LIVERPOOL — At its monthly meeting on Nov. 16, the Village of Liverpool Board of Trustees heard a warning from Police Chief Jerry Unger about the yearly holiday display, Lights on the Lake.
The 32nd annual Lights on the Lake, sponsored by Galaxy Communications and Onondaga County Parks, opened at Onondaga Lake Park on Nov. 15 and runs nightly from 5 to 10 p.m. through Jan. 14, 2022.
“There are going to be traffic issues,” Unger said.
For many years now, the two-mile-long illumination annually attracts more than 40,000 vehicles, and the resulting queues of cars waiting for entrance have tied up village traffic for hours, especially on the weekends.
The event’s website at lightsonthelake.com says wait times for weekend attendees can stretch to more than two hours.
Unger reported that the Lights on the Lake organizers are limiting ticket sales to 1,650 vehicles nightly. Tickets must be purchased in advance online and ticket-buyers must choose a specific date of use.
But that 1,650 limit doesn’t take into account the hundreds of free admission tickets already distributed by sponsors, Unger said.
While Galaxy has contributed money to hire extra police help in the past, that effort is hindered by staffing problems plaguing local law enforcement.
“Our department is under-staffed,” Unger said. “The park police are understaffed, and for the first time this year, there will be no participation by the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, but we’re going to do the best we can.”
Unger’s plans include possibly closing one southbound lane of Onondaga Lake Parkway on the busiest nights, but he’d have to get state Department of Transportation permission to do so.
Lights on the Lake tickets cost $6 per vehicle for Mondays and Tuesdays, $10 each for Wednesdays and Thursdays, and $20 per car Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Charity benefit nights will cost $5 per car on Jan. 10 through 14; 315-457-7275.
Three DWIs in October
On Nov. 15, Unger reported to trustees that the LPD made 248 traffic stops in October, and officers issued 185 citations for violations of the state’s vehicle and traffic laws.
Eleven traffic accidents were investigated last month, and three arrests were made for DWI. Officers made 133 residential checks and 130 business checks during October while responding to a total of 658 incidents and calls for service
The LPD arrested 25 individuals last month on 33 criminal charges.
New part-timer OK’d
Mayor Gary White and the four trustees — Matt Devendorf, Christina Fadden, Dennis Hebert and Michael LaMontagne — unanimously approved Unger’s request to hire another part-time officer to help alleviate the department’s staffing crisis.
The candidate is 21-year-old Charles Matarazza, who planned to graduate last week from the Ulster County Police Academy. He’ll soon relocate to Oneida County, making him eligible to work as a police officer in Liverpool.
“We’re still under-staffed,” Unger said, “but every little bit helps.”
Last month, the trustees approved the hiring of Ebrar Mohammad as a part-time police officer. She’s a forensics specialist presently employed at the Onondaga County Crime Analysis Center.
