HALLANDALE BEACH – Mini-billboards will soon start popping up throughout the city and the company behind them found itself in the peculiar position of assuring officials they will not feature “dancing girls” or pornography.
With that, city officials today approved lending up to $125,000 to a firm called Digital Outernet Inc, whose president once had ties to the porn industry.
The company plans to set up about 30 television screens in businesses, displaying brief ads for local merchants and city information such as traffic reports and emergency announcements, said president Steve Fecske.
“My intention is to create a good business that’s going to help build a sense of community in this city,” Fecske said.
Commissioner Keith London, who voted against the loan, said he was concerned about what other types of information could potentially be shown.
“We obviously have some concerns with people who were involved with the adult entertainment industry,” London told Fecske during a tense public confrontation today.
London grilled Fecske about his business past, including his association with a company that did battle in 2004 with porn star Jenna Jameson over an Internet domain name. Fecske said his involvement was mostly providing technology to porn-related Web sites.
“That was something in another time of my life,” said Fecske, who offered to explain all his business dealings in writing.
London’s questioning ended when Mayor Joy Cooper led her colleagues in a vote to stop him from asking anymore questions about Fecske’s past. She said she was worried about a defamation lawsuit.
“I am here to protect the city, and we are going down a slippery slope,” said Cooper.
Company officials will work with City Manager Mike Good to determine the loan repayment terms. That may include a provision regulating the type of ads that may be shown.
The billboard network is the brainchild of community activist and businessman John Hardwick, who said the screens will help boost merchants in the blighted northwest community. He plans to promote area youths for internships and hire local workers.
“This is a positive thing for our community, and it is unfortunate that [Fecske’s] past had to be brought in,” said Hardwick.