Billboard Controversy
Bilingual sign in Williamstown has some local officials upsetBy JODY MURPHY
Article Photos
WILLIAMSTOWN - A bilingual billboard in Williamstown touting available space in Ohio isn't sitting too well with some local officials.
On July 7, Promanco leased billboard space across from the Hino Motors plant along West Virginia 14 in Williamstown to tout available space at its Reno (Ohio) Business Park.
The sign features Promanco's telephone number and reads "space available" in English and also features four Japanese characters that translate to "vacancy available."
"Our goal in putting up this sign is to reach out to the growing population of Japanese-owned businesses in the Mid-Ohio Valley and to pique their curiosity about potential locations for business development that exist on the Ohio side of the river," John Lehman, president of Promanco, stated in a press release. Promanco manages the Reno Business Park.
While the company stated it's "taking a fresh approach to advertising available space," local officials on the West Virginia side of the Ohio River weren't thrilled.
Keith Burdette, head of the Wood County Economic Development Board, was displeased with the ad.
"It's tacky," he said.
Wood County Commissioner Blair Couch took a more diplomatic approach.
Couch compared the ad to a similar disagreement between the Wood County Airport and Charleston's Yeager Airport. The Charleston airport leased several billboards in the area to tout its service.
"We certainly don't fault them for trying to find some opportunity where they see fit," he said. "They believe - as well as we - that there other businesses that will move into the area due to the fact Hino is here."
"Hino chose us first. They didn't move (to Ohio); they moved to Williamstown," he added.
Couch is hopeful future businesses will follow Hino's lead.
Lehman thinks there is more than enough opportunity to go around.
"There is so much opportunity for businesses to locate in Washington County and we're trying to do our part to announce that, not just to the people of this area, but really, to the world," he stated in the release. "With this sign, we're reaching out, particularly to Japanese investors, because we've seen the impact that Hino has had on our neighbors in West Virginia and we want to ensure that companies who may be considering establishing facilities in this area to support Hino or those that have learned about this area through Hino know that Washington County is ready and able to support their needs."
Burdette said he has no problem with Promanco advertising Washington County as a place for business. But he questions the placement.
"I can't blame them for advertising, but where they target that advertising could be questioned a little bit," he said. "I was just a little surprised.
Maybe I'm just too sensitive."
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Lookin4truth
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07-25-08 5:51 PM
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To answer your question WVCommissioner....NO! That would be tacky and childish.
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WVCommissioner
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07-24-08 7:03 AM
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Interesting comment from somebody yesterday, Should the Area Roundtable/Development Authority place a billboard across from the Reno Business Park?
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WVCommissioner
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07-23-08 2:17 PM
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FYI: State Road will have Rt 31 from the Army Gaurd intrance to Rt 2 paved AND Rt 14 paved by this fall!!!!
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DILLIGAS
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07-23-08 6:11 AM
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Sorry. It has nothing to do with Bob Newell. It has a lot to do with people with personal differences with Mayor Newell and I have no problem with that. Except they should be in posts concerning Bob Newell Not posts about some meaningless billboard in Williamstown
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derbeobachter
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07-22-08 10:54 PM
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I’ll tell you what it has to do with Prince Newell, he make it about him. His man is sticking his nose in everything in Wood County. He is forcing annexation on those who do not wish it, he wants to control all around him. Let Prince Booby keep his nose in the city limits. As for the sign, my grandfather and great uncle’s might like to speak on it, but they can’t, they have passed, but if they were I could imagine what they would say.
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oldgrouch
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07-22-08 7:14 PM
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I'm sorry, I don't think AP or USA oday willpick up the story
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seleah
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07-22-08 6:54 PM
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First of all this billboard is a joke. Does Lehman really think it will bring some business to his beloved "Reno" business park. And as for it being a new business, the park he is talking about is the old Kardex building, nothing new about that. How would Lehman feel if someone put a billboard across from the Kardex building advertising space in WV for telemarketing companies. I'm sure he would find it "tacky."
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RickWT
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07-22-08 6:53 PM
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Note to KB: Next time a reporter calls on a slow news day looking for comment on some hot-button business issue, decline comment. And I will say again that the pitiful overcrowded 1940s highway that passes by the billboard is a much larger issue, yet upgrading this cowpath gets zero attention from Wood County's government and business leaders. Myopia anyone?
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Lookin4truth
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07-22-08 6:37 PM
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WVCommissioner got it exactly right! Well said!
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Raider
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07-22-08 4:37 PM
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It's pretty amazing to me that our officials are worried about a billboard advertising space in the Reno Business Park, when one of the first major billboards you see when you enter WV from Ohio on I-77 is advertising the "Lions Den", and I have to look at it every day! Wonder whey no one seems bothered by that? It's okay to have billboards like that, but we shouldn't advertise a new business area right across the river? I think we have our priorties all wrong! No articles have been written about taking it down or it being in bad taste! Most of us encourage our children to learn to read other languages (as we see on the billboard in question), but should we have to explain *********** advertisements? I think not!
