Lawrence, owner of Simply Yards, told the City Council this week that the sign is falling apart and the Chamber of Commerce beautification committee, which is helping improve the triangle, wants to replace it. He said he'd like to take the sign down and replace it by the end of summer or the end of the year.
Lawrence said once the sign is removed, the committee would hang some kind of banner in its place until the new sign is built and put into place. The new sign, he said, would be able to accommodate rotating banners featuring such things as local events.
Two members of the Council, including Erica Pickett didn't like the idea of not having a sign in place for awhile. Council member Bill Turner said, "I want something to up up as quickly as possible"
Mayor Dean Maxwell said "We may need to sit down with the Chamber on a policy on the kinds of banners that can be put up."
Council member Cynthia Richardson pleaded for a two-sided replacement sign, calling the back side of the sign, visible as drivers head to the state ferry, "butt-ugly."