AJ Chmielewski: Future of Light Show to Be Determined This Weekend
To light or not to light. That is the question.
The answer, is yet to be determined, but hopefully there will be an answer by the end of this weekend. In a phone conversation late Friday morning with AJ Chmielewski told us that the family plans to have a discussion this weekend about what the future holds.
Chmielewski says there are about 12 to 14 people in the family, all who have a say in what happens next.
A Facebook post on Christmas Day by the Chmielewski's implied the light show may no longer continue. But nothing definitive has been decided yet.
Chmielewski confirmed to us that the day before Christmas Eve, a neighbor called the police who then had a conversation with the Chmielewski's. The police said everything needed to be shut down by 11pm due to a neighbor complaint.
When the police were asked if there was any specific concern that could be addressed, the answer was basically that everything was an issue.
The police were called again on Christmas Day.
Some community members have brought up the idea of moving the light display to another location such as a park.
"That's not really an option for us," Chmielewski said. He said a lot of work and man hours go into it and to have the light display in another location is not realistic.
Chmielewski said he was not sure how long the light display had been happening but said it was around 12 years.
Chmielewski also said that the neighbor we spoke to earlier this week, Darlene, was not the neighbor who called police this year. Darlene also told us she was not the one who complained this year but admitted to calling police in the past because people were blocking her driveway. Chmielewski says that he has spoken with Darlene about her concerns while also adding that her concerns are "totally understandable."
Chmielewski reiterated that their intention is to bring joy to everyone and they don't want to cause any problems. But once things start to become an issue, they need to reevaluate.
This year's light show will continue at least through New Year's Day but will end at 11pm each night.