Sign clutter beginning to bug Howell officials

BY LARRY HLAVENKA JR.
Staff Writer

HOWELL - Interested in working at home for $10 an hour? How about attending an open house on Adelphia Road? Would you like to lose 30 pounds in 30 days?

With posted advertisements infiltrating Howell and making it "look like a yard sale," Mayor Joseph DiBella said something needs to be done to curtail the burgeoning problem.

"We need to send code enforcement on a two-day [mission] to take these things down," he said. "We've all had it with them."

The mayor said the problem is not necessarily the advertisements in all cases, but the fact that the signs are not removed after an open house or a garage sale.

Township Attorney Thomas Gannon informed the council "we have a good ordinance," but that did not satisfy resident Grace Abramov.

"It's not enforced," she yelled from the audience of a recent Township Council meeting.

According to municipal law, real estate signs do not require a permit, nor do political campaign signs. Political signs must be taken down within 14 days of an election's conclusion.

Gannon confirmed language regarding non-political and non-real estate signs for advertisements would fall under the township's definition of a commercial sign. He said enforcement of the law is the issue, rather than a lack of language prohibiting the signs.

As such, DiBella pressed for a crackdown.

"We need to get on this and get it enforced," he said.

Councilwoman Cynthia Schomaker said code enforcement personnel should try a different approach, since, "if we take them down, [people] are going to keep putting them up." She said officials should start calling the telephone number listed on commercial signs and inform the person responsible that he will be fined.

Township Manager Thomas Czer-niecki said he will address the matter with code enforcement officials.

With regard to a similar topic, Abramov also asked the council to make an effort to rid Howell of litter.

"I don't know where these people [who throw litter on the streets] come from," she said.

Abramov said she has noticed an unacceptable amount of litter outside the library, on streets and around jughandles.

DiBella said he has reached out to local Boy Scout troops in order for them to beautify the community and earn community service credit. The mayor said he will continue to discuss the problem.

In other business, DiBella said he has received phone calls and public comment regarding the ongoing revaluation of township property. He said he expects the firm that is conducting the home assessments to be done with the inspections in October.

Czerniecki said he believes the entire process will be completed in January.

At that time, property owners will have an opportunity to appeal their new assessment.

Deputy Mayor Peter Tobasco said residents will see how the revaluation will affect their property taxes once the 2007 municipal budget is struck next year.

"Ballpark, June [2007]," he said.