When downtown Senoia merchants gussie up their stores with Christmas lights this year, they will be doing so on their own dime.

In years past the city has allowed merchants to connect the lights to city electrical outlets. But that has turned into power bills upwards of $2,000 for the holiday season.

At Monday night’s city council meeting, Mayor Robert Belisle said the city can’t afford the electrical bill.

“We cannot spend city revenue on private property so we have to make that change,” Belisle said.

The discussion came during a request from the Downtown Development Association to increase funding for this year’s Light Up Senoia Christmas festivities. Council agreed to spend up to $2,000 total for the event though none of it could be for electricity used on private property including Christmas lights.

Councilman Maurice Grover said he would assist DDA in finding timers for merchants’ Christmas lights so they will save electricity instead of being on 24 hours a day.

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