WARREN - Warren City Council met Tuesday night to hear a presentation about an audit of its streetlights and consider how to improve its lighting system.

Tanko Lightning, a California-based company, provided a summary of the city's lighting system. 

One solution is to purchase the lights from Ohio Edison and replace the older bulbs with LEDs.

The city currently uses high-pressure sodium lights as well as mercury vapor lights, some of which are from the 40s and 50s.

3rd Ward Councilman Greg Greathouse, who is also chair of the public utilities commission, says LEDs are more cost-effective and energy-efficient.

"These new LED lights have an effective burn life of twenty-two and a half years, I'll be dead and gone by the time one of these streetlights burn out," he said.

Tanko Lighting reports that city-owned lighting systems lower their operating costs by about 63%.

If the city were to purchase the lights, maintenance would fall to the city.

CEO Jason Tanko, who presented to the council, says the city would utilize contract workers.

"The city would hire the contractors, and we would dispatch them to do what they need to do," he said.

Greathouse says he counts around 20 to 30 broken streetlights per month in his ward.

"Once we convert to LEDs, those days are over," he said.

If the city purchases the lights from Ohio Edison, it would take around one to two years to install the LEDs.

The total cost of the potential project is estimated to be around $3.4 million.

The city hopes to enter into a contract with Tanko Lighting to work out details about a purchase with Ohio Edison.

21 News previously reported that an audit found that Ohio Edison had overbilled the city for lights that haven't been operating in years

Greathouse believes the city is owed between $350,000 and $1 million, and plans to introduce an ordinance at the March 25 City Council meeting that would allow the city to contract with Tanko Lighting who would help them recoup alleged lost funds.

Under the proposed contract, Tanko Lighting would receive 20% of what the city earns as compensation from Ohio Edison as payment.