The village of Panama discussed changing their plans for having state champion signs at each end of the village to just one sign in front of the school. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

PANAMA — Discussions about creating a sign dedicated to Panama’s New York State Champion sports teams have continued over the last few months, and in their August meeting the village’s discussion changed to the potential of placing the sign in front of the school.

The original plan was to include plaques dedicated to the state champions underneath each “Welcome to Panama” sign at the entrances to the village. Discussions began after village residents asked the village to do something similar to what exists in municipalities such as Bemus Point, and the village has been working on ideas.

The board discussed three options, focusing mainly on a cheaper option of just one sign, to potentially be placed in the front yard of the school, near the main school sign that already exists. The school could potentially contribute to the sign as well, and the board made plans to approach them about paying for parts of it like the poles and vinyl.

“If the village does the brunt of it and the school does the posts and vinyl and we put it at the school, it’s pretty much taking care of all of the sports at the school,” Larissa Enlow, village treasurer, said.

Village Trustee, Kim Davis, agreed that having one sign in front of the school instead of multiple small signs on each end of the village was a better way to go.

“I like that way better,” Davis said. “I mean, our village is only so big, so to pay to have the same names at five different points is a little overkill if you ask me, where that makes more sense. Everybody drives right by the school.”

Village Trustee, Todd Eddy, added that the woman at Chautauqua Signs who the village has been working with for the sign, told him that people coming into the village at 30 or 35 miles an hour will not be able to see or read the state champion names very well if they were placed under the welcome signs.

“She gave me seconds, like less than three seconds and you’ve already gone by it,” Eddy said.

The board discussed who to approach at the school to discuss the possibility of the sign, and that the cost for this option should be around $630 for a one-sided sign. The cost for the school should not be very much more than $150 for the posts and the vinyl. The total number of state champions from Panama is six, so six names will be put on the side, with more room to add names later.

The board also discussed the possibility of if the school decided they did not want to pay for part of it, to approach the village residents who came to them about the sign in the first place to see if they could work to find sponsors to help with the cost.