Rockwall city council votes to keep ‘Positive Thoughts’ sign

(ROCKWALL, TX – March 7, 2017) The Rockwall city council voted unanimously for a variance to keep the iconic “Positive Thoughts from Dewayne Cain” sign during last night’s council meeting.

Dewayne Cain, president of Rest Haven Funeral Home, told the council that even after several mishaps during the construction of the new First Baptist Church parking lot saw the sign hit by a piece of equipment and catch fire after a welding error, the sign remains standing and has for over 30 years. Cain said although he would like to make the sign sturdier, he wants to keep the integrity of the sign and does not wish to have it altered in any significant way.

“The sign has been there for over 30 years, and it’s just been put band aids on it after band aids. But to change the sign in any significant manner I think you would lose what the sign stands for,” Cain said. “It still needs to have the letters that are put in place. It still needs to be the same size that it is. It just needs to be a little bit more sturdy.”

Cain said he was asked to remove the sign after donating the property to the First Baptist Church of Rockwall for its new parking lot, and that the church allowed him to use the electronic sign located in the parking lot to display ads for Rest Haven and The Flower Box, along with his positive messages to the community.

Cain told the city council if they would allow him to keep the Positive Thoughts sign, he would remove those ads and return the electronic sign to the church for their exclusive use.

Cain said he was overwhelmed by all the comments on Facebook and all the phone calls he’s received about the sign. He said he’s received offers from Hacienda Car Wash and the incoming Texas Roadhouse to buy the sign from him. However, Cain said he thinks it best to keep the sign where it currently stands. “I think it’s best if it stays where it is, and keeps the purpose that it has of giving positive thoughts to the community over the years.”

Mayor Pro-Tem Mike Townsend voiced his concern that the two signs being so close together presents a dangerous situation for drivers trying to read both.

“I’ve seen the sign now for a long time and love it. My concern with the two signs is that they’re so close together, if I’m trying to read the Positive Thoughts sign and that other sign, I just rear-ended the vehicle in front of me,” Townsend said.

To avoid any potential traffic incidents, Cain said he’d be willing to move the sign a bit further north.

Councilman Kevin Fowler made a motion to allow a variance for the Positive Thoughts sign to remain, and to allow Cain to do whatever repairs and maintenance the sign needs. Councilman David White seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

Story and photo by Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News.

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