Battle Ground City Councilors will hold a public hearing Aug. 16. to gather input on installing an electronic reader board at Battle Ground High School. Staff at Battle Ground High School have expressed interest in having an electronic reader board to display events, congratulations and other announcements along Main St. Businesses along the corridor are not permitted to use electronic reader boards at this time due to concerns about how their visual impact would effect the community. City staff and councilors have discussed a variety of ways to allow an electronic reader board to be installed only at the campus. Councilors said there could be a significant visual impact on drivers if every business along Main St. were to have an electronic reader board. If councilors allow the high school to use an electronic reader board, they could face equal protection problems. All councilors agreed that discussion of the electronic reader boards has taken too long and a decision should be made soon. This subject was first brought before the Council in September 2007. “I really want to get this issue off paper and start working on it,” said councilor Lisa Walters. Battle Ground citizen Mitch Taylor told councilors the high school needed the electronic reader board. "It is the best way to get information out to the public," he said, because it can get several messages out in a short period of time. He said the use of these reader boards will help draw citizens to school events, and bring in more money for the school district. “The participation fees for student athletes to participate in any sport next year is going up to about $85,” Taylor said. “If we could increase the number of people who attend football games, basketball games and other school events, this would help decrease that fee. If more people knew about these events through an electronic reader board, the fees would not have to escalate each year.” Councilors discussed placing timers on electronic reader boards. Timers can be set, for example, to turn off at 11 p.m. and turn back on at 5 a.m. Councilor Bill Ganley said this goes hand-in-hand with another city goal--the goal to make the city more “green.”