District moves ahead with billboard

WAUPACA – The Waupaca School Board voted to move forward in discussions with Ad-ucation Media about possibly putting a two-sided digital billboard on State Highway 22.
The unanimous decision means the school district will continue conversations with Bob Jewell from Ad-ucation, the approval from the Sept. 9 meeting means that Jewell will be able to move forward to start working with zoning to get the correct permits to put the billboard up.
Jewell first came to the school board Aug. 25 to present his proposal to put up a two-sided digital billboard on Highway 22.
Jewell said the bulk of the cost associated with the digital sign would come from his company, which would include maintenance, the billboard itself as well as the insurance and construction costs.
The school would be responsible for providing electricity to the site and they would also be able to approve or deny advertisements that would be on display.

The district would also be able to add information about upcoming school events as well.
Jewell said that the school would get 15 to 20 percent of the incoming money from advertisements that they would be able to add to their budgets for school expenses.
Betty Manion, the school board president, said that with the approval for Ad-ucation to begin looking into feasibility of getting the billboard up, they are estimating it will be one to two years before the project will be finished.
Manion said at the meeting that moving forward and working with Ad-ucation is a win-win for the district as it’s a way to get some extra funding as well as promote things happening within the district.
Mark Flaten, district administrator, said during the meeting that the vote they are taking would give the district administration the authority to continue to work with Ad-ucation Media regarding the potential sign.
There will be a final vote in the future before any proposed construction takes place or ground is broken, there is no money promised to the project yet.
Flaten said this would give Ad-ucation the go ahead to start looking into zoning issues.