Mount Gambier City Council has deferred a decision to replace the city’s network of high intensity discharge street lights with LED luminaries, which would lead to an estimated annual saving of $200,000.
The $1m project would replace around 2350 lights across the Blue Lake city with the LED luminaries, with an expected return on investment within five years.
In a report tabled at Tuesday night’s full council meeting, the million-dollar outlay would be paid back in five years given the cost to operate and maintain the new system would be $200,000 less annually.
Council infrastructure general manager Nick Serle said a move to LED luminaries would result in several other benefits for the city.
“LEDs are more energy efficient council’s energy consumption and carbon footprint would therefore be considerably reduced,” Mr Serle said in the report.
“LEDs have a longer expected life than HID lamps.”
Alongside Mr Serle and Cr Kate Amoroso, Cr Paul Jenner has represented council on the statewide initiative, which has already been endorsed by other South Australian councils.
“We had a meeting last Friday and all the dollars and cents have been ticked off by the national regulator and I think there are some 20 councils that have already signed up to it since then,” Cr Jenner said.
Putting forward an amendment on Tuesday night, Cr Steven Perryman suggested council adopt installation of the lights immediately and allow the cost to be included in this year’s budget.
“I just do not understand why this needs to go to a workshop and why we cannot adopt it and incorporate it in this year’s budget,” he said.
“It seems to me that it is a common sense business decision to put it in the budget, provide the $1m required and get the $200,000 per year benefit straight away.”
Cr Sonya Mezinec said she felt it had been some time since it had been discussed in detail and believed a workshop was prudent.
“While at this point we are talking about the initial $1m, my understanding is this is stage one of the process, so I’d be interested in having an update and discuss the whole issue in a workshop, not just this initial expenditure,” Ms Mezinec said.
Alleviating Cr Mezinec’s concerns, Cr Jenner assured the chamber there was only one stage of the project.
Despite this, the amendment still received a tied vote from elected members with Mayor Lynette Martin casting the deciding vote against.
Cr Kate Amoroso attempted to call a division on the vote, however Ms Martin did not recognise her raised hand until after the period to call a division had elapsed.
Elected members will now hold a workshop on the lighting project.
