Henry Raymond
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: lena6 on April 21, 2011, 11:23:35 AM
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The advertising on the little league fence is not too big, they can't face the road. They have to face infield. After all these years, every hear of anything so foolish.????????????????
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Can they be moved to the other side on the field so they face the field AND the road? I'll help...
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Maybe a bill board issue , like the sign at Clarks international in Jericho.
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Billboard violation, but we're looking for an exemption from Montpelier.
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"We" include Little League Pres. Rob Howard, State Rep Carolyn Branagan and The Fairfax News.
NOT the Selectboard.
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How about including Gary Gilbert? He's our representative, too, you know. Oh wait, he's a Democrat. And by the way, Chris, YOU ARE the Fairfax News.
Just find it funny to ask the representative from Georgia to fight for the FAIRFAX FLETCHER WESTFORD Little League. Yes, she is our representative, but you might want to include the one FROM Fairfax.
I'm sure things will work out.
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Jeez' Mike, he is just trying to help the kids and little league....
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And I don't have a problem with that. Good for Chris.
But like I said, I find it funny to have the rep from Georgia fight for our little league, and not include the one from Fairfax.
I do find it strange that the signs have been OK for years, and only now there is a problem.
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just leave them there and see what happens ,will they bring in the national guard to take them down? how about the state police tomake a big seen i say let them make fools of themselves .and fight the good fight ,this law needs to go away
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fight for our little league
help the kids and little league....
fight for the FAIRFAX FLETCHER WESTFORD Little League
For whatever it's worth, not everybody in town sees this as an attack on the little league. We do have that billboard law for a reason, right? Why should there be an exception in this case?
I know it's tempting to think that the law should be ignored because the fence is "for the kids", but changing the signs isn't going to destroy the little league. The comments here seem to assume that an exception obviously and definitely should be granted and that anyone who doesn't support this is somehow against the kids or unwilling to help with the community. Not all of us see it that way.
So can anyone explain why the little league team and the businesses that advertise on the fence should be exempt from the billboard law?
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just leave them there and see what happens ,will they bring in the national guard to take them down? how about the state police tomake a big seen i say let them make fools of themselves .and fight the good fight ,this law needs to go away
I agree with Ed, I was just on 105 in Sheldon and their Little league field has the same set up. Are they having the same problem? Our field has been this way since I was playing little league 18 years ago without a problem. So why is there a problem now? Did someone complain? I think that Montpelier has problems that require attention other than a little league baseball field in Fairfax VT!! Good grief!!!!!
Norton, really a 3 ft tall baseball field fence is hardly a billboard I believe that is really just Common sense. If that's a billboard then why is it OK to put out garage sale or yard sale signs?
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Norton, really a 3 ft tall baseball field fence is hardly a billboard I believe that is really just Common sense. If that's a billboard then why is it OK to put out garage sale or yard sale signs?
Actually, Josh, that is a "small billboard". These signs are there year-round and not just during the Little League season - correct me if I am wrong about that. I have always disliked them, personally. (I am a big supporter of the billboard law.) However, I would go along with Trevor's idea of moving them to the other side of the field, so they faced into the playing field and could sort of be seen from the road.
The garage sale signs are temporary...these are not.
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Sorry to see such a conflict here...... Trevor, great idea! :-) Chris, thank you for trying to make it work. I personally have no issue with the fence and applaud those who sponsor the little league to help give our kids a healthy and fun program.
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It's to bad that people just trying to do some good for kids have to go through so much crap to do it!!
Margie, last time I checked the huge sign at the commons was perminante and it advertises all the businesses in there even though all the businesses have a sign above their actual place of business. The fact is that if all those businesses on the fence wanted to fork over $2500 to the state and get those small (billboard) advertising signs it wouldn't be a problem. The state can't make money off it so it is a problem.
I am a fan of the Billboard law also, having lived in California for 6 years trust me I know how trashy it looks having Billboards post up and down your highways!! Maybe living there has obstructed my view on what a billboard is though because even if you took the whole fence and but it in one sign it wouldn't be half the size of a typical billboard. Sorry but with all the problems we have in our town not even touching the problems we have in our state I think this should rank pretty low on the enforcement list.
