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By Mark Rickard

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The colourful roadside banners that advertise an upcoming event or promotion will now have to conform to a new comprehensive municipal banner policy if Perth-Andover Village Council approves the document.

The village's policy, which has yet to be formally approved by council, proposed that Perth-Andover pay the cost of erecting streetlight and cross street banners if the event being advertised has an economic development benefit for the community.

"For the service clubs the municipality would pay half the costs of these banners and service clubs pay the remaining cost. That is something the town would consider to help the service club with part of these costs," stated Dan Dionne, chief administrative officer.

The banner sites, which are located on Perth-Andover boardwalks and utility poles on West Riverside Drive, Main Street, East Riverside Drive, the by-pass road and F. Tribe Road, are only available to promote local non-profit or cultural civic events or activities of particular interest or benefit to the community. The village will not permit banners for commercial purposes, political candidates, parties, or issues. The logo of a business or corporation sponsoring the event may be included on a banner. The banners must conform to a certain size, be in good condition and have legible lettering.

"The village shall honour recognized events which are held annually by reserving banner space for Gathering of the Scots Festival, the Recreation Commission Trade Show, homecoming, summer music series, farm market, bass fishing and seasonal banners for Christmas and summer.

To have a banner placed in the community, organizations must make a written application six weeks prior to the planned installation date. Banner space will be permitted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Individual service clubs or community groups will be limited to a maximum of six banners during the spring and summer season, with no banners permitted during the Christmas season.

"The municipality will contribute 50 per cent of the cost to install the banners. The current cost to the light commission to install and take down banners is $59 per banner. Therefore, service clubs and community organizations which are not promoting special events in the community, will be charged half of the cost," the proposed policy stated. "Once reviewed by the policy and by-law committee, village staff will contact the organization with notice of approval or regret two weeks before the desired placement of the proposed banners…. If a banner design or a placement request is denied by the policy and by-law committee, the sponsoring organization may appeal this decision directly to the Village Council by asking to be paced on the next available Village Council Meeting Agenda."

Perth-Andover's proposed policy stated any banners advertising festivals or events which will enhance tourism and economic development can install up to 20 banners as long as it does not interfere with the current outline of seasonal banners. The banners will be installed on the village light poles by municipal workers.