The Gustine City Council voted 5-0 to extend the period for its advertisement use of its marquee sign last Tuesday.

The amended policy will increase the advertisement period to 30 days while charging the same of $75 and display the messages for seven days a week through 24 hours. Jami Westervelt, the economic and community development director for Gustine, said the slots can appear more feasible to advertisers and might be “more well utilized" with the extension.

“When people think about advertising, they want to plan it for a year and then want to try it for a month,” she said. “It’s easier to wrap your head around doing it [for] one month.”

Gustine currently uses two of three sides of the marquee, which is located at the corner of Highway 33 and Highway 140. The third was controlled by Gustine Unified School District, which faces Gustine High School.

There are 15 slots used through the marquee, which rotates every two minutes, according to the item’s PowerPoint Presentation. The first slot displays a message that reads, “Welcome to Gustine,” and another shows the date, time and temperature. A combined seven slots are reserved for the city and GUSD. Four are used to inform the public about community events and policies. The remaining two are reserved for paid advertisements.

Following the policy’s adoption in August 2014, it was amended to provide two advertisement slots nearly four years later. Additionally, the amendment included an advertisement rate of $75 per 21 days. The rate was based on the costs related to the marquee sign, its cost of around $112-$120 monthly and how advertisements can make up for the monthly costs, according to the agenda report.

According to the amended policy, the marquee displays all the messages every two minutes at eight seconds for each message.

Westervelt said increasing the rates could discourage advertisers from inquiring about a slot.

“In order to get the money, you actually have to have ads.” she said. “Increasing costs could potentially give the opposite effect of the economic development incentives that we’re hoping to have.”

City Manager Melanie Correa said the city can increase the slots to make more space for advertisements.

Mayor Pro Tem Rich Ford suggested a change for the marquee displays could “make a big difference.” He added that he came across an advertising sign in Merced and noticed it because it was bright and easy to read.

Westervelt, in response, said the policy can be expanded in a future meeting.