Tuesday, June 26, 2007

School district denied electronic-billboard deal

Last Updated: 3:55 pm Thursday, April 26, 2007

BY SCOTT WARTMAN

A request by the Newport Independent School District to allow a company to build an electronic billboard on school property was denied by the state because electronic billboards are illegal.
The decision jeopardizes a $660,000 deal the district has with Norton Advertising to put up a two-sided electronic billboard near Newport High's football field along Interstate 471.
It also may mean changes to electronic billboards in Northern Kentucky. Lamar Outdoor Advertising has put up one on Interstate 75 at 12th Street in Covington and another on I-471 in Newport.
Newport schools hoped the revenue from the 15-year lease to Norton Advertising would offset renovations to the high school's sports facility, including the artificial turf on the football field, and give the district a steady income.
The school district asked the state for a permit. Highway Commissioner Marc Williams wrote a letter dated April 24 to school Superintendent Michael Brandt stating the cabinet could not allow the billboard.
State regulations do not allow billboards to be "illuminated by flashing, intermittent or moving lights." State law also prohibits advertising devices along highways with animated parts and with more than "two messages per direction of travel," according to the letter.
The school district argued that other electronic billboards in Northern Kentucky had set a precedent.
Williams concluded Lamar's billboards are illegal. The state issued Lamar a violation last year.
Lamar vice president Tom Fahey said the company is negotiating with the state to bring the billboards into compliance, but said he doesn't know what type of agreement could be reached.
Norton Advertising and the school district have plans to build a standard, two-sided billboard, Brandt said.
A standard billboard will generate $16,000 a year, instead of $44,000 for the electronic billboard, Brandt said. Also, Norton had agreed to give the school district 500 eight-second spots per day on the billboard to promote school events and messages, Brandt said.
Brandt said the district and state representatives will work to change the laws governing billboards.
"It is one of those unfortunate situations where new technology is increasing across the country, and some laws here are not in tune with the new technology," Brandt said. "It is a shame a school district catches a break and happens to be in a unique position with a public-private partnership and gets shot down with rules and regulations. That is $200,000 plus we may not be able to take advantage of. It is a shame the state is not more flexible when it comes to school districts.

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