Election season is finally past, but a few reminders dotted local roadways as the last of the campaign signs were being cleaned up this week.
Area cities and townships have different regulations about sign placement and removal, possibly affecting the speed of cleanup.
Bellbrook and Sugarcreek Twp. required signs to be removed within seven days after the election, while Centerville's Unified Development Ordinance called for removal in just three days.
By contrast, Washington Twp. has no time requirement on campaign signs. Deputy Administrator Jo Scott said attorneys told the township that setting a deadline might be an infringement on residents' rights.
Centerville and Washington Twp. officials said they have little problem with signs lingering after an election in past years. Sugarcreek Twp. planner/zoning official Cara KillKelley said the township roads and services department was scheduled to do a sweep this week, pulling any remaining signs.
"We normally don't have to go get signs," Bellbrook zoning inspector Eileen Minamyer said. "The candidates usually want to get them so they can use them again. ... If they get rag-tag, we take them down. But we noticed most people cleaned them up quickly this year, which was nice."
Minamyer said the bigger issue Bellbrook dealt with this year was sign placement, as people put them too close to roadway edges.
Scott said Washington Twp. confiscated more signs than usual this year, but she attributed that to the large number of candidates more than anything else.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2278 or jkel
ley@DaytonDailyNews.com
