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MARINETTE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Move them or lose them, says county officials about political and campaign signs that are being placed on government-owned land.
A stretch of road in Porterfield along Highway 180 is riddled with political campaign signs.
“I know this is election season and people feel strongly about whatever candidate they’re going to back and they’re advertising that, but just to be mindful that it’s perfectly legal to have them on private property, [but] you know, we can’t have that type of signage in our right of ways,” says Eric Burmeister, the Highway Commissioner in Marinette County.
However, all these signs, pictured below, he says, are on state land which is against Wisconsin statutes 86.021, 86.022, 86.04, and 86.19.
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Burmeister says he’s received a handful of complaints about the signs recently, and his team contacted several nearby land owners about moving them to private property.
“It hasn’t been resolved, and this week I received more complaints about the signage and I went out and looked at it again this week, and it appeared more signs had gone up,” he said.
Now, Burmeister and his department are trying to educate the public about appropriate sign placement, and asking for cooperation.
They released the following press release on Wednesday.
“It’s when they start getting into the shoulder, into the ditch themselves, or at the end your driveway connects to the highway, that’s within the right of way.”
Burmeister admits that right-of-ways can vary. For some state highways, the right-of-way is 33 feet from the center lines. For others, it can be 50 feet.
However, he says a good rule of thumb is utility poles.
“They’re generally set at the backside of the right of way so if your signs are at that point or beyond the utility poles or boxes, you’re generally pretty safe.”
Since the signs are currently placed on state land, the county has the ability to remove them without warning.
But, Burmeister has decided to post a removal notice on the signs, and if they aren’t gone in another week, then the county will take them down.
“I think it’s in the best interest of my agency to work with the public, ask for cooperation, versus us going out and just pulling signs,” he says. “Coming out of law enforcement prior to being the highway commissioner, education is important. Let’s educate before you enforce and that’s what were trying to do.”
Burmeister adds that he has been in contact with the county’s Republican Party chair to educate nearby landowners about the issue as well.
Anyone with questions about where government land ends and their property begins, Burmeister says he and his team are happy to help.
They can be contacted at (715) 732-7568.
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