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Town, resident in ‘stalemate’ over Trump projection, as town employees receive threats
The town says there has been at least one voicemail threat toward a town official and several phone calls and emails to town employees.
The town of Hanson says it is in an “unfortunate stalemate” over the projection of a political ad on local water tower that has led to threats against town officials and employees.
For weeks, Hanson town officials have been at odds with a resident projecting a “Trump 2024” logo on a water tower at 228 High St.
The projection violates the town’s sign regulations and bylaws, which prohibit political signs from being displayed on municipal property, according to Town Administrator Lisa Green. Hanson has been using three spotlights in an effort to overpower the image.
The town has been charging the resident $100 for every day that the Trump sign is projected, and delivered a cease-and-desist order to the individual. Over the weekend, Donald Trump supporters held a rally in Hanson to show support for the resident and raise money to cover the cost of the $100 daily fine.
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In an executive session meeting Tuesday night, the Hanson Select Board decided to leave measures in place to prevent the sign from being projected.
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Since the cease-and-desist letter was given to the resident, the individual has not projected the political logo, but has also “declined to agree in writing that they will not project the image onto the water tower again,” the Hanson Select Board said in a statement Tuesday.
“This has locked the Town into an unfortunate stalemate, and to avoid an on-again, off-again cycle, the Select Board has decided to leave measures in place to dim the projection until further notice,” the statement said.
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The board said the projection has caused “undue financial burden” on the town, at least one voicemail threat toward a town official, and several “inappropriate and vulgar” phone calls and emails to town employees.
The town said it has informed law enforcement about the threats.
“While it is believed that these messages do not originate locally, they are nonetheless concerning,” the board’s statement said. “The Hanson Select Board strongly desires that this individual resident agree to put an end to this matter without delay.”
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