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Deer Lodge committee weighs new downtown banners, directional signs and repairs
Summary
The Economic Growth and Development Committee discussed replacing torn banners, creating directional signs and referring the signage and bracket repairs to Public Works. Members agreed to gather design samples for the next meeting and inventory lamppost needs; funding details remain to be clarified.
The Deer Lodge Economic Growth and Development Committee discussed a downtown signage and banner overhaul and agreed to collect design samples and refer mechanical and safety questions to the Public Works department.
Committee members and residents raised safety and visibility concerns: several banners and flags are torn, and the town’s short lampposts make mounted banners vulnerable to truck strikes. One committee member noted the east and west sides of Main Street together have 30 lampposts and counted several torn or empty banner mounts. The meeting’s participants suggested targeting corner posts for directional signs to reduce cost and visual clutter.
Why it matters: committee members said the banners are a public-facing element of downtown that affects pedestrian wayfinding and the town’s historic character, and several members emphasized immediate fixes (removing the most dilapidated banners) while developing a longer-term, fundable plan.
Details and proposals discussed included turning banner arms to run parallel to the street to reduce truck impacts, replacing cloth banners with secured aluminum or metal directional signs, and securing banners so wind and vehicle contact do less damage. One participant cited an online price for an 18-by-30-inch aluminum sign at about $47 apiece as a planning reference; a rough package estimate for signage was discussed at about $1,500 but members said exact budgeting was not yet specified.
Public works and volunteer repair work also featured. Staff reported that public works had removed or welded broken brackets and that two local high school students (last name Beck) recently helped take down and repaint some mounts. The committee agreed these interim repairs improved appearance but stressed mechanical solutions would require Public Works input.
Quotes from the meeting capture the tone and priorities. A resident who raised the signage idea said, "I just wanted it. It would be really nice to dress it up," urging a design that respects the downtown’s historic feel while improving visibility. The chair and other committee members repeatedly recommended an inventory of poles and a staged plan that begins with removing the most damaged banners and preparing sample designs for committee review.
Next steps: members agreed to assemble banner and sign samples to display at the next committee meeting and to forward the banner/signage topic and technical questions to Public Works for engineering guidance and implementation estimates. The committee did not adopt a formal budget at this meeting; one member said past budgets were approximately $2,000 but final funding remains to be confirmed.
The committee’s next meeting will include the sample designs on the meeting TV and a proposed inventory to present to Public Works for follow-up.
