A sober Christmas, but no less heartfelt with decorated trees without lights and the alternating lighting of the street lamps in the month of January. These are the measures that the municipal administration is about to launch as part of its own savings plan with the intention of making the next bills less heavy. It is the mayor of Seren del Grappa, Dario Scopel who illustrates the provisions: «The cost of energy resources, which is constantly rising, is also felt on the accounts of our budget and so, in order to make ends meet without affecting the pockets of citizens , we have decided to intervene with some measures that will come into force in the coming weeks», announces Scopel. «The most important, continues the mayor, is that which concerns public street lighting: during the month of January we will plan a 50 percent reduction in expenditure, which we will implement with the alternating switching off of the street lamps present. This will allow us, at least as long as possible, not to leave any road in the dark, thus guaranteeing at least sufficient conditions of use and safety”.
Another measure, much less impacting on a practical level, will also have a symbolic value. «This year I asked the associations and volunteers who, as per tradition, arrange the Christmas trees in the squares of the towns and villages, not to use lights. The choice will represent significant savings for the municipal bill, but it also wants to be a sign of sobriety consistent with the situation we are going through. Similarly and for the same reasons», adds Scopel, «we are oriented towards turning off the lights that illuminate the facades of the churches. All this without giving up the traditions of “our” Christmas, starting with the markets scheduled for next Sunday in Pian della Chiesa, in Valle di Seren».
«I am sure», concludes the mayor, «that the citizens will understand the meaning of these decisions, which – dictated by contingent economic needs – do not want to take anything away from the beauty of the Christmas holidays, but rather – in respect of what is happening inside and outside the our national borders – can instead serve to highlight its most authentic spirit»