Members of the Smithfield School Committee reviewed a draft policy on advertising rights for the district’s athletic facilities and directed staff to gather measurements and return with updated pricing and site details.

The draft presented to the committee proposes fees set by sign type, size and contract length, and contemplates one-year increments in the draft while the committee expressed a preference for multi-year contracts—“ideally 3 to 5” years for many locations. The policy identifies locations for potential advertising including the athletic complex, the Pleasantview basketball courts, fencing around fields, scoreboards and a proposed digital sign near the high school entrance; the draft also lists a permanent plaque option for certain prominent locations.

Committee members asked for definitive sizes and prices. Staff said they will measure the scoreboard and other large sign locations and then “plug in” amounts based on those sizes. A committee member asked who would install the signs; staff replied, “We would do that internally.”

A committee member suggested that roadside fencing might demand higher rates and cited a proposed figure of $25,000 for five years for a high-visibility location; staff said that some locations (because of size or siting) may be suited to a permanent plaque rather than a standard vinyl or digital sign, and that the committee must consider whether digital signage is allowable under district policy and other rules.

Staff noted that revenue from advertising would be returned to school accounts for field renovation and replacement. The committee agreed to have staff present measured dimensions and revised pricing at the next school committee meeting.

Quotes from the meeting were recorded in the committee’s packet and transcript; the committee did not adopt a final policy at the Sept. 18 meeting and set further review for a later session.