Wadena City Council will ask companies to submit proposals for new entrance signs.
The council approved a request for proposals for entrance signs at special meeting on Tuesday. The City Council discussed sign and proposal guidelines to be included in the request for proposals.
Jarrod Olson, Wadena Development Authority director, drafted the request for proposals and looked for guidance from council members. The request for proposals was to be open so everyone could have an opportunity to submit a proposal.
Wadena entrance signs costs have increased about 40 percent from quotes given a year ago and the City Council decided at its April meeting to draft a request for proposals.
Art-N-Sign, a Fergus Falls design firm, estimated in 2005 that 10-foot-high art deco signs would cost $6,700 each or $33,500 total if purchased at the same time. A recent quote from the company estimated the 10-foot-high signs to cost $9,376 each or $46,880 total if purchased at the same time. So far, $22,500 has been pledged toward Wadena entrance signs.
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In 2005, the City Council approved entrance signs that resembled art deco movie theater marquees. The signs, 10 feet high by 5 feet wide, have Wadena on two sides in an art deco font and incorporate Wadenas sweeping W design from the citys logo. The signs were to be black and silver.
On Tuesday, Utility Director Vernell Roberts was concerned about a line in the request for proposals that said the city of Wadena will provide power to the sign sites. He was concerned that some of the proposed entrance sign sites are not within the city limits and it might be very costly to have lighting available at those places. The wording was changed to say that the city may provide lighting.
Mayor Wayne Wolden suggested sending the citys letterhead with the request for proposals to see if anyone would incorporate different lettering or incorporate Wadenas current logo onto the sign. He wants to keep it open, he said.
Councilwoman Kay Browne said the City Council already decided on a specific font and design. She said the sign committee also explored materials and decided metal was the most durable.
To get what you want you need to tell them what you want, she said.
The deadline for proposals is May 31.
