NJ Town Council Discusses Potential Changes to Holiday Decoration Procedure

Posted on January 23, 2018
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI

North Judson Town Council members will be looking into alternative holiday decoration options after there was collective council dissatisfaction and a few citizen complaints about how lights and decorations were handled in 2017.

As a portion of his report, Clerk-Treasurer Andrew Rowe presented a purchase order from HAP Industries for $5,796 for their decoration assistance last year. Though the members voted to pay the P.O., Councilman John Rowe suggested revisiting the deal with HAP and potentially purchasing decorations rather than renting them.

Councilwoman Jane Ellen Felchuck asked how the decorations would get put up and Councilman Rowe replied that Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann recently received a lift attachment for the man basket crane that could be utilized for installation.

Councilman Rowe said that areas within town were decorated really nicely but said he felt that the decorations that lined 10 paled in comparison. He said the town’s contract with HAP industries would be running up soon and encouraged members to consider making a change.

“We either need to revisit and purchase lights for next year which probably costs about $13 or $14,000 if I remember correctly or we need to figure out how we’re going to go all the way down and its going to be lights like town.” Councilman Rowe said, “I just want it to look like we’re getting our money’s worth and it sure didn’t feel like that last year.”

The issue of storage came up when considering the option of purchasing decorations. However, Clerk-Treasurer Andrew Rowe mentioned that once the amphitheater is removed from the park garage in March that would open up a good amount of space in there.

Council President Wendy Hoppe mentioned some citizens informed her of a small town in between North Judson and Indianapolis that does something simple like putting snowflakes up in front of street lights. She proposed doing something like that since the town has LED lights that could make the simple decorations sparkle.

No official actions were taken during last Monday’s meeting, but the topic will be revisited in the future.