Campaign signs may be discussed

MANALAPAN - In effort to "drastically reduce eye pollution," Mayor Andrew Lucas said he will suggest that the members of the Township Committee discuss drafting an ordinance that would govern the placement of election campaign signs.

Without giving an exact date for when he would open the matter for discussion, Lucas said it would be at an upcoming public meeting of the governing body.

A meeting of the Township Committee is scheduled for Nov. 28.

Lucas said he would like to see an ordinance drafted for possible adoption by the committee that would place a limit on the number of signs any candidate seeking elected office could place around town within a specified radius.

Lucas said he was also considering establishing a limit of two lawn-size signs per candidate within 50 feet of each other "so that intersections would only have two signs instead of six or eight."

Also, said Lucas, instead of the township having three employees from the Department of Public Works go around town retrieving the signs after the election, the onus for picking up the signs could be placed on the candidate's campaign workers with a fine being imposed against violators after a set time period for removal of the signs had expired.

Lucas said this is an issue for discussion for which he anticipated support from the rest of the members of the governing body.

- Kathy Baratta