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WVUROCKS
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07-22-08 10:58 AM
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I don't get it! This is just a billboard advertising spave avail in a building that has some land but mostly what they are advertising is the office space. I swear, by the knee jerk reactions of some of the people, you would think that the billboard is advertising the opening of a Brothel, oops, i didn't mean to let the cat out of the bag. Get over it Keith, go back to Charleston and mess up the state some more.
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Concerned1
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07-22-08 10:03 AM
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Ok I guess we all need to crucify the company and owner who put up the billboard. WAKE UP if new businesses arrive right across the river will that mean more revenue for our neighbors (WV) I think so. Not to mention the housing market in both Ohio and WV. Please consider finding more news worthy things to discuss like the failing economy and how families can feed there families with prices as high as they are. I feel this way if a billboard can attract more business into the community and allow more jobs for all then what is the big harm. So will it be called tacky when more money jobs etc. are added to the area. I think not and the company will be hailed a local hero.
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Bandit
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07-22-08 10:02 AM
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As a Williamstown resident, I say "Get Over It"! It is called marketing. Seems to me that John Lehman is a smart business man. He is successful for a reason -- instead of sitting back and waiting for opportunities to come to him, he knows how to be a real go getter. Not afraid to go after anything that will further his success even at the risk of offending someone. Perhaps instead of critizing him for this "so called tasteless tactic", we should be recruiting him to work with the Wood County Economic Development Committee. This is a man with ideas --- just what we need to be successful with future economic development.
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truthteller4life
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07-22-08 9:33 AM
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Honestly, this is one of the most ridiculous complaints I have ever seen. Thank you Promanco for stirring up West Virginia - this state definitely needs it.
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REALLYDISTURBED
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07-22-08 8:22 AM
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I don't think your "sensitive" Keith Burdette... your just a dumb hick who has no clue how to operate as an economic development leader, and your opinion on this billboard shows. i totally agree with RickWT, Its called COMPETITION.
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Ednote
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07-22-08 8:05 AM
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What this really shows is the arrogance of a businessman who has a lot of money and not enough work to keep him busy.
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bobzim
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07-22-08 7:18 AM
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I agree with DILLIGAS, what does this have to do with Bob Newell? Some of you need to just get on with your life!
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WVCommissioner
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07-22-08 7:01 AM
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Hino picked Williamstown over many, MANY locations. Same thing will happen again, no Billboard is going to change that. The next company will weigh all the issues, and make the same choice. Why should a billboard matter. Is it tacky? More like classless. Is it going to change a thing? No. More companies will come, they are going to contact who Hino gives them the number to. Burdette and the folks at the WV Development office are whose number they will get, not off a stinking billboard. The bigger question is "Is this really a front page article?" PN&S has issues with what is newsworthy and what isn't. As far as the condition of the road that Woody mentions...the WV DOH makes those paving decisions, and the calls to DOH aren't as newsworthy as this billboard.
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DILLIGAS
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07-22-08 5:38 AM
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"Prince Bobby Newell...Mayor of Williamstown, Wood county and city of Newell, County of Parkersburg, should jump in his side car and have Chief Board drive him to this billboard and have it removed. Farmer Cecil and Farmer Keith could follow in farm truck and have it dismantled and moved to the other side of the downtown Parking garage that King Jimmy screwed up. " Man you have issues. This doesn't have anything to do with Newell or Parkersburg. If you are this unhappy, why dont you just move?
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RickWT
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07-22-08 5:34 AM
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Good point Woody. Economic development folks might spend their time getting Rt 31 widened a couple feet. What a welcome to Wood County. Or maybe it could be made a tourist attraction - Come take a drive on America's narrowest two-lane highway! Seriously, what would it cost to widen that road by a couple feet from Rt 14 to Rt 2? And as Woody says Rt 14 thru Boaz is holding back development. When was the last time any state or county leaders even discussed upgrading that maxxed-out road? And they're worried about a billboard?
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Woody
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07-22-08 5:22 AM
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Deal with it Wood County and WV.In my opinion, West Virginia and Wood County doesn't really want the new business' on this side of the Ohio or they would be providing better roads to accommodate them if they did.Have you taken a drive down Route 14 lately (or pretty much any other road in this area)- who want's to locate a new business along such a mess of a highway? At least Reno and Ohio are upgrading their roads to accommodate new business.Ohio and other cities in WV will always win out over this area due to the simple fact that the leaders in this area refuse to catch up with the times.Wait until another nearby town announces they are building a civic center or like structure to accommodate their people and then see how 'sensitive' they really can be around here on this side of the river.You snooze you loose it's as simple as that !!
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RickWT
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07-22-08 4:51 AM
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This is the old familiar knee-jerk circle-the-wagons darn-them-outsiders inferiority complex that holds West Virginia back. It's called marketing and competition, Keith. Deal with it.
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charter14
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07-22-08 1:24 AM
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Prince Bobby Newell...Mayor of Williamstown, Wood county and city of Newell, County of Parkersburg, should jump in his side car and have Chief Board drive him to this billboard and have it removed. Farmer Cecil and Farmer Keith could follow in farm truck and have it dismantled and moved to the other side of the downtown Parking garage that King Jimmy screwed up.
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