Residents tell Lebanon city officials new LED street lights are a 'very bright' problem

Residents told Lebanon city officials Monday that numerous people are unhappy about new LED lamps used to replace solar vapor lamps in street lights.

City resident Jerry Kalinoski asked if city administrators had contacted Met-Ed about installing lights that are not as bright as those that have been installed recently. Kalinoski first initiated the conversation with city council about street lighting in April.

Mayor Sherry Capello explained that if a new housing development installs street lights, Met-Ed will give the developer a choice of installing a standard type of fixture or two alternate styles. Met-Ed will not replace the entire fixture on the older street lights in the city, it will only replace the part that contains the bulb.    

Met-Ed only gives the city a choice of what wattage they want in the new LED bulb. Capello said the city asks for the higher wattage option for intersections and commercial areas and the lower wattage for residential areas.     

Kalinoski suggested the city asks Met-Ed to install heads with shields, to direct the light to the street and not onto homes. City Public Works director, Robin Getz, said that is not an option available to the city.     

City council chairman, Joseph Morales said the new LED light installed on his residential street is "very bright" and would prefer a "warmer" LED light with a yellow glow rather than the bright light with a bluish glare.  

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Street lights in the vicinity of the Northwest Elementary School, located north of Lehman Street, have a "yellow tinge," City resident Craig Gates said. Fire Commissioner Duane Trautman agreed adding the softer street lighting near the northwest school is pleasing and more desirable than the brighter LED lights.    

Councilman Chris Miller said he believes the city should be able get the kind of lighting they want from Met-Ed.  Mayor Capello said her office will request a meeting with a representative from Met-Ed to inform them about the complaints received about the bright LED lamps in residential areas and ask about other options are available in the city.  She will also have someone look at the lights near Northwest Elementary School. 

In other business

Also during the meeting, Miller noted that the agenda for Monday's meeting was short and recommended the mayor give thought to items she believes are of high priority in the city and add those items to short agendas in the future, for the council to discuss.    

Councilman Richard Wertz asked about the status of ongoing recruiting for police officers.  Police Chief Todd Breiner said the department gave a written test and an agility test to several candidates this past Saturday and he believes there will be success in hiring new officers.   

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