LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Here's an idea about yard sale sign posts

Last year I wrote much the same letter as this one, which was posted in this local paper. I also emailed said letter to all Yarmouth town councillors and the CAO. It’s such a simple idea, but nothing seems to happen. It’s in regard to yard sale signs.

['WS-xx-letter to the editor']

The Town of Yarmouth has gone out of its way with the new downtown façade program and all the lovely new signage around town. Kudos! It all looks wonderful!

Then every intersection you come to you see yard sale signs plastered on hydro poles. Most people don’t make the print big enough to even read if you slow down while driving. Those that do slow down to try and read these signs are close to causing accidents. The signs are rarely removed, getting rained on and left to the wind, until they become litter on nearby properties.

The by-law enforcement officer is responsible for going to the addresses on the signs and issuing fines. Now I realize this is a busy person, but he’s told me he’s done it on occasion. Obviously not often enough. I’d invite anyone issued one of these fines to contact me at 902-742-7966 and prove to me that fines have been issued.

My solution was extremely simple and cost effective. Put up a post somewhere in the center of town near an area where one could park. Everyone having a yard sale would only have to put up the one sign for it on this post. Everyone wondering where yard sales were going to be held could go to this one post and write them all down. The town would have to get the word out through our local paper, our local radio station, the mayor’s and others’ Facebook pages, etc. until citizens caught on.

It would also help get the point across if people out walking in the evenings tore down any signs they might come across and take them home and recycle them. The cost of a community bulletin board is not necessary. Just a post would do.

If you agree with me on this issue I beg of you, please email the mayor and council members (their email addresses are on the Town of Yarmouth website). If you don’t use a computer, simply call the town office and ask to be put through to the mayor’s office. The town office number is 902-742-2521. I’m so tired of seeing these unsightly signs stuck up everywhere and could really use any support I can get to remedy this issue.

Cheryl Burchell

Yarmouth