BUTTE — Problems with streetlights have been a big concern here in Butte lately and officials with Butte-Silver Bow have made it a little bit easier to get in touch with Northwestern Energy by adding a link to the county's website for when residents see issues with streetlights.
"We work with Northwestern Energy. We don’t maintain the lights ourselves in Butte-Silver Bow but we want to be a connecting point for that so when, you know, our residents have a concern they can go right to our website, we can connect it with Northwestern Energy and address the issues that we have," says Butte-Silver Bow County Chief Executive J.P. Gallagher.
Northwestern Energy says they make repairs to the lights they own and if they do not own the lights, they pass on information to other entities like the Montana Department of Transportation or cities.
"If you notice a streetlight is burnt out or if a streetlight is on during the daylight hours we appreciate a report for that and once that report is received, we absolutely will make the repair as soon as possible," says Jo Dee Black, public relations specialist with Northwestern Energy.
"We pay for these lights through our special improvement district, the SID that are on our tax bill," says Butte resident Jim Fay.
Fay says his SID for last year’s tax bill for a light on Cobban Street that is next to his home was around $53 dollars and he says he’s happy to pay for a light if it’s working.
"It’s public safety, really. I mean, the lights are a safety feature," says Fay.
He says he has had things stolen and he worries about pedestrians and claims he’s made reports in the past about the lights along his street that have been off for the past three years.
"It’s just a disregard for public safety and the lights really kind of shine a light on that, but without the lights how are you going to see a person walking across the street or a dog or an elderly person," says Fay.
