Nesquehoning has too many streetlights, council says.

On Wednesday, Councilman Michael Sniscak Jr. brought up the streetlights again.Council last discussed it in October, when Councilman Frank Jacobs brought up that it costs the borough approximately $80,000 annually to light the streets because of the number of streetlights in the borough. Nesquehoning currently has 418 streetlights lighting borough streets.Sniscak said that a committee needs to be set up to go through the town at night and see where lights could be removed without compromising the safety of the residents."We are over lit," he said, noting that Railroad Street has a light on every telephone pole. "Most towns have a light at one corner and a light on the other corner and maybe one in the middle."He added that the borough is also heavily lighting intersections on routes 209 and 54."We're paying for the lights on state routes," he said.Sniscak reminded everyone of an earlier conversation that lowering the wattage of lights could save the borough approximately $8,000 annually.He stressed that this project should be completed before 2016 because PPL is planning to switch to LED lights.Sniscak said the borough could save up to $20,000 annually if some lights are removed.Council members Sniscak, Don DeMarco, Jacobs and Mary Fox said they would be on the light committee and will now go through the borough to see where lights could be removed or where others should be moved to.In other matters, council voted or discussed the following items:• Ratified a boroughwide burn ban. The ban was implemented last week and is good for 30 days. It is anticipated that it will be extended if conditions do not improve.• Waived the variance and building permit fees for Nesquehoning Conservation Club for the construction of a pavilion next to the pond between Park Avenue and Industrial Road in the Hauto Valley Estates portion of Nesquehoning. The club hopes to create a recreational area on the land that includes meeting space under the pavilion, as well as fishing and walking paths.• Mayor Samuel Kitchko reported that for the month of March, the police collected $3,269.43; issued 34 citations; had 434 incidents reported and drove 3334 miles while on patrol.• Kitchko also said that the next Carbon County Mayors Association meeting will be on May 5 and officials from state Rep. Doyle Heffley and Sen. John Yudichak's offices should be in attendance to discuss ways to help municipalities.• Kitchko said Saturday is the opening day of Little League and a parade from the Nesquehoning VFW to the little league field will take place before the opening ceremony.• Council voted to deny any reduction request and will follow the fee schedule for the Tihali Wind Farm project that is currently being planned.• Council also voted to pursue an agreement with Carbon County Correctional Facility after the prison requested that the Nesquehoning Recreation Center be used as a temporary housing facility in the case of the prison needing to be evacuated. Council said as long as the housing is temporary until inmates could be transported to secure facilities, and as long as there is not a boroughwide emergency because the residents must be served before the prison.• Fox and Jacobs voiced their concern over a playground, located along West Railroad Street in the borough. They received numerous complaints about kids trashing the place as well as those over the 10-year-old age limit being in the park at all times.