Dalton Mulls Over Proposed Sign Policy
DALTON, Mass. — The town is considering establishing a sign policy that would restrict the posting of certain signs on town property.
During the Select Board meeting last week, Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson presented the proposed policy on "Political Signs on Town Property."
The policy draft defines "political" as anything related to elections or voting. It proposes prohibiting all signs of that nature, such as political campaigns, issues, or events, from being posted on town property.
Select Board members expressed concerns about the proposed policy, including its language and impact on free speech. The board directed the town manager to do more work on it and bring it back for further discussion.
Hutcheson suggested having a policy on political signs following reports of some being removed or vandalized.
"I've heard reports of people pulling up other people's signs, and if they did that on town property, then that would become a town problem that the town would have to investigate and that sort of thing and I'd rather not," Hutcheson said.
"I would rather not have our police have to investigate."
"And take up valuable resources," Select Board Vice Chairman Daniel Esko added.
Select Board member John Boyle questioned why they are getting involved because it is a problem for the police.
"I haven't noticed any infractions of that policy over the years. There was signs up on the town property during the election last Tuesday, but as soon as the election was over and they were done campaigning, they took their signs and went home just like always. I mean, I just don't think it's an issue to institute a policy," Boyle said.
Select Board member Joe Diver said he thinks it is a good idea to have a policy but has concerns about the draft's language.
"I’d also prefer the town not to have any political signs on the property to be giving the appearance that we support one candidate over another as a town," Esko said.
The narrow definition of political can create a slippery slope, Diver said.
He pointed out that the town has a flag policy that determines what can be flown on the flagpole on town property and recommended that the town have a broad policy that dictates no signs on town property allowed unless sponsored by the town, he said.
Boyle asked if this policy would affect electioneering on election day when candidates and their supporters stand outside the voting station holding signs.
They can still stand outside the voting station holding signs, Esko and Select Board member Marc Strout said.
"We're talking about, at least I am, people putting their political signs with their little stakes out on town property, leaving it there for two months before an election," Strout said.
"We couldn't limit people's First Amendment rights on election day as long as they're the standard distance, the legal distance away from the polling place. We can't get into that," Esko said.
Boyle argued that a policy like that violates First Amendment rights.
"I came down here last Tuesday to hold a sign for a candidate [and] there were signs up and down the street placed in the ground on town property for various candidates, so [if this policy is established, that can't happen anymore," Boyle said.
Esko and Marc both emphasized again that they could hold the sign.
Resident Henry Rose also told the board to make sure they are not "squelching free speech" in a sign policy.
"As a society, there are too many instances where that's happening," he said.
Let's say there is a sign advertising a Mass Save audit, "which is good for the common good." A sign like that should be permitted, but permission should still be required, Rose said.
"Let's not write a [regulation] that stops something like that for the common good from going up. If something has hate speech in it, that's a different issue," he said.
"If somebody puts up signs with a candidate in front of Town Hall and then leaves them and walks away from them, I think that's wrong but you want to be very careful before you make a blanket rule that stifles speech."
Not that it is an issue, without a policy what is preventing someone from posting 10 select board signs right in from of the town hall, Strout said.
"It's never happened. I've never seen [in] all the years anybody put a sign on the town lawn or anything," Boyle said.
"It’s not just political signs as far as campaign signs and elections and voting. There are some despicable things people could put on signs talking about you support this or you support that do we want those," Strout said.
Without a policy the town can not remove any signs from town property.
"And I don't even like this policy that was given to us tonight," Strout said.
Boyle emphasized that it is not a problem that he has seen.
"Until it is," Strout said.
"Think about the town out east that was forced to fly a flag that nobody wanted them to fly."
Boyle pointed out that we are not out east.
"It’s still Massachusetts and the town was forced to fly a flag but nobody agree to," Strout said.
The intent of this policy was to prevent issues in the future, Hutcheson said.
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