Where is the Sign Police?

As I drove past the corner of Route 47 and Lake Ave. in Woodstock this afternoon, what did I see but three illegal signs advertising concealed carry courses.

Of course, Illinois doesn't have a concealed carry law - yet. Maybe by the time the City of Woodstock or IDOT takes down these signs, we'll have such the law.

I think Woodstock ought to remove the signs and send the owner three separate notices of violation, with a fine for each. And for all the other illegal signs for this and any other business advertising in the right-of-way.

But wait! And I missing an advertising opportunity? If those other businesses can advertise, like Mayfair Carpet has been doing for the past month along US 14, why shouldn't I advertise? After all, the advertising space is free. All I'd have to pay for is the sign and for someone to plant it.

I wonder if the City of Woodstock would get all hung up on Due Process. Would it have to give notice first to the business or, worse, to the unknown person who stuck the sign in the ground, that it intended to remove the sign? Would the City be worried about liability for removing the sign?

Surely, the City Fathers thought through this problem; right? When they wrote the sign ordinance, did they think about enforcement?

Or will the City say, "Not me. That's a State highway" and point fingers at IDOT?

Will IDOT tell its road and traffic light maintenance workers and engineers just to grab any illegal signs they see? Will it authorize its contract workers to remove illegal signs? Or will it worry about Due Process?

In Florida the Department of Transportation trained and authorized volunteers to remove illegal signs. Yikes! The Sign Police! What a great idea. Well, IDOT? How about a little of that here?