Jacksonville says worn church signs must go

JACKSONVILLE, Ark. (KTHV) Jacksonville is working to clean up it's image by cleaning out church signs along Highway 67/167. Jacksonville churches have posted advertisement signs along Highway 67/167 for decades. But over the years, flooding and weather conditions have taken their toll on those signs, creating a problem for the city.

It is one of the busiest highways in Pulaski County and the perfect place to advertise.

"We've had signs up there for over forty years in that same area. I thought, you know, everything was okay on it but evidently it's not," says Royce Lowe, Pastor of First Assembly of God Church in Jacksonville.

Lowe invested more than six hundred dollars in his church sign along 67/167 but is now being told it must come down.

"I just opened up the mail one day and I had a letter from the Arkansas Highway Department telling me that my sign had to be removed," says Pastor Lowe.

That letter cited a violation of the Highway Beautification Act, saying signs larger than eight square feet required a permit. But because of the location of his sign, he did not qualify for the permit.

"I did send a letter to the highway department asking them about what the rules and regulations were concerning the legality of signs along the interstate and then they turned around and sent a letter to the predominantly churches," says Jacksonville Mayor Gary Fletcher.

He says a city sign committee formed in January is addressing all sign ordinances in Jacksonville in an effort to beautify and maintain the city's image. From yard signs, human signs, and banners, they are updating ordinances to prevent a city nuisance. Worn and tattered signs along the highway, for churches or not, must go.

"It needed to be addressed, it needed to be cleaned up. I've had complaints, in fact, I've had some pastors and churches complain to me before we even created this committee last year about it, wanting to know when I'm going to do something about it," says Mayor Fletcher.

Pastor Lowe says he will comply with the highway department's request, moving his sign to a different location.

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Jacksonville says worn church signs must go