Recommend Approval Of LED Sign at Library

By Karen Myers

Missourian Staff Writer

The Washington City Council administration/operations committee recommended approving a request to place a digital marquee at the library.

The LED sign would be placed on the south side of the library for library and city use.

Final approval of the request likely will come at a future full council meeting.

Nell Redhage, library director, made the request Wednesday night on behalf of the Friends of the Washington Public Library.

The cost of the sign is just under $20,000, Redhage said.

The marquee would be purchased by the Friends of the Library from Ziglin Signs and would not use any taxpayer money except to run electricity to the sign.

The lighted sign would operate with a wireless connection and could be updated from inside the library, Redhage told the council.

The sign measures 92 inches horizontally and 61 inches vertically and has a depth of 30 inches.

The Washington Public Library logo displayed in green and blue will take up the top 24 inches of the sign with the remaining area to be used to display events and information.

The base is an additional 36 inches tall and 24 inches wide.

“The idea of putting it where we’re suggesting is that you will be able to read it coming from either direction on Fifth Street,” Redhage said.

The digital readout will be in red.

“It’s a nice looking sign. I think we should put it there,” Councilman Joe Holtmeier said.

Councilman Steve Sullentrup asked about adopting a policy as to what messages can be displayed and whether other organizations could use the sign to post their events.

“Ideally, you’ll stay out of trouble if you limit it to city activities,” said City Counselor Mark Piontek.

Other council members agreed that parks and library “won’t run out of information” to display on the sign.