NEWTON GROVE — Following a lengthy discussion regarding a signage nuisance, commissioners may have come up with a solution by installing a digital kiosk for the community.
During a June meeting, Commissioner Laura Wheeler and other Newton Grove leaders discussed sign issues in the town’s circle and a traffic roundabout. Recently, Mayor Barbara Burch addressed board and said it belongs to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).
“The circle belongs to the DOT,” Burch said. “At anytime, anyone can put sings out there if they want to.”
Burch said town officials asked Newton Grove police officers to pick up signs that are not related to school, towns or churches.
“If we got to get with the state, we can’t really say who can’t put signs and who can because it’s state property,” Burch said.
Wheeler said a beautification improvement-related committee recommended that signs should not be placed there. The group is in the process of looking at a board system, similar to Dunn’s and Benson’s sign.
“Benson has a very attractive sign,” she said.
Currently, Wheeler said community members involved are trying to find a location for it, but the circle wasn’t mentioned as an idea. With a improvement project slated for the fall, she said it could be disruptive if people are walking over the landscape.
“You can see the damage overtime that can come from that or they can be placing them on the lamp posts,” she said. “I can see where it can become a problem.”
Therefore she made a recommendation to get the process to get started on purchasing a digital sign or find a way to post public information.
“If it’s a cheerleading event or whatever, it can be on a board and it notifies everyone,” Wheeler said. “We just need to come up with a placement so everyone can see it. We can’t afford to put one in six different places.”
She asked the board’s input for locations, put she suggested the park’s entrance or other visible locations like the old fire station in town.
“We need some help on that,” Wheeler said regarding the committee members.
But until an electronic marquee is purchased, Burch said sings in the circle will have to do for now.
“Until we come with it, signs can be permitted for school, church or town,” she said. “No yard sales, just nonprofit organizations.”
Previously, Police Chief Frankie Harrell said the department works to remove illegal sings in the area. He said one of the ways to stop it is to have restrictions, but some commissioners some will violate it anyway.