Lander’s new digital welcome signs are “both up and running,” assistant mayor RaJean Strube Fossen announced this week.
“They’re not fancy yet, but we’re learning how to program them,” she told the Lander City Council during a meeting Tuesday.
The city will reach out to local nonprofit organizations and other community groups in August to see what kinds of messages they might want to display on the signs “in lieu of the banners over Main Street” that were used for local promotions in the past, Strube Fossen said.
“These signs are meant to replace the banners on Main,” she said, explaining that the digital signs are “more flexible, allow multiple advertisements, and do not require advertisers to have liability insurance (a WYDOT requirement for the old banners).”
The new signs are located at the Lander Chamber of Commerce, 100 N. First St., and the Museum of the American West, 1445 W. Main St.
The Wind River Visitors Council paid about $26,000 for the sign on the west end of town using a Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act grant, Strube Fossen said.
The city then purchaed a “sister sign” for about $35,000 “to make the advertisements available on both ends of town,” she said.
Guidelines
Councilmember John Larsen said he will be interested to “see what it looks like” when event postings are listed on the signs.
“I just wonder if it’s going to be big enough,” he said.
Strube Fossen said the city will use WYDOT criteria to help determine “how big” messages on the sign should be and “how long (they) should be up there.”
“We’re not scrolling anything,” she added, “we’re flashing it for six seconds.”
The signs will be turned off between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. daily, she said.
Community development coordinator Anne Even shared some other guidelines the city has “drafted” for the digital signs, noting that “we will be flexible about making modifications as needed as unique situations arrive.”
The signs will be used to promote “special city and nonprofit programs, events, cultural events, and services” as well as messages targeting “the Lander community and visitors at large,” the guidelines state.
The city will create each digital display using a “simple background and easy-to-read text,” incorporating logos if they are “visually appealing,” according to the guidelines.
“Signage must be approved by City of Lander staff, and they reserve the right to edit any and all signs to fit into the parameters of the display,” the guidelines state. “During approval, we may modify or condense the text to fit the space of the sign.”
Message that are not allowed include:
-Political, religious, or advertisements from special interest groups
-Discriminatory or offensive messages
-Personal messages and events (birthday, anniversary, etc.)
-Business advertisements
-Classified advertisements
For more information call the City of Lander at 332-2870.