Town Green rules outline almost complete

Date: 4/14/2009

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



LONGMEADOW The Select Board and the Town Manager are close to finalizing a document that will outline what is and what is not allowed on the Town Green.

The two parties, along with resident and political activist Jerold Duquette, hashed out the wording of the document at the board's meeting last Monday evening.

Town Manager Robin Crosbie said that individuals or tents nine feet by nine feet or smaller do not need permits to be on the Town Green during an event. Crosbie noted that while permits are available for larger events, they are not required; the permits would give those pariticipating a level of protection.

As far as political statements and tents, Crosbie said that individual candidates can have booths without worrying about having a permit.

"Having this in writing will let the police know what to enforce," Select Board member Kathleen Grady said.

The issue of what is allowed on the Town Green arose from last year's Long Meddowe Days, when the Longmeadow Democratic Town Committee (LDTC) was asked to remove political signage from their tent at the festival. Candy Glazer, chair of the LDTC, felt that this request was in violation of the freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment. She sent a letter to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) about the incident and Attorney Bill Newman, Director of the ACLU of Western Massachusetts Legal Office, spoke on this topic at the Feb. 2 meeting of the Select Board.

Paul Santaniello, chair of the Select Board, said reviewing what is allowed on the Town Green makes sense because he "[doesn't] want to see something silly go on that will ruin an event."

"No one has a right to disrupt Long Meddowe Days," Duquette said.

The Longmeadow Historical Society, which puts on Long Meddowe Days every year, will have the ability to say no to a person or group that wants to set up a tent during the festival, but a group could still set up something anyway. Duquette noted that it wouldn't be wise for the event's committee to say no because if they say, that means a sort of agreement will be in place between the committee and each person or tent.

"This is our green," Robert Barkett, Select Board member, stated. "We're just looking out for the best interest of the town."

Additional suggestions and changes to the document outlining what is allowed on the Town Green will be discussed at the Select Board meeting scheduled for April 27.