Highland Park In the Dark: DTE Removes the City's Street Lights

Two contractors for Corby Energy Services of Bellville, Mich., remove the DTE street light from in front of my home at 150 Massachusetts, Highland Park, on Aug. 19, 2011. It took all of seven minutes to complete.

The citywide removal of street lights was done under the euphemistic name "Highland Park Lighting Improvement Project," which was careful to downplay the fact that the lights on the STREETS, as opposed to SOME of those at the intersections, would NOT be replaced.

When the bulbs were removed last week, the contractors were followed by a private investigator, wearing a police badge, apparently because DTE was concerned about the reaction of residents -- most of whom know little or nothing about this program.

DTE and the mayor have justified the removal on the basis of a debt-forgiveness and cost-saving arrangement. When I asked city native and former city Emergency Financial Manager Arthur Blackwell, whose mother lives a few doors from me, about the arrangement, he replied, "It's a great deal," particularly in light of the city's population loss.

However, most residents are only learning about this program as the lights are being removed, and many are concerned about the possible ramifications on safety, particularly of our children and older residents. Below is a report on this by WWJ-TV (CBS), Detroit:

Street Light Upgrades Leaving Residents In The Dark

August 16, 2011 6:17 AM

HIGHLAND PARK (WWJ) -- Highland Park residents say the lack of street lights in their city leaves them fearing for their safety.

Reporting live from Rhode Island Street, WWJ's City Beat Reporter Vickie Thomas found it pretty dark there in the early-morning hours. The street lights and many others throughout the block had already been turned off and they would not be coming back on.

"The residential streets have no lights, but the intersections have lights now," resident Diane Parren told Vickie. "They just recently did that so it's still a major concern because the fear is still there."

Crews are in the process of installing new, more efficient lights at intersections, so one light will replace about six of the old street lights. Intersections and main roads, such as Woodward Avenue, will stay lit.

"My concern is for my mom," said Parren. "She's older and with the street lights being out, it's sort of confining her to the house. She doesn't come out after dark, and she's concerned -- as I am -- about the neighborhood and things that could happen in the night..."

Mark Hackshaw, president of the Highland Park Business Association, isn't happy about it either and is also concerned.

"The membership is very concerned and the residents of the community are very concerned, for all of the obvious reasons," said Hackshaw.

Elene Robinson, a write-in candidate for mayor said the city should use solar lighting.

"I don't understand how a city so small hasn't applied for government money to be focusing on bringing solar to the municipal building and to our street lights," said Robinson.

Mayor Hubert Yopp says the city owed DTE Energy $4 million and the new plan puts the city back in the black with the utility. The city's monthly bill will go from about $62,000 down to about $10,000.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2011/08/16/street-light-upgrades-leaving-resident...

NEW, 4/25/11: See also the report by Curt Guyette in "The Metro Times":

http://metrotimes.com/news/highland-dark-1.1192555

New, 9/5: See also the "Street Lights In Highland Park Are Few and Far Between" video on this channel.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Highland Park
• Michigan
• Street Lights
• DTE Energy
• Corby Energy Services
• Public Safety
• Arthur Blackwell
• Mark Hackshaw
• Hubert Yopp

[pauldarwinlee]

Thank you for your thought-full comment, Sis. Erica. For most of the day, only ignorant racists hiding behind cowardly Web aliases have posted comments. For more information on this situation, see the other videos on my channel. And, please, pray for us.

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Paul Lee, Channel Moderator

[pauldarwinlee]

Please, no profanity on my channel. Thank you.

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Paul Lee (my real name, not some cowardly Web alias)

Channel Moderator

[pauldarwinlee]

See the full descriptions of other videos on the Highland Park streetlights situation my channel for the latest updates.

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Cordial-Lee yours,

Paul Lee, Channel Moderator

[pauldarwinlee]

I don't tolerate profanity or venting on this channel.  Kindly take your attitude elsewhere.

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Paul Lee, Channel Moderator

[pauldarwinlee]

Solar light poles are VERY expensive and easy to vandalize or steal. I've already looked into this.

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Cordial-lee yours,

Paul Lee, Channel Moderator

[pauldarwinlee]

Please, no profanity on this channel. But, of course, many of us share your sentiment.  Thanx.

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[EricaMuhammad]

Okay so i just did some research and people still have power in their houses, dugh! lol But still, it seems a bit extreme to repo your light poles DTE!

[EricaMuhammad]

OMG!!! This is crazy! Highland park is already a sketchy part of town. I can not imagine it with out any lights .This is Michigan and it gets dark pretty early. I don't see how they were able to do this. What about these residents!! What are people going to do in the dark, with no heat, no way to keep food. Wow. The time we live in. It is getting crazy out here.

[CalleOcho0830]

fuck lord.

[64Albere]

To YouTube user Pauldarwinlee AND other viewers of this video... does anyone know what the current status of ths street light situation ? I have been seeing lot of different news stories about this... just tyring to keep informed.

[64Albere]

@hogabomb I have just read your comment; this is terrible !!! I have thought that public street lights etc was always a given right in any residental area here in America but apparently nothing is sacred.anymore in name of saving money. Around my area of S.E. Washington, D.C. next to Corral Hills section of Capitiol Heights, Md .... we haven,t had that this type of problem yet. Thanks for your words here; Hold to the handle bars I could be wrong but its going to be a rough ride.

[johnbear4444]

Talk about a step backwards. Hey, lets take the engines out of our cars and attach horses to the front to save some bucks and help the environment.