Council has approved a ten-year agreement with Creative Outdoor Advertising (COA) to supply, install and maintain 27 new Lexington transit benches, at no cost to the town.
In fact, COA will pay the municipality $300 per bench per year, or 30 percent of ad revenues – whichever is greater.
Coun. Peter Dykie Jr. objected to the 10-year time frame.
“I would like to see a three or five-year agreement. I look at it that ten years is too long.”
But Paul Dubniak, Transportation Technologist, pointed out that the town already has a similar ten-year agreement with COA relating to the town’s bus shelters, and that the company “is incurring all costs.” The time period simply ensures that COA can recoup its investment.
“They have to make their investment back, and the town is making some revenue,” agreed Coun. Peter Ferragine. He did have a question for Dubniak: “Why the Lexington bench? Is this the Cadillac of benches? Did you sit on it? Is it what Bradford wants?”
“Yes,” said Dubniak.
Coun. Mark Contois suggested asking COA to also install benches in the downtown core.
Dubniak noted that only transit benches were under consideration at this time. To install benches in the downtown, the town would have to look for spaces where they could be installed without impacting either snow removal or pedestrian traffic.
