By Mary Drier
Staff Writer
AKRON — The dispute over a Tuscola County employee hitting a sign that is in the Akron Village parking lot last fall may be heading to court.
At April’s Akron village meeting, the council approved proceeding with taking Tuscola County to small claims court for the $250 insurance deductible for the sign, but will also talk to their legal counsel again about the issue.
The message board sits in the middle of the parking lot at the shared hall of Akron Village and Akron Township at 4380 Beach St.
Tuscola County Clerk Jodi Fetting admits the county vehicle she was driving did strike the message board when she was backing out, but asserts she didn’t hit it hard enough to cause the amount of damage the village is claiming.
Although the sign has been hit before because of its location, it had been able to be repaired. Village officials contend the last accident in November 2013 left the sign beyond repair and wants Tuscola County officials to pay for it.
The issue has gone back and forth for several months.
Tuscola County Commissioner Roger Allen, has spoken out about the issue several times over the last few months.
According to Allen, he feels the village is trying to get money from the “deep pockets” of the county just to replace the sign that has been hit several times previously, and that it had been easy to repair previously so it should be this time with a couple of hasps.
Allen said he felt the damage to the county vehicle was minimal so this last accident shouldn’t have damaged the sign beyond repair.
However, when the issue was discussed by the council previously, Akron Trustee Bob Hill noted then that the way the sign was struck this time prevents it from closing properly and being easily repaired.
In the meantime, the sign has been replaced at a cost of $4,159. The village’s insurance company paid $3,909 and the village paid the $250, which they want the county to paid.
The sign is pack in the same place as the old one was – in the middle of the parking lot; but this time as soon as weather permits, more posts will be put around the sign to protect it.
According to village clerk, the council could not have the sign placed to the west of the hall because of a gas line, and could not have it placed to the east because that is private property and the fire hall is located on that side.
However, Akron Village officials say the sign was easily repaired from the other accidents; but the last accident, bent the sign so that the clasps no longer close so there is no way to repair it. Because of that, they will have to get a new sign, which will cost about $4,100. Village officials initially wanted the county to foot the entire bill for a new sign.
When that bill was presented to the county, Tuscola County Commissioner Roger Allen flatly refused to consider having the county pay to replace the sign because it had been hit several before and repaired, and because “it’s in a ridiculous spot… middle of the parking lot.”
Mary Drier is a staff writer for the Tuscola County Advertiser. She can be reached at drier@tcadvertiser.com.