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Push To Remove

Trump Billboard

Hits A Roadblock

Town Planners Seek Toppling;

Village Unsure If That’s Legal

Before the Presidential election, the billboard on Route 28 north of Milford read: “Trump 2020.” With the year now changed to “2024,” the town Planning Board is seeking its removal. But is that legal? (Photo contributed)

By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

Mayor Pokorny

MILFORD – Due to the weather, the Milford Town Planning Board meeting was cancelled this evening, delaying the resolution of efforts to have the “Trump 2024” billboard removed on Route 28 outside the north end of the village.

The village’s mayor, Brian Pokorny, said this evening that two town Planning Board members approached him two weeks ago, advising him to remove the billboard or face fines; no amount was specified.  The billboard is located in the town, but on property owned by the village, he said.

According to the town law, political signs – mostly those small ones people put on their lawns – can only be displayed for 30 days.  However, Pokorny said he conferred with Rome Sign Co., which owns the billboard, and was told the company’s attorneys think the sign if fine.

A few days later after the initial meeting, “I got an email from the head of town Planning Board,” Bruce Milavec, “asking if there was any movement.  I said no,” the mayor said.

Pokorny said he’s unsure the town Planning Board even has the authority to require the billboard’s removal, and town Zoning Enforcement Officer Barbara Monroe agreed.

She said the Planning Board would have to refer any enforcement action to the zoning enforcement officer.  And if it does, “I have no intention of writing a violation on that sign,” at least for now, she said.

She said she has advised Town Attorney Hyde Clark and Milavec, who this evening said he was unaware of any controversy, to review the sign to make sure it is even covered by the law.

“In this world today, no one’s going to agree on politics,” said Pokorny.  “I just want to protect the rights we do have and go about it the right way.”

Posted

20 Comments

  1. Isn’t it the general rule/law signs are only allowed to be put up in our towns about 30 days prior to election date? This sign says 2024 – three years from now…way too long. Take it down and put up 30 days prior in 2024. If you allow one to do it, then the other people and in other towns will look like a junk yard of political matter – worn and torn if allowed for a 4 year span.

  2. Disturbing sign, passed by it yesterday. After the insurgency on Capital as well as local gun enthusiasts pushing for ‘special’ treatment, this sign perpetuates/ reinforces those mindsets.

  3. Freedom of speech is important. The billboard is not hurting anyone. Just because you don’t like the message doesn’t mean it should be taken down. What were the terms of this billboard when the person paid to use it?

  4. Ms. Pokorny’s statement that she would not write a violation with regard to the pro-Trump Billboard even if the Town Zoning Board found it illegal, is unacceptable. She is not to play politics with such a decision. If, as the official responsible for carrying out the decisions of the planning Board, she puts her personal preferences first, then she should resign from her position.

  5. Why not permit billboards and other prominent signage supporting men like Hitler or Mussolini whose actions, according to history, proved to be not too far removed from the obvious agenda of our former president. The man is no longer in office and is now subject to the impeachment process, The FBI is investigating the man’s role in sedition and the January 6th insurrection wherein five people were killed and countless others injured. His role in this insurrection must not be ignored! Local campaign laws aside, what more do you need? He has demonstrated for more than four years that he is not only an unethical being but also has little regard for our laws–national or otherwise.

  6. How is this a political sign? I see a name and number, are you assuming its Donald Trump running for president in 2024? Where does it say that?
    Trump 2024 could be the name of a boat.
    Trump 2024 could be the name of my frog and how far it jumped
    Trump 2024 could be the name of a card game.
    Trump 2024 could be the name of a house rental for baseball.

    Silly People

  7. Go trump!!! All you Biden idiots still haven’t seen how he’s already screwing us up. Lied and cheated to get into office but we can’t have a trump sign up it hurts to many peoples feelings? If it was a Biden sign would we be arguing to take it down? Doubtful! Why is it such a big deal to be up? No one cares about the amendments anymore just do whatever they want? I say keep it up so every time a Biden voter drives by they thing “man I messed up I should have just voted Trump in 2020”

  8. who ever wants this sign removed is offensive to me! I think you have the right to believe what you believe and that’s it. Don’t throw your ideologically around like trash out on country roads. It is just a sign and to some us Light. Go get a burger and soda perhaps it will bring calm your craving for dividing us as americans.

  9. consider this… perhaps instead of worrying about one sign ban all signs and flags from Portlandville to copperstown….problem not taken care of.

  10. Anyone can rent the space and should be permitted to have what they want on there within reason. If it bothers some people they should get together and contact the sign owner and offer them how ever much money they need to rent it with their message.

  11. Keep it he will be back sooner than that! It’s not causing an accident or anything and if people don’t like it don’t look at it. No different than if ya drove by a piece of property and didn’t like it. Get over it people. So much time wasted on something that doesn’t matter. When the truth comes out about what’s going on in the government, everyone will be thanking President Trump!

  12. Question: Is this sign promoting Ivanka’s run? Or, The Donald’s? An excerpt from the closing chapter of the book, Kushner Inc., follows: “Ever since her father clinched the Republican nomination, Ivanka has been carefully positioning herself to be his political heir. (She) has made no secret of the fact that she wants to be the most powerful woman in the world. She thinks she is going to be president of the United States.” Her father’s reign, she believes, is the beginning of a great American dynasty!

  13. Leave the sign alone. Its the only form of communication where the owner can’t be cancelled by some tech giant.
    As far as this “Trump/dictator” rhetoric, Adolph Hitler didn’t issue as many “executive orders” in his first year as Biden has in three weeks. He has set this country back socially and economically more so than any virus ever could.

  14. You can tell the left is all about Control. Witness all thought control in this thread. They cannot compete with the message so they wheel out tired tropes about Hitler and Mussolini. For the History-challenged on the left, Hitler and Mussolini were on the side of thought control and censorship, not Trump. You know, the side you are on. The side calling for “Re-Education Camps” for Trump voters. You know, Gulags, Comrade.

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