June 16, 2000
A sign that's run out of time
By Jefferson Wolfe
Staff Writer
The Seneca County Commissioners have ordered Sheriff H. Weldin Neff to take down the anti-drunk-driving billboard and wrecked car at the intersection of SR 100 and US 224.
In a letter sent to Neff last week, the commissioners state they have received numerous complaints about the billboard and the wrecked car. The billboard says," Sometimes, it takes a family of four to stop a drunk driver." Neff previously said the display is based on an accident in which a family of four was killed in a drunk driving accident.
Commissioner Janet Dell said one woman complained that the light from the sign can blind drivers at night.
"Plus, I think its a little bit of a distraction at that intersection," Commissioner Kenneth Estep said.
County Administrator Bob Anderson said the wrecked car is unattractive and is killing the grass underneath. He also said for some time the grass was not trimmed beneath the car.
Anderson said the sign was placed there in connection with a specific anti-drunk driving campaign during the holidays.
"The message is good, it is a good message," he said. "There's just certain times of year it should be placed there."
Neff said the sign was not put up as part of a specific campaign, and was a project he entered into with the State Patrol.
Some people have objected because the sign has Neff's name on it, Anderson said.
"To more people this it's a political statement than a public interest statement," Anderson said. However, the commissioners did not order Neff to remove the sign because of his name, he said.
"I think that's an officeholder's right to display his name on materials, signs and buildings he occupies as an officeholder," Neff said. This is a common practice, he said.
"I'm sure the commissioners would do it if they had the chance," Neff said
Neff stated that the response to the sign has been positive.
"Nobody's complained to us, in fact we've got nothing but compliments," he stated. The sheriff's office has received positive phone calls, letters and personal comments about the sign.
Neff said the car can be moved to prevent the death of the grass. If that does happen, the area can be re-seeded.
Neff said he wants to keep the sign up, especially over the summer months and their holidays when people do a lot of driving.
"If he would contact us, maybe there's something we could do," Anderson said. "There could be discussions to kind of cooperate on this."
For example, the car could be removed and the area around the base of the sign could be mulched to make maintaining it easier, he said
Recently, Judge Steve Shuff court-ordered the commissioners to pay the bill for wiring the sign with electricity.
Initially, the commissioners refused to pay the bill when it was submitted by the sheriff. Anderson said the commissioners felt that, since the funding for the sign came from the sheriff's Furtherance of Justice Money, so should other expenses.
The judge issued the court order, meaning the commissioners now have to pay. Anderson said the bill will be paid next week.