TOWN HALL ELECTRONIC MESSAGE SIGN SPARKS DEBATE

What do Prospect Church and Columbia High School have that Maplewood Town Hall will soon have?

No, not massive prayer (at test time perhaps for CHS), but a lighted message sign.

The Maplewood Historic Preservation Commission will meet tonight and consider plans to erect such a sign in front of Town Hall where portable lighted signs have been used up to now.

The HPC meeting is set for 8 p.m. tonight at Town Hall. See the agenda HERE.

The Township Committee on Tuesday night discussed the plan, which dates back to 2013 when funding was set aside, but it was never installed.

Proposed Town Hall sign will be similar to this one at CHS

Township Administrator Joseph Manning, who will attend tonight's HPC meeting, said it would be similar to the CHS front lawn sign.

The current Township Committee had some opposition, with TC member Nancy Adams concerned about the effect on the Town Hall building, which is a designated historic landmark and would require HPC approval if the sign is to be installed.

TC members Marlon Brownlee and Greg Lembrich said they did not object completely, but wanted to await HPC input.

See some of their discussion below: