Posting of political signs in Quincy draws controversy

By DENNIS TATZ
The Patriot Ledger

QUINCY – Christopher Chetwynd isn’t shy about telling others, or at least those who drive by his home on Southern Artery, whom he doesn’t want to become mayor.

It’s just that Chetwynd jumped the gun a bit when he put up several homemade anti-Thomas Koch signs a couple of weeks ago.

The signs were taken down Tuesday after Quincy’s code enforcement officer, Kenneth Burke, told Chetwynd’s wife, Melanie, that her husband was facing a $25-a-day fine.

``I’m passionate about politics for sure,'' the 31-year-old mechanic said. ``I felt I needed to express myself.''

Political signs are prohibited in residential neighborhoods until 10 days before an election, according to city bylaws. For business districts, there’s a 30-day window.

For the first time in 67 years, there is no September preliminary leading up to the November finals.

City Clerk Joseph Shea said the city’s building and legal departments agreed that campaign supporters could still use what would have been the Sept. 18 runoff date for when to post political signs. The election will be held on Nov. 6.

``I had a few inquiries about whether the city would allow signs since there wasn’t going to be a preliminary,'' Shea said.

Burke said he gets about four or five complaints a day about possible sign violations. ``I try to respond fast enough so it doesn’t become a problem,'' he said. ``People don’t know the rules. Once they find out they are pretty cooperative.''

Chetwynd, who supports the re-election of Mayor William Phelan, said he wasn’t aware of the timing restriction for political signs when he posted them on his front lawn and roof.

In his signs, Chetwynd makes reference to Koch’s one-time role as an aide to former Mayor James Sheets, whom Phelan ousted from office in 2001 in the closest mayoral election in the city’s history.

Green and white ``Mayor Phelan'' signs could be spotted Tuesday attached to chain link fences outside the Lincoln Granite Co. on Centre Street and Smith Auto Sales on Liberty Street. There was also one in the window of Sunshine Fruit on Franklin Street.

Six Phelan signs and two for incumbent school committee member Dave McCarthy have been hung on a stockade fence next to the parking lot shared by the Super 88 Market, Eastern Bank and St. Ann’s Church in Wollaston.

A St. Ann’s parishioner, who asked that he not be identified, said some parishioners were a little upset about the number of signs on the fence.

``They thought it was tacky,'' he said.

The owner of the fence is Dorothy Coletti, whose home at 28 Wentworth Road, abuts the parking lot, according to the assessor’s office.

City regulations call for no more than one sign for a candidate on any piece of property, and up to three signs for three different candidates on the same property.

Paul Yu, Super 88, manager, said he didn’t know who put up the Phelan and McCarthy banners. In the window of Yu’s store were signs supporting both Phelan and the city council candidacy of Victor Ng.

Burke, the code enforcement officer, said several of the signs on the fence behind St. Ann’s Church would have to be removed to comply with the law.

Dennis Tatz may be reached at dtatz@ledger.com.