DUKE CENTER — The Otto Township supervisors will be recruiting some help this weekend to start helping inform residents of the newly adopted ordinance involving property and structure address numbering and private street name signage.

The new ordinance will require all 785 structures in the Otto Township to have proper reflective street signage.   

The new ordinance was put in place by the township to ensure the safety of their community.   “Due to the low number of volunteers, fire departments are often requiring help from nearby departments,” commented Gerard Rettger, EMA deputy director and Otto-Township emergency management coordinator. This is just one of the issues with not having proper signage.  Proper road signage will ensure that the police, fire departments, emergency personnel and first responders are able to promptly and accurately identify the address of a residence, building, or other structure at which an emergency event may be occurring.

The Otto Township supervisors, Otto Township Volunteer Fire Department and the local Scout Pack 413 have all come together to help the community be informed of the new changes that will improve the safety and health of the township residences.     

The Otto Township Volunteer Fire Department will be selling blue reflective street signs which meet all the ordinance requirements. The kits are all in and ready to be personalized to each address.   

The Scout Pack 413 will be assisting the supervisors during their can drive this weekend, by handing out important information about the changes along with a reflective address marker order form.

If an information pack is not delivered to your door by a scout, a resident may pick up an order form from the Rixford or Duke Center post offices, the Armstrong telephone office, or the Otto Township building.  

“It’s been nearly 30 years since a project like this has been done,” said Rettger. Along with the signage of structures and some streets, approximately 60 residents will be getting a notice from the township about changing their addresses. During the process of this project, some structures were identified as being improperly labeled. Therefore, some residents will be required to change their physical addresses to be in compliance.      

Understanding that change may be difficult for some, but in an event of an emergency time is of essence, and this is the purpose of this project.

“It’s a great way to make sure the pizza guy finds your place too,” joked Rettger.  

If residents have any questions, they can be directed to the Otto Township Supervisors by calling 966-3553.