Confusion Remains Over Proposed Changes to Pulaski County’s Campaign Sign Regulations

The Pulaski County Commissioners last week decided to hold off on changes to the county’s campaign sign regulations, due to confusion about the advisory plan commission’s recommendation. Last month, the plan commission voted to recommend removing the “special signs” portion of the Unified Development Ordinance.

But when Plan Administrator Doug Hoover presented the recommendation for the commissioners’ approval last week, he explained that the “special signs” wording would be changed to “election campaign signs.” He then proceeded to read the rest of the rules that are already in place, but said they would take effect in 2019.

One candidate in next month’s General Election said that she was explicitly told during the plan commission meeting that the rules would be repealed, and Commissioner Mike McClure said that was his understanding, as well. “Well, I kind of thought like Mary says there,” he said, “that we decided that there was enough – and of course, we wasn’t on the board – but there was enough state and federal rules on them, that we didn’t need to have a local rule on it.”

Hoover seemed to agree that it was possible that he remembered some of the details of that part of the plan commission meeting incorrectly. “By that time, guys, I was about fed up,” he joked. “But I don’t know.”

In the end, the commissioners decided to table the matter, until the plan commission could clarify its recommendation.

Both groups have generally agreed to repeal the rules at one time or another over the past several months, after the Pulaski County Election Board requested the change. But so far, the changes haven’t formally been incorporated into the Unified Development Ordinance.