Royal Oak Sets Plan for 2011 Holiday Lights

Royal Oak's Downtown Development Authority members moved forward Wednesday evening with a plan to make sure this year’s holiday light display is on track with its decoration plans.

DDA Executive Director Tim Thwing said he would contact Winterland Inc. on Thursday to request the company responsible for the 2010 light display replace colored lights that were defective, talk about replacing white canopy lights that didn’t work and tell the company that if removes the lights up now and return all 559 working strands, the city would pay the $9,000 take-down fee agreed upon in the original contract.

DDA Chair Jim Domanski said the city created a new lighting plan for the 2010 holiday season, and hired Winterland to execute the plan, which did not happen.

All agreed the downtown holiday display this past season was a big disappointment and will take the steps necessary to make sure next year is up to their standards. Disappointments listed by DDA members included the trunks were not wrapped correctly, the canopy of lights were not the correct density and too many strands did not work.

“I think the problem was density,” Director Jay Dunstan said, adding that he thinks the company just underbid and was in over its head. But he doesn’t think the whole design plan should be scrapped. “Don’t throw the baby out in the bath water,” he said.

Thwing said Winterland offered to pay about $16,200 for the malfunctioning lights, which will come from the manufacturer because the product was faulty.

DDA members in attendance agreed they would move forward with the newly designed 2010 light display because it was not executed to its fullest potential, and will send out a new request for bids to install and take down the lights this year.

Thwing said it costs between $35,000-40,000 for installation alone for the canopy wrapping, not including trunk wrapping. Authority members estimate is costs about $12,000 for trunk wrapping. In total, DDA members estimate it takes about $50,000 each year to put up and take down holiday lights. Light purchasing is additional, although the DDA owns many of the lights used.

Domanski said the money comes from the Downtown Development Authority, which is funded through an additional tax businesses pay specifically for development and enhancement of the downtown area. He said the money discussed is not taxpayer dollars at work.