The Town Council approved a professional services agreement with Hunt Design and Associates, Inc. of Pasadena, Calif. for design and location assessment for a municipal wayfinding sign program for the Town of Fountain Hills.

The council approved the $95,000 agreement on a split 4-3 vote. Mayor Linda Kavanagh and Vice Mayor Dennis Brown supported the program along with Council Members Cecil Yates and Henry Leger. Council Members Nick DePorter, Alan Magazine and Art Tolis opposed.

Leger proved to be a swing vote, initially expressing his concern about the cost for what would be “up front” work on the project. It would include design, location assessment and installation oversight.

Town Senior Planner Marissa Moore said installation costs are undetermined but after design work they could get an estimate and budget the project for next fiscal year. Public Works Director Justin Weldy offered a ballpark estimate for fabrication and installation of $150,000.

“I’m a little concerned about the ($95,000) cost on the front end,” Leger said. “It seems more than it should be.”

It was noted that two other proposals submitted for the work were both in excess of $185,000, more than double the Hunt proposal. Hunt is also considered the elite innovative firm for this type of work, completing projects for national monuments, parks, airports and numerous municipalities in the US and overseas.

Magazine said he is troubled by the design and siting cost, saying it would seriously deplete the town’s capital improvement fund.

“I would like to have the [existing] signs replaced,” Magazine said. “But I think it is a mistake at this time.”

DePorter said this is not a must-have project right now.

“We are being scolded for every cent we spend,” DePorter said. “This is not a public safety issue. This can wait until we have more fiscal stability.”

Kavanagh said the design should go forward.

“I think people understand that we spend money in the budget to make improvements,” Kavanagh said. “The signs we have are shabby and have low visibility.

“I think residents want the town to look nice, and people can find the town center for events.”