D-F officials considering lighting options for downtown

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Three pairs of demo lights, of varying degrees, have been installed downtown. After the lights have been up for several weeks, the selectmen are scheduled to meet with representatives from RealTerm Inc. to discuss options moving forward during their next meeting on the evening of Monday, Nov. 13.

Town Manager Jack Clukey said the discussion will be on the agenda for the next regular meeting, as part of his report for the Oct. 23 selectmen’s session.

Currently in place are 4,000-degree lights in front of Dover True Value and the Union Square Mall, 3,000-degree lights are by Pat’s Pizza and the Pub and 2,700-degree lights are located next to the fire station and Bigelow Travel. The degrees refer to the color temperature of the LED lights, for example, natural white (4,000) and warm white (3,000).

Town officials are seeking feedback on the lighting options, such as through the downtown Dover-Foxcroft Facebook page.

Clukey previously said initial feedback has favored the lower degree lights. When asked earlier in the month, Finance Director Dave Johnson said there likely would not be a significant — or any — price difference between the different types of lights, but this would be a good question for the Nov. 13 meeting with RealTerm Inc. representatives.

In other business, the selectmen set the meeting schedule for December.

“The regular meeting is the 11th and the second meeting date is the 25th,” Clukey said, as the board opted to have only one session in December as has been done in years past.

“At our last meeting we decided — because the county budget hearing is on the 27th — to have the meeting on the 28th,” Clukey said. Instead of the meeting the fourth Monday of the month, the selectmen will instead meet at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 28.

“We have a long-time public works employee retiring at the end of the year, Arthur Merrill,” Clukey said.

When asked about how long Merrill has worked for the town Clukey said, “I have heard 44 years, it may be 45.”

“So congrats to Arthur, and we will have more about that coming up,” the town manager said.

Board member Gail D’Agostino said she wanted to commend the town crew for their work on the Bolton Road as well as acknowledging the transfer station employees. D’Agostino said she was recently cleaning out several decades worth of paperwork, and unbeknownst to her inside a envelope in her recycling drop-off was about $10.40. The money was delivered back to her home.

“There are some very honest people we have working there,” D’Agostino said.