St. Joseph City Commissioners have approved a new contract for wayfinding signs that will be posted throughout the community to direct visitors to popular attractions.
We reported last month the city commission authorized a $298,000 contract with Valley City Sign Company of Comstock Park to produce the signs that were designed with help from Corbin Design Services in 2023. At a meeting on Monday, City Manager Emily Hackworth told commissioners that another bid, from Fairmont Sign Company of Detroit, was later noticed. She said it had somehow been missed when the bids were previously considered, and it turns out the Fairmont offer was about $60,000 cheaper.
Hackworth recommended rescinding the offer to Valley City Sign to instead go with Fairmont. Commissioners agreed, meaning the new sign contract will cost $238,000.
Hackworth told us, whoever the manufacturer, these signs will be a welcome sight in the community.
“They are unique to us,” Hackworth said. “They are designed with the St. Joseph history in mind. The color of the lighthouse, some of the signage is in the shape of a ticket to reflect the old amusement park. It’s really custom to us, and they are designed to point visitors to their destinations when they are making their way through the city, streamline traffic a little bit, make it easier to find where you’re going.”
The commission’s resolution bakes in some compensation for Valley City Sign Company, which had already begun some preliminary work. Hackworth said the cost for that would likely be around $5,000.
With the new contract, it’s still expected that most of the wayfinding signs will be produced and installed by Memorial Day.
