BY MATT SCHOOLEY

After concerned residents packed the Bow Board of Selectmen meeting last Thursday, board members are going to reassess their decision to shut off 60 percent of the street lights in town.

Board members, who made the move to save about $25,000 as they were forced to make budget cuts in many areas, are not considering turning all of the lights on, according to Town Manager Jim Pitts, as it will cost $18 to turn each light back.

“We are looking at the decision again to a point. The selectmen asked me to identify the  intersections where the lights being out is a problem,” he said. “We may look at the possibility of turning the lights on at all intersections rather than the ones identified previously as dangerous.”

Pitts said last week’s meeting may have brought together a large number of angry residents, but at no point did it get out of hand.

“Last Thursday’s meeting was civil,” he said. “There was no shouting or pounding on the table. The residents that were there stated their opinions. What they need to be able to understand is that street lights aren’t the only place we made the cuts.
Every department was hit.”

The street light debate has sparked another issue in town. The reason many residents were upset was they felt blindsided by the decision. However, those on the other side of the argument say the issue was played out in a very public way.

For most selectmen meetings, there are only two or three residents in attendance, according to Pitts. Though the street light issue has raised town interest for the time being, Pitts said that interest might fade.

“The selectmen would prefer good crowds, it makes their job easier,” he said. “I’ve been involved in municipal management for 20 years, and in my experience, people aren’t coming to meetings unless they are excited about something.”

Martin Legg, a resident of Bow, began circulating a petition to get the street lights turned back on and brought it before the town.

“There were a lot of neighbors who wanted the lights back on, and not everyone can go to meetings,” he said. “Personally, I don’t care. I am just concerned for the kids.”

Although Legg has been involved in the street light cause, he said he doesn’t often attend meetings.

“I don’t care to (attend meetings). I think there is a lot of garbage and a lot that goes on is a waste of time,” he said.

Another resident, Rob Duval, who has spoken out over the recent events, is not concerned about the lights as much as he is the number of people who said they weren’t aware of the decision.

“Not many people go to town meetings,” he said. “The way I feel is if you aren’t going to go, then don’t complain. The lights haven’t bothered me at all, personally. They chose to make this decision and they made it public.”

Duval said the petition that was formulated indicated residents were upset because they felt they should not have to go to
the meeting to find out what is going on in town.

“I think that’s a poor attitude,” he said. “If you are going to be involved, you have to go not just when you’re a victim.”