By Shelby Stewart

Staff Writer

Ortonville- The village council voted 7-0 to allow the village manager to work with downtown business owners to put up a directional sign near the intersection of M-15 and Mill Street to direct people towards the downtown area.

“One of the local merchants, at their own expense, purchased several directional signs that they attached to a utility pole,” said Dale Stuart, village manager. “After receiving a number of complaints regarding the signs, I asked them to remove it, which they did. But they and other business owners have indicated that they would like some provisions in the sign ordinance to allow some type of sign that will assist them in directing traffic to the downtown area.”

Temporary signs in the village are allowed for 30 days, and the business owners downtown said it had brought them a lot of new business. After having to take it down, they asked the village for a solution, since business has gone down during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We can get something on a freestanding pole, similar to what the telephone pole would be, to accommodate the signs that they had,” said Stuart.

The council agreed that they wanted to help the downtown businesses, but also that this was a temporary solution. A more permanent solution could be suggested by the way finding committee in the future.

The signs will be reviewed 90 days after placement, and will not have to come to council for approval before placement.