GREENFIELD — Greenfield city leaders discussed the reasons behind the slow progress toward the new welcome signs along Highway 101 during the March 23 city council meeting.
City Manager Paul Wood said the delays in moving forward have been largely a matter of the placement locations not being within city limits nor on property owned by the city.
Placing signs would take agreements with property owners, and so far the city only has a verbal agreement with the property owner where the northbound sign would sit. The southbound agreements are still in the works.
Wood explained the property owner for the former sign location decided against a return of the sign due to food safety concerns, with it being close to cropland.
This has led to the city considering the other side of the freeway, possibly having a sign on the Yanks facility property.
Mayor Pro Tem Angela Untalon requested moving forward with the one location rather than waiting for both, so Greenfield has at least one sign to welcome highway travelers. She cited comments from community members wondering what is taking so long.
“Not seeing the Greenfield sign, you don’t really feel like you’re home yet,” Untalon said. “You don’t get that sense anymore.”
Mayor Lance Walker said the city has the design figured out, with a river rock base and a barn look. He brought up the Mr. Broccoli mascot and said the ones from the prior signs were in storage and able to be reused if the city chooses not to make new ones.
“The sooner we get going on that, the better because really it’s taken a while,” Walker said.
Wood noted the city needs three bids to move forward with the project and only has two bids from contractors.
Assistant City Attorney Travis Cochran explained the total number of required bids could be three, but the final determination would require a finalized design and estimated cost threshold for bids. So far, the city is awaiting design drawings and that estimate.
