DERBY — The head of the city’s Republican Party said GOP political signs were targeted for removal by Democratic Mayor Joseph DiMartino.
The Derby Town Republican Committee published a post on Facebook Oct. 1 under the headline “Unfair Treatment Alert.” The post had photos of Derby Republican candidate signs that had been removed from various spots in the city by Department of Public Works employees and brought to the DPW yard on Coon Hollow Road.
“They (city workers) told us that the Mayor instructed the Department of Public Works to take down all Republican campaign signs—while leaving up his own and those of the Democrats,” the post read.
DiMartino said the allegation is untrue. The Republican signs were removed because they were on city property or on utility poles, which is illegal, DiMartino said. The state DOT reminded politicos of the state’s rules in a Facebook post last year.
“It’s a violation of state law to put signs on utility poles, and you’re not supposed to put signs on public property,” said DiMartino, a former Derby DPW worker.
DiGiovanni disputed whether the signs were placed on public property. If they were placed on public property, he said political signs are exempt. He said the city could have called him or a GOP candidate for office if there was a problem with the signs. He said signs advertising private businesses and such are affixed to utility poles throughout Derby. He questioned why the GOP signs were collected and others were not.
DiGiovanni also questioned the wisdom of getting DPW workers involved in the removal of political signs — and he said a sign removed from a space on David Humphreys Road was on private property because the homeowner called him up to complain about the removal.
Jim Gildea, a candidate for the board of education and DiMartino’s campaign manager, said it is common knowledge that political signs do not go on city-owned property. He pointed out that groups regularly seek permission from the Board of Aldermen & Alderwomen if they want to erect a sign on city property.