Portablet toilet sponsorship banners hang in Bethesda's Stratton Local Park (Photo: TBD Staff)

Sponsoring toilets can get complicated.

Montgomery County runs a portable toilet sponsorship program as a way to keep the portable restrooms in parks despite serious budget cuts. A Step in Time Chimney Sweeps has been the biggest sponsor thus far, with the company committing to fund a toilet in each of the county’s 80 parks for six months. The company’s banners hang near the toilets.

A Step in Time Chimney Sweeps owner Ray Gessner says he’s heard good things, but he’s also beginning to get some negative feedback from residents.

“Our biggest concern is that people are going to see our sign and they’re going to be annoyed by the sign instead of thinking we’re doing something good for them,” Gessner says. “That’s not my intent. My intent is to get the word out that our company does chimney cleaning and repairs, and at the same time is committed to the community a good service.”

Associating a company’s name with an outdoor bathroom isn’t exactly the most glamorous marketing strategy, but Gessner puts it this way: “Everybody’s got to take a chance, I guess.”

“Our company likes to actually be humble and have a humble approach to life,” he says. “The opportunity to sponsor the [toilets], it kind of goes along with the overall feel of our company.”