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Additional banner placement needs PennDOT’s okay

The City of Warren has – subject to PennDOT permission – agreed to the installation of a new street pole banner location during Monday’s meeting.

City Manager Nancy Freenock said that council was contacted by the Warren Players, who said they have had difficulty reserving more than one of the three existing banner locations when needed for their shows.

“PennDOT permission must be obtained,” she said. “Upon the city receiving PennDOT approval, Warren Players will cover the cost.”

She said the proposed location is across Pennsylvania Ave. W. near East St.

Councilman Gregory Fraser asked if this would establish a precedent.

Freenock said that is “certainly possible” but noted that there are “limited locations banners could be placed.”

She said the Players initially looked at Market Street but Department of Public Works Director Mike Holtz and Police Chief Brandon Deppen couldn’t find a suitable location.

The agreement, Freenock said, would give the Players some degree of exclusive rights – they would have until January 1 each year to select what weeks they want their banners up before the location would be available to any other interested entity.

Freenock told council that the Lions Club had a similar arrangement in the early 1990s when the current banner locations – Market St., Glade Bridge and Ludlow St. – were established.

Fraser asked if that resulted in the city giving preference to a specific charity and Freenock noted that the Players would be covering the cost.

Mayor Maurice Cashman noted that the Players know their schedule one year in advance.

“There’s a reason for that,” Councilman Paul Giannini said. “They get bumped due to another organization, not because the city does the bumping. There is one organization in the city that can bump them because they share a building.”

Cashman noted that the agreement doesn’t stipulate how long a single banner can remain in place.

“We have a policy (that) staff administers,” Freenock said.

Executive Secretary Teena Leary said the regulations permit a banner to remain for a two week period.

Council approved a resolution in support a swell as an agreement with the Players unanimously.

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