Sign policies questioned (07/25/2008)

To the editor:

I am writing in regards to the actions of the city (Portland) department that went around the weekend of July 18th and removed all the rummage sale signs from yards in Portland. It did not matter if you had permission to put those signs out or not; they were removed if the address on the sign was not the same as the property's address. These were not the only signs that they removed.

Our church (River of Life) was having a bazaar and bake sale. These signs were not just scribbled on pieces of cardboard. They were neatly painted on wood and staked. We have permission to put these signs in certain areas, which we did on Thursday evening. Friday morning, every one of them had been removed in the city of Portland. Yet all the signs for the Hollow Block cruise-in were still out. There must have been a dozen of them posted on the corner of Votaw and Meridian Streets.

Because of our signs not being out, very few people that normally visit our bazaar knew it was going on. Half of the profits from the bazaar and bake sale are going to nine families of Pastor Murrell's church in Martinsville, Indiana, that are victims of the flooding down in that area. Our sales were down. I realize that with the economy, the price of gas, etc., that this is probable.

But, we won't know that for sure since we were not allowed to let folks know via our signs that our bazaar was going on that weekend.

It's just another circumstance where the government has censored the church and the work of God.

Glenda Clay

Pennville

(Editor's note: Jeff Harker, superintendent of the Portland Street Department, said the signs in question were removed because they were attached to utility poles in violation of a city ordinance).[[In-content Ad]]