Hanson Select Board says town officials have received threats, inappropriate/vulgar phone calls, email messages, over projected Trump image

HANSON — The following is a statement from the Hanson Select Board:

“The Town of Hanson does not endorse any political candidate, party or platform in any election. Town bylaws prohibit the display of political symbols or signage on government property, and the Town is duty-bound to enforce the bylaws.

Tonight, during a meeting in executive session, the Hanson Select Board decided to leave measures in place to prevent a political sign from being projected onto the Town’s water tower by a resident.

On Saturday, Oct. 12, the Town, through its legal counsel, delivered a cease and desist letter to the resident.

Since that time, the resident has not projected the image but has also declined to agree in writing that they will not project the image onto the water tower again. 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.

This is a deeply unfortunate and unnecessary situation that the Town of Hanson and its residents and government officials did not ask to be placed in. The Town’s government officials are in the often unenviable position of objectively and dispassionately enforcing the bylaws put in place by its citizens. 

The unnecessary situation endured by the Town of Hanson by a single resident trying to make a political statement has not only caused an undue financial burden on the Town but it has resulted in at least one threat sent in a voicemail toward a Town official and a number of inappropriate and vulgar phone calls and email messages to Town employees who are just doing their jobs.

While it is believed that these messages do not originate locally, they are nonetheless concerning. The Town has informed and is cooperating with the appropriate law enforcement authorities in this matter.

The Hanson Select Board strongly desires that this individual resident agree to put an end to this matter without delay.”