Do As I Say, Not As I Do …
“It doesn’t have to comply,” said Mayor Lori Hohenleitner when questioned whether the proposed sign for Borough Hall is in violation of borough codes.
The surprise response came at the end of Monday’ s meeting of the Mayor and Council when local resident Mark Fisher again asked several questions concerning the approximate $54,000 the governing body approved at the meeting for installation of a new large multicolored LED sign for in front of borough hall.
During the public portion of the meeting before the resolution was unanimously passed, When Fisher asked how many complaints they have been concerning the current sign, the Mayor “from me, personally…that number would be high,” but did not respond to Fisher’s question of how many complaints have been received from anyone in town.
Both Councilman Vito Colasurdo and councilwoman Alyson Forbes voiced their support for the sign, with Forbes saying that as a walker and a person not on Facebook, she appreciates the news on the sign.
Colasurdo said that considering the sign they are replacing is 30 or 40 years old, though no one knew the precise age, he does not think $53,422is a lot of money to spend to replace it.
Fisher said “$53,422…that’s a lot of money .” To which the Mayor responded “thank you.”
During the second portion of the meeting, when the public could voice their opinions again, Fisher cited the borough’s current sign ordinance and read some of its regulations.
Current borough law limits signs to no more than 18 square feet if for some businesses, no more than 20 square feet for non-profits, churches, schools and similar facilities.
Although no one could cite the precise size of the planned LED sign, but agreed it was larger than the sign it is scheduled to replace, it was likened to the borough sign currently on display on West River Road in Rumson, near Crazies’ ice cream store. That sign measures 28 square feet, or at least 8 square feet larger than what is allowed in Atlantic Highlands.
Fisher also pointed out the present code prohibits illuminated signs, flashing, rotating signs or colored signs and asked simply “so does the new sign comply with the borough codes?”
Which is when the Mayor responded “It doesn’t have to”
Fisher then asked? So it can go against our ordinance? The Mayor responded, “If we decide that, yes.”
Indeed, they had decided it by approving the resolution by unanimous vote earlier in the meeting.
Fisher got no response to other questions on the colors, illumination, rotation, or flashing of the proposed $53,422 sign approved for purchase at the meeting.
Apparently by the end of the meeting the new sign which fails to fall within borough limitations for signs in Atlantic Highlands, is still a go for the Mayor. When another resident asked the date of an upcoming meeting, the Mayor responded she did not know it yet, but laughingly assured the resident hat when she knows it, “we’ll put it on the new sign.”
Punishment for private businesses or no -profits who violate the sign ordinance are subject to jail terms not to exceed 90 days, or fines of up to $2,000, or 90 days of community service.