Chamber Presents Plan to Township Committee For 'Welcome to Montville' Signs

Joe O'Dowd, a board member of the Montville Chamber of Commerce, presented a plan for new "Welcome to Montville" signs to the Township Committee on Tuesday night.

According to O'Dowd, the chamber purchased 12 signs in 2004 with the help of the township committee for $15,000, but now has decided to acquire signs for the remaining access points to the township, of which the chamber has identified 28.

"We think the life expectancy on these signs is about seven to 10 years on average," said O'Dowd.

The signs, O'Dowd said, would be paid for through sponsorships, which he said would both cover the costs of the signs and would allow the chamber to create a fund for future signs and maintenance. The townships' Department of Public Works would also have some responsibility for the maintenance of the signs, but the chamber plans to take care of replacing signs when needed.

O'Dowd expects the sponsorships to cost approximately $300 per year for the first three years, an amount that would cover the initial cost of each sign. After the first three years, O'Dowd said, the sponsor could continue their sponsorship for a reduced cost.

"I think it's a credit to the town to have it," he said. "So we're looking for endorsement of what we're doing because we're doing it on township property, and we're asking the town to take some responsibility for installation and maintenance, but not replacement."

The chamber plans to reach out to businesses that hold chamber memberships for sponsorships first, but if there are still unclaimed signs after reaching out to the members of the chamber, signs can be sponsored by other businesses or even individuals.

"The esteemed members of the township committee, for example," said O'Dowd. "Your money is good by us."

The township committee unanimously endorsed the Chamber of Commerce's plan.