The city of Augusta logo will not comply with rules coming in 2027 under the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to a city official. The logo can be difficult to decipher for those with visual impairments or who use assistive or adaptive technology, such as a screen reader. Courtesy of city of Augusta

AUGUSTA — The city’s logo, featuring a cursive “Augusta!” and wavy blue lines meant to evoke the Kennebec River, might run afoul of federal accessibility regulations that are slated to go into effect in two years.

Rules that have been added to the Americans with Disabilities Act stipulate that public documents — both digital and printed — be accessible to all by 2027.

Haley Gauvin, the city’s communications and marketing director, said a review of the logo identified several problems for those with visual impairments or who use assistive technology: The logo’s cursive font can be difficult to decipher, its proportions hinder clear readability and the swirl design can be misinterpreted as text, causing confusion.

Gauvin said the city should be proactive in meeting the new requirements. She said the city has gotten feedback from visually impaired residents, including some who are blind or have dyslexia, who said they have had trouble reading some city communications when using assistive or adaptive technology, such as a screen reader.

She added that cursive writing is becoming less familiar to younger people, who in turn might struggle to read it, leading many municipalities and brands to no longer use it.

“Ensuring accessibility is about equity and inclusion,” Gauvin said. “Without it, individuals with disabilities are denied equal access to vital services and information.”

While some city councilors at their Jan. 23 meeting said they were interested in updating the logo, others were worried about the cost of putting a new logo on letterhead, business cards, signs and wherever else needed.

Gauvin said the initial cost of a new logo could be $15,000 to $20,000.

At-Large Councilor Annalee Morris-Polley said she fears the true cost of replacing signs and updating communications could balloon if the City Council takes that route. She suggested working with a company to update the logo to address the immediate concerns with it, rather than undergoing a full rebranding process.

Gauvin said a full rebrand of the city communications is needed to ensure all city departments convey similar messages. She said the logo, created nearly two decades ago, is outdated and not optimized for digital use or able to be reproduced in high resolution.

Mayor Mark O’Brien and Ward 4 Councilor Eric Lind said they are worried about proactively making changes to comply early with federal rules that could change, especially with the new presidential administration.

Gauvin recommended the city form a committee or commission to involve the public in creating a new logo and exploring how best to brand the city. The group could select a design firm to redesign the logo, she said, and establish a policy to phase in the new logo across digital platforms, printed materials and city signs.

If city councilors opt to redesign the logo, O’Brien said he would work with Mills and Gauvin to establish the parameters of an ad hoc committee.