“Tree Down? Call Tim!”

“Fire Wood For Sale!”

“Environmental whatever the hell we’re selling…”

“Missing…every dog and cat on the island.”

We see them on practically every utility poles on every street: Homemade signs with the best of intentions. But basically they are free advertisements for whatever they may be selling.

These entrepreneurs, er, entre-pole-neurs, have decided, en masse, that putting up crudely fashioned business ads on utility poles seems to be A-OK. I don’t know about you, but I don’t cotton to it. Do we need to see these flyers/advertisements on every single pole?

Like many of you, I moved to the island to leave the trappings of city life behind. And as I see these handmade, obnoxious signs cropping up more and more, it makes me feel a little franxious (frustrated + anxious = franxious).

I am assuming most of these utility pole advertisements are placed by people who don’t have a business license, don’t pay business taxes or insurance, but they are freely advertising for my business dollars on utility poles for which we already help pay. So I guess we’re all underwriting their advertising.

I am a small business owner myself, and that is pretty smart now that I think about it. Oh, you’re good, Tree Down Tim, you’re good.

We need to fill a budget gap this session? I say we starting fining or taxing a fee to every single one of these flyer/ad/sign owners. Winslow Tomorrow would be paid for tomorrow.

As far as missing pets and utility poles go, I don’t mean to be dismissive. I have lost my share over the years, but by the time you get to putting up an 8-by-10 headshot/flyer of your pet on every pole in your neighborhood, chances are they are not coming back.

Maybe I should stop my bellyaching and just go to the supply store, buy some hideous day-glo butcher paper, make a homemade sign and join in! I can see it now: “Need this utility pole cleaned? Call Jerry for a reasonable price.”

Jerry Stephenson

Springridge Road