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Sorry, did not mean to make a war. Before anyone forgets, the field belong to Jim and I. I don't mind having them face the infield, but not real great for them that pay for the advertising. I do believe it all started with Randy Clark in Underhill. Now we pay for someone to go around Vt. and check for fences that have advertising. Randy really did not start the stink, someone must not like him and billboards.
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Replying to Norton,
with a disclaimer first: I support Vermont's Billboard law, but believe the size and distance from the road in this situation deserve consideration.
It's the revenue for the league.
Advertisers (sponsors) want their names advertised.
When I was a kid we used to have the business on our uniforms.
That seemed to work back then, but I was just a kid.
And, Mike, this is not a Republican/Democrat thing.
Now that I have had more time, I have contacted Gilbert, Kittell, Brock, Savage, Dickenson, Condon and Consejo.
We'll need support from more than just our community.
Gotta go get Cale from school........
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Just got an e-mail back from Rob Howard, FFWLL President:
About 12 signs at $275 per = $ 3,300 revenue for the league.
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I had the opportunity to address this issue with a member of the judiciary committee, the assistant secretary of transportation, vice-chair of transportation and Carolyn.. A bill that deals with many other items also contains the issue of bill boards and is now in conference committee. When this bill first passed the House there was a great deal of discussion about writing exemptions for different groups or situations and no exemptions were included.
Off premises signs are the issue here and are covered by our bill board laws. The major difficulty is how to apply the law fairly to everyone. The agency of transportation can not be placed in a position of deciding which signs support things they like and which signs support something they do not like. If the law were not enforced uniformly it raises the issue of equal speech. If all signs were prohibited it would treat everyone equally and there is no discrimination. If exemptions were granted for some groups it raises the issue of discrimination or of prohibiting equal access. If some groups were allowed exemptions it would also mean that our bill board law could be overturned and the state would be left with no regulation over signs on or off a premises.
It is clear to me that the AOT sees the signs facing traffic as a violation of existing rules and as off premises advertisements. Inward facing signs however are for those that chose to watch games and are recognition of the support local business have given to our young athletes. It is the owner of the property that is responsible for complying with the law. The best action would be to thank Jim and Lena for the use of their property, thank the merchants who have supported the little league, and adjust the signs to comply with the law.
Gary
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Thanks Gary for the clarification. Now maybe we can get past THIS and get mother nature on our side and then..... PLAY BALL!!!!
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No exemptions ???
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24500002/ns/us_news-life/ (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24500002/ns/us_news-life/)
from the article:
No 'slippery slope'
State Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin, a Democrat whose district includes Bellows Falls, called the state's position absurd.
"There's no one that would fight harder for upholding Vermont's billboard law than me. But this is an example where bureaucrats in government are not exercising common sense when they interpret Vermont's billboard law," Shumlin said. "I don't believe anyone can logically argue that this is the beginning of a slippery slope."
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Just so everyone knows, we are going to tell Rob to turn the fence advertising in toward the infield. If they make an exception for us, everyone will want one. I personally hate the billboards along the road, starting when you cross the line into New York. Would not want that for Vermont, we are a beautiful state, lets leave it that way. Enough said on this. Please everyone, lets just drop it.
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Gary, thank you for responding so quick and for calling. Good job.
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Thanks, Lena
Just to be clear, I totally support the Little League, played myself here in Fairfax (almost 50 years ago!). My comment was only intended to point out that the billboard law exists for good reason, and any exceptions should be carefully considered and substantiated. I kind of like the idea that the state has decided not to grant exceptions. By far, the most easily-administered number of exceptions to any law is zero.
Chris, I get the fact that the signs are "revenue for the league", but that point could be made about any sign, and therefore isn't really a reason for an exception.
But the main reason I'm posting right now is to thank Lena and Jim for donating the use of their land, and for all the other generous ways in which they support our town. Lena, I appreciate your gracious suggestion to "just drop it", but before we do that, I've got to say, "Thanks".
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Lena's wish is my command.
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Lena, you and Jim are treasures to the town of Fairfax. Thank you for all the work you do. And you are on class act, lady. :-)
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Jim met with 2 guys from VTTrans and we are going to move the signs to face infield. If you go by the billboard law, they are considered billboards. Thay are advertising businesses not located on the premises. And if you think about it, more people will see them if they are turned. Lets hope no one reads them all when they are driving by. Have a great day.