ELYRIA, Ohio — A News 5 viewer says multiple streetlights in his Elyria neighborhood have been out for months, and he hopes to pressure FirstEnergy to make overdue repairs.
From his driveway, Edgardo Gutierrez can see three broken streetlights on his block.
“If you turn down to another street, there are two more that are out. There are just so many lights that are out throughout the neighborhood,” he said.
He first contacted News 5 in June about what he believed was a widespread issue. On his dog walking route, he counted nearly a dozen outages in the neighborhood. Though some of those lights have been repaired, he said new outages have popped up.
“These are the streets that I walk my dog on. These are not all the streets in my neighborhood. So there could be a lot more streetlights that could be out,” he said.
In June, Elyria Mayor Kevin Brubaker told News 5 that citizen complaints had prompted a city-wide streetlight audit. Sanitation workers tallied 513 lights in need of repair, most of which Ohio Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy, is responsible for.
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“Having these lights operating and operating efficiently for the safety is going to be a priority – is a priority – of ours,” said Mayor Brubaker in June, adding the city was working with FirstEnergy to identify and repair broken lights.
At the time, a company spokesperson said its crews had already repaired about 325 of the reported lights.
On Monday, the mayor said he was scheduled to meet with a FirstEnergy representative this week to discuss the latest numbers. He also said the company told him it had approved overtime for streetlight repairs through the end of the year.
Brubaker said he plans to direct another city-wide streetlight audit when daylight saving time ends in November.
Gutierrez said he’s been frustrated with the lack of action so far.
“It goes month after month after month and nothing gets done,” he said.
He worries about safety as nights get longer and Halloween trick-or-treating approaches.
“We get a lot of kids in this neighborhood and we just want those kids to feel safe and to walk safely,” he said.
He showed News 5 several automatic reply emails in response to outages he reported in January. The emails said most routine repairs take about 5 days, but some repairs may take longer depending on the severity of damage and the amount of work required.
Gutierrez believes the delays have been excessive and frustrating.
“They want more money for the electricity rates. They keep going up, but the services keep going down. So that’s why I reached out to you to see if anything can be done, if Ohio Edison listens to this and decides to do something,” he said.
News 5 contacted FirstEnergy for this story but did not hear back by Monday evening.
In June, a spokesperson said severe weather and complex repairs had delayed some work:
“At times, severe weather and the need to respond to service outages and storm damage may impact time lines,” said the FirstEnergy spokesperson in June. “Some of the more complex repairs involve underground cables, which are common in Elyria and can take additional time to safely locate and fix. We’ve also completed substation upgrades in the area to strengthen the overall electric system and support long-term reliability, including street lighting.”
“We understand the importance of reliable lighting and appreciate the patience of Elyria residents as this work continues. Our teams are focused on completing the remaining repairs safely and as efficiently as possible while we continue our close coordination with the city.”
Catherine Ross is the Lorain County reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @CatherineRossTV, on Facebook CatherineRossTV or email her at Catherine.Ross@wews.com.
