The board of trustees approved a fee schedule for advertising on the new permanent signs for off-Main Street businesses Monday night.

The new fee was reduced considerably from what trustee Stu Taugher proposed late last week during the board's public hearing on the budget.

The permanent signs are intended to take the place of sandwich board placed on Main Street to alert potential customers to the existence of businesses on side streets and are provided for in the revised sign law adopted by the board last year.

At that time, Taugher had suggesteed an intitial fee of $325 for the first year, to cover the cost of construction and installation. In following year's, there would be annual fee of $250.

Trustee and Main Street merchant Ed Tripp commented that he didn't know where the $250 fee came from.

"Merchants generate tax revenue and help keep our tax rate down," he said. "I don't think the village should be in the position of making money on merchants. The merchants and Chamber were in a state of shock when they heard about the $250 fee."

"I can't believe you would allow these advertising signs on Main Street without charging," Taugher replied.

Mayor Wendell Tripp said it was not an effort by the village to make a profit, but an effort to avoid any cost to the village.

The board took up the discussion again Monday night when Chamber of Commerce director Polly Renckens was there with a handfiul of off-Main Street businesspeople.

Renckens said she attended the meeting at the request of some merchants and related that she had visited Art Calhoun, who is currently fabricating the signs in his shop.

"We're feeling very positive about that portion. We're concerned about the fees," she said, adding that she hoped it was not the board's intention to penalize merchants through an extra fee.

Renckens said she did some rough claculations and based on her information, if each of the three dozen, or so, businesses interested in advertising paid $170, it would cover all costs and leave more than $2,000 in a contingency fund to cover unexpected costs.

Gayle McManus, of Straws and Sweets on Pioneer Street, told the board that many merchants are putting together advertising budgets and wondered if there would be an annual fee, as allowed in the law, and if so, how much it would be.

"I'm not looking at $200 for maintainence. Maybe $25 or $50 and not as a money maker," Waller said.

"Trustee Lee Malone, said she didn't believe there should be an annual fee unless the signs need to be refurbished.

Mayor Wendell Tripp reminded the board he was opposed to the permanent signs, in part, because he foresaw problems and trouble that drags on and on.

"When the dust settles, I think everybody will be very happy about them, except me," he said.

Taugher told fellow board members that be believed merchants should be charged at least $100 a year for the privlege of having the signs. He also said that he believes there should be one sign added to the six called for in the law. The Lakefront Motel, restaurant, marina and the Otsego Lake Boat Tours located at the end of Fair Street were not planned for and deserve a sign, he said.

It is not a simple matter to add one sign, however, because the locations are prescribed in the law and to add another would involve a public hearing and a change in the local law, according to the mayor.

Board members eventually settled on a fee for the coming year of $175.00. The board did not make a final decision on whether merchants would be assessed a separate annual fee in coming years.