This planter box outside the Atlantic Hotel will remain, but plans for more appear dead after Town of Berlin officials met with representatives from the Berlin Arts and Entertainment Committee on Tuesday.

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Feb. 15, 2018) After meeting with Town of Berlin officials on Tuesday, representatives said an effort to replace some sandwich-board signs downtown was tabled indefinitely.

About six months ago, Robin Tomaselli of the Berlin Arts and Entertainment Committee spearheaded a pilot program to test planter boxes with small, rectangular shingles pointing the way to different businesses.

Tomaselli said the planters and shingles were cheaper to make and maintain, easier for public works staff to move during events, and improved sidewalk safety.

However, the interest was apparently not there.

Economic and Community Development Director Ivy Wells said she polled business owners, then met with committee members on Tuesday.

“When I called the businesses, the majority of them that I thought wanted the shingle said they would rather keep the sandwich board,” Wells said.

She said it came down to the decision of having either a shingle or a planter box – not both.

“I think, faced with that decision, the business owners found that the sandwich board was more effective for their business,” Wells said. “However, the majority of them said how much they really loved the idea of the planter boxes – myself included.

“If all the businesses wanted to be included in that, I think it would look beautiful downtown, but people are entitled to have a choice of how they want to advertise themselves and you have to accept that,” she added.

During the pilot program, one planter was placed in front of the Atlantic Hotel advertising Tomaselli’s business, Baked Dessert Café, as well as art galleries Wooden Octopus, Jeffrey Auxer Designs and the Worcester County Arts Council, all on Jefferson Street.

Tomaselli said she, Auxer and the arts council planned to keep their shingles on the planter, instead of bringing back their signs.

A third option for business owners, feather flags (a vertical banner of sorts), came before the Historic District Commission last Wednesday, but was not popular with commission members.

“I am totally, 100 percent against any kind of flag,” Chairwoman Carol Rose said, adding allowing a business off Main Street to install a large flag was one thing, but letting one in the heart of downtown was another. “I just don’t think that would be appropriate for feather flags all up and down our Main Street,” she said.

“People are crafty around here,” Rose added. “Nobody is more patriotic than I am – my husband is a [war] hero, but all of the sudden there are huge, huge American flags hanging off buildings so people know they’re open, and you’ve got to duck under them … to get by.”

Rose added, “small-town America is what brings people here … I will fight to my death to keep that Main Street as beautiful as it is right now.”