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Select Board amends temporary-sign policy, approves Friendship Festival signage for town-sponsored event
Summary
After debate about safety and precedent, the Select Board amended sign policy to allow a 3x5 sign outside the rotary, extended the maximum display to 14 days for this town-sponsored event, capped signs at 15, and approved the Friendship Festival temporary-sign permit under the amended rules.
The Mashby Select Board on May 18 amended Select Board Policy 037 and approved a temporary sign permit for the sixth annual Friendship Festival organized by the Inclusion and Diversity Committee.
Dan Cooperman outlined the festival plan — a family-focused, town-sponsored event on Sunday, June 14 — and requested permission to post signs roughly three weeks before the event, including one two-sided 3x5 sign to be placed in or near the rotary. Board members extensively debated safety (signs inside the rotary can impair drivers’ focus), precedent (concern that allowing larger or longer-duration signs would invite other requests) and reasonable public outreach.
After discussion the board decided: (1) 3x5 signs may be permitted outside the rotary but not inside it, (2) for this town-sponsored festival the board will allow signs for up to 14 days (amending the prior five-day limit), and (3) a hard cap of 15 signs will be permitted for this event. The board also amended the policy’s size allowance to accept a 3x5 (15-square-foot) sign in policy language. The motions to amend policy language and to grant the temporary sign permit under the amended policy both passed by roll call votes.
Members stressed that the board’s action should remain discretionary and that staff would prepare a finalized policy amendment for future formal adoption. The Inclusion and Diversity Committee expressed appreciation and confirmed it will follow the conditions, place the larger sign outside the rotary and coordinate materials and mounting details with town staff.
What happens next: staff will update Policy 037 to reflect the agreed changes, and the Inclusion and Diversity Committee can install signs under the new, amended rules.
