Spring Prairie Township Board Chairman Jim Simons stands next to his house number on Paradise Drive. While Simons has posted his address, he is opposed to a plan that would require all township residents to do so.
SPRING PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP — In this rural township of winding roads and secluded homes, many residents don’t bother posting their addresses outside their houses.
But they might be putting their lives in danger.
Unlike other towns in the Walworth County, Spring Prairie town doesn’t require addresses to be visible.
Fire officials say the lack of address signs can delay emergency response, but the town board is reluctant to act as big brother and impose an address-posting law on its residents.
“I don’t think the government should involve themselves in everybody’s life all the time—period,” Town Chairman Jim Simons said. “I think that your house address is your personal responsibility … I didn’t move to the country to be just like everybody else.”
The town board has decided to let the town’s 2,200 residents vote in November on whether they want uniform, reflective address signs posted at the end of every driveway. Homeowners would have to pay a one-time fee of $30 to $40.
Township resident Beverly Scott says the lack of signs endangers lives by delaying police, fire and medical response.
“They’re driving around aimlessly, and they can’t find ya,” she said. “These are precious minutes, whether it’s a house fire or a heart attack.
“If anybody has half a brain in the town of Spring Prairie, they’ll pass the referendum.”
Township residents can post house numbers anywhere, and it’s not required that they post them at all.
Steve Bartle, first assistant chief with the East Troy Area Fire Department, said most towns require address signs.
“It’s just a simple, low-tech device,” Bartle said. “It just does its little job.”
But in Spring Prairie Township, it’s difficult to find homes during emergencies, he said.
“There have been cases where you overshoot the address you want because you can’t find it,” Bartle said. “There was one instance where there were two houses on one driveway and only one of them was marked. There are a lot of long driveways down there. You don’t know what’s back there and there’s nothing posted.”
The signs aren’t pretty and they’re a pain to mow around, he said, but they’re proven to work.
“Ninety-nine percent of the people will never have an issue, but if someone has a heart attack it can be a huge difference,” Bartle said. “To me it’s a no-brainer, but it’s not to everybody. Some people think it’s big brother coming down their throats, but it’s an address sign. I would think people would want us to be there.”
Roy Lightfield, a Spring Prairie board member, said he has his address posted on his house. His home is on the road, and his house numbers are visible.
He’s against an ordinance requiring posted addresses, partially because they’ll require maintenance.
“It’s quite costly, and we’re in a budget crunch like everyone else,” Lightfield said. “I feel I don’t need it.”
Ultimately, he said, voters will resolve the dispute.
“I guess it’s one of those things where we’re darned if we do and we’re darned if we don’t,” Lightfield said.
“I feel more comfortable letting the people decide.”