With Town Council approval on April 7, the town hopes to have lighting on the community’s iconic Fountain overhauled by December for the 50th anniversary celebration.

The council approved a professional services agreement with Consolidated Electrical Distributors in the amount of $150,000 to make the repairs. Of that total, $50,000 is included in the budget for the current year (2019/2020) with the remainder to be included in the 2020/2021 budget beginning July 1.

Community Services Director Rachael Goodwin explained the proposal to the council.

“The Fountain is currently lit by three sets of lights; lights located in the base of the fountain structure that shine upwards, and two sets of lights on the banks of the shore which shine across the lake onto the fountain,” Goodwin said. “Of the lights within the fountain base, only three of six are currently operational. Of the 12 shoreline lights, only three are currently operational.

“The current fixtures have been stretched beyond the life expectancy and are in need of replacement.”

As part of the staff research and evaluation to determine the best product to replace the current fixtures, Parks Superintendent Kevin Snipes reached out to multiple vendors to evaluate products that would be suitable for the harsh conditions imposed by the fountain including salinity, corrosion, water submersion and force of water impact.

“Several vendors were invited to propose lighting solutions to our unique fountain needs, including both the environment and substantial height of the water display,” Goodwin said. “Most declined or were unable or unwilling to test products to ensure they were capable of meeting these factors.”

In August of 2019 staff conducted a multi-day test with Consolidated Electrical Distributors, Inc. (CED) and manufacturer WE-EF Lighting. The test consisted of two lights being temporarily installed at the base of the fountain for two days and a third mounted at the shoreline allowing staff and the manufacturers to determine optimal operations and determine the number of lights needed, experiment with angles, test LED color impacts, evaluate hardwiring and wireless components, etc.

The testing concluded that four base and six shore lights would provide ample lighting and comply with Dark Skies regulations for the town. In addition, the fixtures will also offer LED color-changing options and allow the color temperature to meet the 3000K.

“By reducing the number of original fixtures, staff has proactively reduced the cost of investment as well as overall operational costs by moving to LED options,” Goodwin said.

CED and subcontractor WE-EF Lighting, LLC are the only company employing the 5CE+ Primer corrosion protection system which is marine grade alloy designed for use in harsh environments. The lighting components have a 25 years life expectancy, barring unforeseen natural disasters. All components are compatible with current power supply. Maintenance of electrical components are serviceable in the field as WE-EF Lighting, LLC maintains stock of all electrical components. Additionally, WE-EF engineering staff is available to address installation, maintenance, or support issues.

Regular maintenance will be needed, however, and costs are already allocated as part of the operating budget for Fountain Park. The manufacturer requires a 50 percent upfront payment and the lead time on the lights is estimated at 12 weeks.