Downtown lighting expensive

In order for downtown Kilgore to shine on the Holiday Trail of Lights, a lot of time, money and effort are spent.

This year alone the city spent a grand total of $26,525.

Replacing white lights atop buildings cost the city $3,576 for materials and $14,060 for labor.

The multi-colored lights at each intersections cost the city $3000. City workers took six days to put them up at a cost of $1,196.16.

Because the city added lights that criss-cross the intersections, electrical services had to be upgraded by AEP/SWEPCO at a cost of $70, in addition to the $4,000 the city spent to rebuild the breaker boxes at each intersection.

The Main Street program raised $3,250 by selling dedicated strands that covered the first $3,000 of the project. The remaining $250 went toward labor.

At the end of the fiscal year — Sept. 31 — the Main Street program received a hotel/motel tax allocation that covered more of the expense. According to Fallon Burns, Main Street manager, the program received approximately $10,000 last year. Those funds are restricted to lighting projects.

Burns said over the next several years, building lights are slated for phased replacement.

Although a costly portion of Burns' budget, she says the lights are an important piece of downtown's allure.

"The lights are an added bonus for the holiday season; they bring back the nostalgia that people long for and make downtown Kilgore an attraction," Burns said. "When downtown Kilgore is lit up, it's a place people want to be."