Greer Allows Relay for Life Banners Downtown

Greer's Relay for Life will be the first event to have event banners hung from city light fixtures.

Greer City Council voted 7-0 Tuesday to allow Relay for Life a one-time exemption to display 36 banners on light poles in the downtown area.

Harriet Johnson told members of council that she understands that the city's allowing the use of the city's light poles for display could open the city up for other similar requests.

"By allowing us to do this, it shows the City's support by letting us have banners downtown," Johnson said. "We’re asking for your support to try this out with Relay for Life. If it doesn’t work, then turn down the next group"

Council said by allowing the use of the city's light fixtures, certain guidelines would have to be followed and that Relay for Life would have to meet the city's guidelines for display. The City said banners would need to be 24 inches by 48 inches and would have to be made from canvas, not vinyl, according to Ed Driggers, city administrator.

City Council said that they would use the opportunity to see how it works and then would prepare to draft guidelines for using the light fixtures for displays in the future.

Johnson said that 75 percent of the displayed banners would bear the Relay for Life logo and that the bottom 25 percent would display the logo of Hyundai of Greer, which has agreed to sponsor the flags for the event.

"I believe it's a good cause and it’s a good organization. But if we open the door to other organizations, who will decide if it’s a worthy cause,” asked councilman Jay Arrowood. "The second question would be that that we are going to have a for-profit business (Hyundai of Greer) on city property. We’re subsidizing their marketing.”

According to the city, two employees would be required to change out the 36 banners and that the job would take about 9 hours for the installation. The city estimated that it would cost about $270 to hang the banners for Relay for Life.

Council voted that Relay for Life would need to cover the costs for hanging the banners.

"It's a step in the right direction," said Mayor Rick Danner. "We can craft something quickly following this experiment, should we decide to allow other organization's to do so."