafer proposed that the city begin to consider a recycling plan for analog televisions because of the broadcasting change from analog to digital signals starting February 2009.

"What better way to be proactive than [determining a plan] eight months ahead of time?" Shafer asked.

Suggestions included educating the public, a oneday drop-off recycling event similar to the Hazardous Waste Collection Day, or curbside pick-up.

Shafer is concerned about the current cost associated with disposing of televisions.

"The elderly and lowincome residents have these televisions and they may find it difficult to front the cost [of disposal]," he said.

The councilors agreed to send the topic to the Operation and Oversight Committee for discussion.

In other news, the councilors voted in favor of proposals about the Bigelow School. The city-owned building has been leased out for the past six years to the New Covenant Christian School. That lease comes to an end Monday June 30.

The City Council would like address some of the issues the city has faced regarding the building due to increased in heating and utility costs.

The new terms for the 6,500-square-foot section of the building include a oneyear lease with an additional four one-year lease options at $10 per square foot. Any income generated from the property, councilors agreed, would be placed into the school district's revolving fund for the maintenance of the property.