Council slams theft of signs

Avon Lake City Council broke its silence on the alleged sign stealer at its July 10 meeting where members criticized a local resident who was arrested last month after being accused stealing more than 500 signs from local nonprofit and community organizations.

In his report to council, Avon Lake Mayor Gregory Zilka said he had received some negative feedback from residents criticizing the city for pursuing charges and reiterated “I got a couple of really negative comments from people saying in most cases, ‘why are you picking on this poor man,’ ” Zilka said.

Zilka reiterated that signs have to gain municipal approval to be posted in public places. He stressed the importance of signs in informing the community about local events in addition to local services.

“It really does help. We had all kinds of things interfered with by this gentleman,” Zilka said.

Signs posted in the area promoting various events and services such as the North Coast Business Expo, the Avon Lake Wine Festival and the Avon Lake City Schools Foundation disappeared over the course of several months.

“We had the business expo and a number of other events in the city and these signs disappeared. This gentleman thought they were unsightly so he gathered them up and for some reason saved them,” Zilka said.

John Hoelzl, 62, of Avon Lake was arrested on June 22 for allegedly stealing the signs and placing them in his backyard. He was charged with one count of receiving stolen property, a fifth-degree felony, according to an Avon Lake police report.

Police were able to identify Hoelzl after a video showed him removing a legally posted sign. More than 500 signs valued at over $5,500 were discovered at his residence, the report said.

Hoelzl admitted to taking the signs because he felt they were distracting to motorists, according to the report. He pleaded no contest to the charge on July 3.

Zilka said the city had municipal regulations on signage due to the fact they can become unsightly and would consider future legislation allow Avon Lake residents to promote events with signs in a more controlled manner.

“We put a two-week limit on them, we put a size limit on the signs and people are to take them down in an orderly fashion,” Zilka said.

Council-at-Large member Dan Bucci echoed Zilka’s remarks and underscored after being directly affected by sign theft.

“Two of my organizations were ones that faced this gentleman’s wrath. If you think signs are unsightly your recourse is to come here to council to change the law, not to take the law into your own hands and make a decision for the city on your own and take those signs,” Bucci said.