Douglas Mayor Tony Paulk and the city commission adopted a new pole banner policy for the downtown area at the most recent commission meeting this past Monday.
City representatives stated in a press release issued Wednesday, “The City of Douglas wants to continue its support and cooperation, and expand the services provided, by offering the possible display of banners in the downtown area promoting community events and awareness initiatives, and secondarily to identify the respective sponsors.”
The new policy is effective immediately. Within the downtown commercial historic district, the city has approximately 60 decorative lamp posts where banners can be displayed for seasonal/holiday purposes and awareness initiatives such as Childhood Cancer Awareness.
Any business, club and organization, industry, education, and healthcare affiliates desiring to display a banner in the downtown commercial district must go through an application process, submit a sample and specifications of the banner and receive approval from the Mayor and Commission prior to banner installation. Applications can be submitted up to one year in advance and six months minimum prior to the event or awareness date.
There will be a $100 deposit required to hold space once the applicant is approved and a fee of $10 per pole for new banner and $5 per pole for existing design/banner, which covers installation and removal of new and existing banners. Applicants are responsible for all costs related to the design, production, and delivery. Applicants are also responsible for maintenance and storage of banners prior to and after installation.
Public Information Director Georgia Henderson stated, “We currently have several banners we display seasonally throughout downtown Douglas that was purchased through the city and other organizations. In the past we’ve had other organizations and businesses request to display banners and felt that having a banner policy, like many other cities throughout the state of Georgia, would be in our best interest. We believe utilizing banners is a great way to advertise and market events and awareness initiatives.”
For more information on the pole banner policy or to obtain a copy of the policy and application, call the Main Street office at 912-384-5161 or visit www.cityofdouglas.com.