Christmas lighting schedule around Square OK’d by city commissioners

Holton business and commerce leaders left Monday evening’s Holton City Commission meeting disappointed after commissioners finalized a Christmas lighting schedule for Holton’s Town Square during the meeting.

On a 4-1 vote, commissioners agreed to turn on the string lights that outline the tops of the Square’s buildings prior to the second Saturday in November — when the Holton/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce hosts its monthly “Second Saturday” promotion — but delay turning on Christmas lights on city light poles until  “Black Friday,” or the Friday after Thanksgiving, as had been done in previous years.

The vote put somewhat of an end to the discussion on Christmas lights that began early in February when commissioner Marilyn Watkins — who cast the dissenting vote on Monday — recommended the city go back to a schedule of holiday events on “Black Friday,” when, in the past, representatives of the city and the Chamber would turn on holiday lights around the Square to kick off an evening of community events.

Watkins had done an about-face on her initial recommendation to go back to the “Black Friday” activities that had been phased out several years ago, prior to the Chamber starting its “Second Saturday” promotion, after talking with business owners on the Square who said they and the community would see a greater benefit from having Christmas lights turned on in time for the November “Second Saturday” event.

Monday’s vote left about 10  Chamber representatives and business owners around the Square in attendance at the meeting with mixed emotions after attempting to convince commissioners that turning on all of the Christmas lights on the Square in time for the November “Second Saturday” event would enable them to have a more profitable holiday season.

Watkins, drawing on her previous conversations with business owners around the Square, agreed with those in the audience, saying that many businesses have it rough through much of the year and need to be able to compete with “big box” stores like Walmart and Christmas shopping campaigns in larger cities in the area in order to remain open and keep the Square a financially viable asset for the city.

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