Do more than move that sign on down the road

Talk about it

Sign, sign, everywhere is that sign.

Or so it seems when it is moved around.

Especially in the heat of an election year, with Election Day in just a couple of weeks.

The Hudson Town Board discussed the practice of resident Dick Pearson to use his parked-on-the-side-of-the-street pickup truck payload as a great big placard, in violation of town ordinance. Supervisors say Pearson will push the envelope, leaving the truck/sign in one place until he is told to remove it, then just move it somewhere else and park it.

The consensus at last Tuesday’s meeting was that this is a bigger problem if it is used for “advertising.” They also agreed that it’s not important enough to pursue if it would require the involvement of legal counsel.

Parallel efforts by St. Croix County officials to gain conformance have gotten nowhere, supervisors were told. There also may be First Amendment issues involved.

Supervisors directed building inspector Brian Wert to again tell Pearson the practice violates town ordinance.

In another matter with signs, the Town Board said that one erected by business owner Mick Howland will be brought into conformance very soon. Supervisor Tim Foster still pushed the matter, as far as possible board action, and got into a debate with Chairman Jeff Johnson, who asked Foster pointedly: “Can’t you ever just let anything go?”

In another election-related matter, the board voted to close the town offices for official business on Nov. 5, the day after the Town Hall and adjacent offices are used as a day-long polling place. The staff will still work a casual day doing follow-up paperwork.

In other matters, the board:

* Set a public hearing to amend the zoning ordinance involving limited recreational activities operated by a non-profit agency, to benefit an effort to build four baseball fields just north of Badlands Road and east of Hwy. 12, for 6 p.m. on Nov. 11. Possible lighting has come up as an issue, but the organizers say they could remove that stipulation if needed.

* Set standards for stormwater calculations for St. Croix County, to be based on a 100-year event.

Tags: news, hudson, town, meeting, signs