Commission Wants Names in Lights

A new sign featuring upcoming events and activities in Warren may soon replace the Watchung Hills Elks Lodge sign at the corner of Bardy Lane and Mountain Boulevard.

Recreation Commission Chairwoman Karen Manner and Recreation Director Eleanora Hermann presented a recommended plan for the sign to the Township Committee July 23, which would be about 10 feet in  height, eight feet wide, and have an electronic sign measuring about 24-by-48 inches.

"As you know, the recreation program in town has grown tremendously in the last 10 years, and in order to let people know about programs, we need to advertise," Hermann said. She said the commission has been discussing an electronic sign for a number of years to replace small reader boards that are manually placed at the intersection for each event.

Hermann said the new sign would offer several advantages, including saving money spent by the township advertising events, as well as the fact it could include other important township announcements, such as police or health department notifications, or non-profit groups' messages. "It can be shared by a lot of entities," she said.

"You could put one message on it at a time or you can allow it to scroll and do messages," Hermann said. "It'll be wireless, so it will be controlled by my computer, so myself or a helper of mine can change messages at anytime." 

The sign recommended by the commission is manufactured with parts made in the U.S., Hermann said, noting that the company would be able to quickly take care of any service problems or needed maintenance.

Committeeman Mal Plager suggested making sure the electronic lights on the board were not too bright. He noted the township received numerous complaints after Watchung Hills Regional High School placed a larger sign with red lights on Stirling Road. 

The committee didn't take any action on the request at the meeting.