Irwin council members debate electronic sign

A proposal to replace the 4-foot-by-8-foot message board on the “Irwin Inc. 1864” welcome sign with a new electronic version sparked a heated debate among Irwin Council members, with one member calling the proposed sign a “total eyesore.”

At a recent council meeting, Councilman Tyler Baum was the sole dissenter in a vote to apply for a $125,000 Community Development Block Grant from Westmoreland County to fund improvements in the area of the community sign at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Main streets.

“I think (electronic signs are) a total eyesore and a distraction to drivers. It would be a real shame with a beautiful downtown to have an electronic sign, especially right across from each other,” Baum said, noting an electronic sign is in use across the street at the First Presbyterian Church.

Borough manager Shari Martino said an electronic sign would allow employees to update messages remotely, providing a quicker and more efficient way to communicate with residents, especially during an emergency. The electronic sign would cost about $70,000, with landscaping and concrete work costing about $20,000.

Benches would cost about $16,000, while mounting hardware would cost $12,000, and $7,000 would cover the cost of wire connections, Martino said.

Baum argued the funds could be better used for a “project we really need” and suggested the borough simply repaint the existing stucco sign. His opposition was echoed by Councilwoman Fonda Dalbow, who said she also would oppose the project if it specifically mandated an electronic sign.

Borough solicitor Zachary Kansler clarified the grant application does not require the borough to install an electronic sign. The application is for general improvements to the area, and to change the project at this late stage, with the Sept. 30 deadline looming, would require a special meeting. “It’s this or nothing,” for this round of grant funding, Kansler told council.

Council approved the grant application, but the final decision on whether to install an electronic sign will depend on the successful receipt of the funds and future discussions.

The borough is applying for a grant at a time when that funding source may be eliminated as the federal government cuts backs on spending, said Dan Schmitt, an engineer and partner with Gibson-Thomas Engineering, the borough’s engineering firm.

With the requirements for the grant funds becoming more stringent, fewer municipalities are applying for the money, Schmitt said. Irwin likely will not learn whether its application has been approved for another nine months.