By Greg Ellison

(Oct. 24, 2019) Deliberations over upgrading community messaging signs dominated the discussion at the OPA Communications Committee meeting last Thursday.

After broaching the subject of installing digital messaging signs to replace the current manual sign boards last month, the committee reconvened last week to consider research conducted by Brian Reynolds.

Reynolds said his initial thought was to retrofit the existing sign structures with digital panels.

“Nobody wants the big, glowing, flashing signs,” he said.

Opening conversations with sign vendors yielded an option for configurable panels in lieu of replacement roadside signs.

“[It] would actually be able to display the information like the look and feel we have now, with the white background [and] black letters,” he said.

Reynolds said the panels automatically dim at night, feature a 160-degree horizontal viewing angle and run on 120 volts.

“You can make any size you want by assembling these things together,” he said.

Hardwiring sign panels are not required, with remote connectivity capabilities that include Wi-Fi, cellular, ethernet and fiber.

“You can set up a couple of antennas that point to each other and it can be up to 1,000 feet that allows you to communicate with the sign remotely,” he said.

While noting the issue is still in the fact-finding phase, committee Chairwoman Jenny Cropper Rines said precise costs are still required.

“They can make you panels for it, or I think we can make the panel ourselves,” she said.

Envisioning the potential to swap out panels as opposed to letters, committee board liaison

Brain Reynolds, center, provides background research regarding updates to community messaging signs during the OPA Communications Committee meeting last Thursday.

noted a safety advantage.

“My biggest concern … is the hazard [the current signs] pose to employees who are changing out the letters,” she said.

Reynolds said other technological perks included with the panel are the ability for content creation and scheduling of messages.

“You can integrate live information in the displays,” he said. “It supports the FEMA I-Pause public alert warning system, [which is] built in to provide amber alerts automatically.”

Putting aside public safety considerations, Horn recalled that earlier board discussions of the matter weighed the merits of investing staff time in the research of the proposal.

“The board seems most focused on cost,” she said. “When I discussed it with [General Manager] John Viola, he was least focused on cost.”

Rines also wondered if tying emergency notifications in with the Ocean Pines Police Department might qualify the venture for potential grant funding.

Highlighting concerns that Worcester County could require a zoning ordinance amendment to allow installation of new roadside signs, Reynolds said emergency-alert capabilities could be a vital selling point.

Horn said based on early communications with Worcester County Director of Development, Review and Permitting Ed Tudor the zoning hurdle appears surmountable.

“He seemed pretty willing to work with us on that,” she said.

Horn concurred with committee member Cheryl Jacobs that zoning assurances should be obtained from the county before proceeding.

“I do think we ought to go ahead and work on the text revision right away,” Horn said. “If that’s not going to happen, the other work is kind of a waste of effort.”

Noting that up to five upgraded signs would be required, Horn asked if an adequate number of the existing sign structures could be repurposed.

“I’m assuming those physical structures, if we are going to retrofit them, that they’re in good shape,” she said.

Reynolds said the dozen-odd existing fleet would likely suffice.

“I was anticipating that we would keep the structures because people are all about the look and the feel,” he said.

Identifying locales for signs featuring emergency alerts is also an early goal, Horn said.

“We need to identify the places if we’re going to rely on that for safety information,” she said.

With exact counts still up for consideration, Reynolds advised obtaining a quote for one sign panel to facilitate evolving price considerations.

Rines further delineated pricing specifications.

“What we really need is the price of a single side versus a double side,” she said.

Ongoing electrical and maintenance costs should also be factored in, Rines said.

Based on the groundwork covered during the committee’s discussion, Horn proposed contacting Tudor to confirm the best way to proceed, while Reynolds offered to contact additional sign vendors.