Republican Council Candidates Violate local Ordinance
Chapter 97 of the Borough Code states the following...
Section 97-5 Posting Regulations:
"Signs may be posted for any national, state or local election no sooner than 30 days prior to the date of the election and must be removed eight days after the date of the election."
Section 97-7 (a):
"Any person who shall violate any provision of this article by permitting signs on his premises, contrary to the above provisions shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $100."
Section 97-7 (b):
"Any political candidate who, directly or indirectly or by his agent or representative, permits such violation for 72 hours after notification to remove the same, shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $150."
In spite of current law, signs now appear in town for Republican Council Candidates Genovesi and Hennessey with no enforcement action from Police Director John Thompson, a Republican political appointee.
Supporters may be unaware of the law, but Councilman Genovesi, a Police Liaison, should not be nor should current Rutherford Police Director, Thompson - who is also a retired Rutherford Police Captain.
But, yet again local Republican politicians think themselves above the law...
The Rutherford Democratic Club and the Rutherford Republican Club had a long standing agreement, authored by then Councilmen Will Reenstra and Glenn Elliot, to refrain from any lawn signs during the election process - in considering the aesthetics of the town ahead of political motive. That agreement was suddenly broken by the RRC and is now a thing of the past.
I don't believe that it is the intention of any resident to break the law regarding the thirty-day window for displaying lawn signs.
However, the police director should see to it that the laws are enforced, and that the signs are removed. Certainly, Republican Councilman Genovesi, by his very oath to uphold the law, should insist upon it. Why would Genovesi and Hennessey place their supporters at risk of paying such a hefty fine? It's simple. They don't expect the law to apply to them. I trust that our police director and department who serve to protect and enforce these laws and ordinances will do so.
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