Submitted photo The members of the Dunkirk Town Board discuss matters at their Tuesday night meeting.

At the last Dunkirk Town Board meeting, Councilman Bob Penharlow made a motion to put up six street lights on Shorewood Drive because he believed it would be beneficial to the residents of the road. But a month later, after a good amount of opposition, Penharlow made a different motion to cancel the lights being put up.

“At the time, I thought I was doing the right thing,” Penharlow said. “Apparently I wasn’t.”

The opposition to the lights from the residents stems from them obstructing aesthetics. Resident Lisa Briggs is one individual who made her stance very clear.

“I do not want street lights,” Briggs said. “It ruins the ambient light. Stars are gone, no more northern lights. The animals don’t come up to your place anymore. Part of what I love about the place is that it’s dark.”

On top of Briggs’ comments, the town received several letters and phone calls complaining about the potential street lights, and the concerned residents in attendance gave Penharlow a round of applause when he said there would be none.

“After we made the motion to put them up, National Grid got to work quickly putting them up,” Penharlow said. “We had to call them off. I wouldn’t be concerned with street lights. There won’t be any unless someone wants to put them in their own yard.”

Penharlow’s newest motion passed unanimously through the Town Board.

In other town business, several public hearings were set for Wednesday, Nov. 3. A total of three public hearings will be held at 6:15, 6:30, and 6:45 p.m. on that day, and will be followed by a special meeting of the Dunkirk Town Board that will serve as the Board’s regular monthly meeting. These public hearings will be for various fire protection contracts. Further, town Supervisor Richard Purol said another public hearing will have to be set in the future to let residents of Shorewood know about a new water line that is set for installation.