Last Friday, two mock replicas of monument-style signs were used by Carroll City Council members to view the impact of size in the wide-open space it will be placed on the Farner-Bocken property east of Carroll along highway 30. Council members Clay Haley and LaVern Dirkx created the cardboard pieces, which were held in place while the others drove by for perspective. Councilman, Jerry Fleshner, says it was a simple but effective way to show scale.
The original schematics for the sign, submitted by Confluence Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, was for a 3.5-foot wide by 13-foot tall sign with Carroll positioned vertically. The bigger mock-up doubled the width of the first sign. All of the council members agreed that the larger sign was much more visible, but the next question was about whether or not it should be taller as well. Director of Public Works, Randy Krauel, says the images from Friday were sent to the design firm, and they have provided feedback on that subject.
Questions also arose about why the vertical lettering was running from bottom to top instead of from the top down. Krauel has a ready explanation for that, saying the selection of which way it runs is ultimately up to the council.
Fleshner again says he is interested in getting area landowners to donate fieldstone for the sign in their efforts to tie it in to the historic fieldstone used throughout the city and that being used in the recent Merchants Park renovation. He says he has one person who has already said they would donate and he would welcome any others interested in putting a piece of the area’s geographical history into the monument signage. The council will request updated cost estimates based on the size changes.
