Political yard signs can disappear for any number of reasons, including for being placed on public property or on “right of way” land.

Vandalia city planner Erika Vogel has a code enforcement officer who removes those signs - even ones that aren’t political - and takes them to the government center, where they can be picked up by their original owners to be repositioned properly. .

The officer recently picked up several candidates’ signs - both local and national - and a few advocating for the 6.99 mills Vandalia Butler schools levy.

Englewood and Clayton have similar ordinances, and Englewood even requires a (free) permit to post signs.

However, some residents in Vandalia and Butler Township are complaining about vandalism, especially to signs advocating a “no” vote for two property tax levies, the one for the school and Butler Township’s 3.0 mills police levy.

A PAC group called Vandalia Butler Homeowners for Fair Taxation said some of their signs have been tampered with, especially the 3-foot by 5-foot vinyl signs, one of which was “cut down,” in Deborah Minix’s yard, she said.

“It’s not against the students and not against the teachers,” said Minix, a former teacher. “But the school board is asking for too much money.”

Minix says she is not in opposition to the township’s levy.

Benjamin Jones, like Minix, lives in Butler Township, and he is against both levies to the point he bought 200 anti-property tax signs at a cost of about $1,000, he said.

“I know I’ve put up some of my signs where they shouldn’t be,” said Jones, “but I’ve seen some of my signs in ditches and bushes. I found one in the Dairy Queen (on the ground) in the parking lot.”

Butler Township does not pick up signs even though it also has rules against placing signs in “right of way” places such as the area between a sidewalk and the street.

“We believe in free speech,” said township administrator Kimberly Lapensee. “Even though some of those signs are in the wrong place, we put up with it for 30 days. We’ve also lost a number of signs (in favor of the levy) along Dixie Drive. We keep replacing them. I don’t know who’s taking them down, if it’s just kids or people who don’t like us.”

Signs are expected to be removed within a week after the election in most municipalities.