Clearlake marketing committee weighs cheaper light-pole decorations after banner costs rise

Clearlake’s Marketing Committee on Wednesday discussed options to decorate downtown light poles for Halloween and Christmas after members said full banners would be prohibitively expensive. Chair Clafi said the city’s brand redesign will guide any new banners but urged a cost review before committing to production.

Members said a vendor quoted banner-style decorations at roughly $3,400 per pole, prompting discussion of lower-cost alternatives. One member proposed solar-wrapped LED lights that loop around poles; another suggested bulk red bows or simple craft-store items as an interim solution. "So right now, we're going through a redesign for our city brand, and this is going to tie into the light pole banners," Clafi said. A staff member estimated, "That would put us at about 2,000, 3 thousand dollars" for the higher-end option.

The committee asked staff to gather firm pricing and return with three tiers of options: basic (craft-store bows or small wraps), mid (solar LED wraps at an estimated $75 per pole), and premium (branded banners). Members discussed durability concerns and past problems with decorations that went missing after businesses purchased and stored items; one member said previous pole decorations disappeared after only a couple of years.

Committee members flagged schedule constraints: mid-October is the next meeting date, and procurement timelines mean Christmas decorations must be finalized sooner. The group also discussed Halloween-specific treatments (corn and raffia or small orange accents) that could be procured more quickly and inexpensively than full banners.

The committee directed staff to collect vendor quotes and send options to members for review prior to the next meeting. The matter will return to the agenda after staff reports back on costs and procurement timelines.