Signs, signs, everywhere a sign……

One of the best expressions of community pride is made in Diamondhead, MS. As I glide at a safe speed through these residential neighborhoods, passing walkers, runners, bicyclers, and gardeners, I see trees, gardens, homes and people working together with fundamental principles to live a civilized lifestyle. It’s like I suddenly have time to slow down and smell the flowers.

Like Diamondhead, Bay St. Louis is doing a great job of keeping our main roads clean. Jimmy Loiacano and his crew are always improving the community’s appeal to the locals and tourists.

In some parts of our community however (including Hwy 603), I see some of the poorest looking neighborhoods of any tourism destination that I have ever seen. Thanks to those who think they have a right to stick their advertisement on a pine tree or telephone pole in someone else’s neighborhood, we can look unattractive to future employers.

In other communities, these offenders have been fined for littering for each offense. I like the old system, where I can look in a phone book when I need to find my roofer or transmission technician rather than to create danger by stopping on a highway to write down a telephone number.

Prove me wrong with this simple marketing experiment: Remove any and every sign that is illegally placed on county properties, telephone poles, pine or oak trees, etc. on main routes around the county. After 6 months of living in a cleaner community, contact any real estate agent or construction worker that you know locally to ask them, “How’s business in your neighborhood”? Then you can proudly call yourself a proven economic development leader. It’s time we take more pride in our community.

Sincerely,
Henry Ward
Tourism Consultant