By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO— It is more than just a Welcome to Casco sign. 

The digital sign provides a way of letting residents know what is going on in their community. It’s located near the Casco Fire Station and the Casco Town Hall, where it can easily be read from Meadow Road. 

For about a year, it has been impossible to read because it has been broken. 

Just last week, it was fixed. 

Now, the sign is like a giant illuminated bulletin board. It announces upcoming meetings and warns about thin ice, providing vital information to those who drive by it at all times of the day.

People are pleased. 

“The feedback has been nothing but positive. People enjoy the increased communication,” according to Casco Town Manager Anthony “Tony” Ward.

“The old sign has been malfunctioning or not operational since my arrival in June 2021; and I was advised this was an ongoing issue,” Ward said. 

Troubles with the digital sign started at the beginning of 2021. 

“The repairs were not being made because of transportation problems. The failure of the old sign company forced us to move forward with the purchasing of this new sign from Neokraft Signs.”

Casco Chair Mary-Vienessa Fernandes recalled the day she noticed it had been fixed. 

“It was horrible for some time,” she began.

“Once we got the new sign in, I looked at it and I said, ‘That’s great.’ Then I said to myself, ‘Wait a minute.’ I backed up and parked the car. I stayed there. I read every frame,” Fernandes said.

“I read every single frame,” she repeated. 

“We had been waiting so long,” she said. “When you think about the current supply and chain demand. Everything takes time: to be shipped, to be mailed, to be Fed Exed, to be UPSed.”

“I was tickled. I was pleased. It is so nice to visually see when things get done,” she said.  

“We finally got it installed. Our Town Manager Tony Ward has been on top of a lot things — issues going on. That was major one. Yes, there are things more important than an electronic sign. But, if you want to be up in the world as far as towns go, you need a digital sign,” Fernandes said.  

“I looked at other towns and their signs are so professional,” she said. “I was so pleased to see that ours got replaced. It is so professional now.”

“It’s important because it is just another venue of sharing information quickly, for all to see and read. You cannot read muchwith two pixels that is for sure,” she said.

The new sign has 6 mm pixels, according to Town Manager Ward.  

The cost for the sign was $23,788.38, he said. The cost included the sign, installation and software, he said. The money to pay for it was taken from the administration operating account, he said.