GREENFIELD — The town reversed its decision to allow a nearly 8-foot tall “safe city” sign on Federal Street after sending out an email to organizers saying it was “mistakenly approved.”
The sign, first appearing Friday on the Trap Plain Common, across from Auto Zone, was put together by Women Rise, a group of Greenfield women. In recent months there has been local and national discussion on what it means to be a “safe city” or a “sanctuary city.”
An email from the town’s Licensing Department, which approves whether someone can have a sign on a Town Common space, said: “I’m sorry to inform you that your application for the sign was mistakenly approved. The Town has a policy of not allowing signs that express political opinions on Town property.”
In a comment late Monday afternoon, Mayor William Martin said that the sign was removed because he saw it as “campaign speech.”
“This particular sign appears to be dedicated to a proposed town ordinance,” Martin said about a potential proposal to designate Greenfield a “safe city.” “Because it is on town property and it is politically charged, we don’t get involved with that. We’re the government, we don’t tell people what to do.”
The mayor did not have an explanation for why the sign was first approved and then taken back. But Martin said the town tried to correct the mistake as soon as possible, noting that mistakes happen.
“We use our commons for political and religious expressions and to block that is un-American,” Women Rise group founder Jessica Osit said Monday afternoon.
The mayor said he viewed the sign similarly a sign encouraging someone to vote for a particular candidate.
“Certainly I understand their position. It’s very clear what some of those people are thinking,” Martin said about members of the Women Rise group who have attended licensing meetings.
Martin added, “If you wanted to persuade public opinion, then do it on your own private property.”
When asked about the distinction between the “safe city” sign, which has a rendering of the Poet’s Seat Tower with the Statue of Liberty on top of it, in comparison to the newly painted design on a light box next to Greenfield Coffee on Federal and Main Street that “welcomes” people to the town, he pointed to the difference of words.
“The word ‘welcome’ means we are a welcoming community. We even have it on our license plate,” Martin said. “Welcome means welcome, it does not mean sanctuary city.”
The sign was moved to the Department of Public Works yard on Wells Street and is available for the group to pick up.
You can reach Joshua Solomon at:
jsolomon@recorder.com
413-772-0261, ext. 264