Q:

What can done about dark areas or streets in town?
Who checks on streetlights, and what if there aren’t any in a particular area?

A:

There are several entities that work to keep Brookhaven’s streets lit and safe. The street department, various electric companies and the Brookhaven Board of Aldermen may all be involved in the process.

Public Works Director Steve Moreton said he, Bill Howard of Entergy and the Brookhaven Police Department periodically ride around to check streetlights. Aldermen and police officers also let the proper people know when a light bulb needs to be replaced.

Citizens are encouraged to call their aldermen to report when streetlights go out. Residents may also call the public works department at 833-7766 with their address or pole number.

Moreton said if there are no streetlights, residents may speak with their aldermen to see if installation is an option. While many would like a streetlight directly in front of their home, they are used sparingly. Areas with very few houses or a street full of lights may not make the cut but they are installed as necessary. As Moreton put it, “We’re not trying to turn night to day, but we are going to keep the city safe.”

Moreton said streetlights are no small expense for the city. The city rents the bulbs from the electric company, paying $10 to $14 per light per month, whether they burn or not. The city spends $390,000 just for streetlights and a few traffic lights.

When a streetlight is out, the public works department then finds the appropriate electric company for the district the light is in — either Southwest Electric, Magnolia Electric and Entergy.