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Date: 7/19/2023
MONSON — The Select Board approved a new sign policy to control where and how long signs can be placed in the town.
The removal of signs that stay past the allowed time or are put in prohibited places will be handled by town departments.
Board Chair Patricia A. Oney had called the draft policy complex due to the various points it had to cover. Oney suggested a more straightforward rule that would ban all signs on public property.
Town Administrator Jennifer Wolowicz pointed out that the drafted policy needed to state who oversaw tracking or removing signs. Wolowicz said that the procedure required to say who was responsible.
Board member John Morrell said the Parks and Recreation and Highway departments would handle the signs. The policy was amended to clarify what department was in charge based on where the sign was placed, like in a park or public road.
The Wolowicz will now work with these departments to enforce the rules. Additionally, a sign can only stay in one place for up to 45 days, particularly campaign signs.
Morrell disagreed with banning signs on public property, saying deciding whether a sign was on public or private land would take much work.
Board member Peter Warren was worried about how long a sign could stay up, especially during election time. He suggested that political signs should be allowed 30 days before an election and should be removed two weeks after.
Oney noted that while Warren’s idea dealt with political signs, the law does not allow for different rules for political signs and other signs.
In 2018, a U.S. District Court in Springfield ruled that a sign policy in Holyoke violated the First Amendment, which protects free speech rights. The policy would have made people and businesses register their signs and limit how long they could be displayed.
Oney had tried a broader approach in her first draft, not mentioning political signs or time limits. She asked who would keep track of the dates on each sign to enforce the rules.
Morrell acknowledged that the proposed policy might need changes. He said that most people take down signs after an event or election. The town’s policies do not require a date on political signs or limit their size.
However, signs larger than 2 square feet require a permit, typically larger than campaign signs.
According to Oney, the Select Board also addressed the Gift to Town policy, as the board did not follow the procedure at its last meeting. The policy states that gifts would be distributed to nonprofit organizations.
Two gifts voted on during a prior Select Board meeting did not go to nonprofits. Oney suggested to the board that “funds would not be distributed to for-profit organizations.”
The new policy would apply to nonprofits and similar organizations.
The board approved the amending language to the Gifts to Town policy.