Senior Citizen Fights For Right To Put Up Political Signs

The last thing Mary Ann Still was looking for was a fight when she put up signs supporting Republicans in the upcoming city elections outside her Ryder Woods home last week.

The retired mailroom supervisor, 69, says she was just expressing her support for mayoral candidate Bernard "Bob" Joy and Republican city clerk candidate Linda Stock -- and has a right to do so.

But the board at Ryder Woods sent her notices warning her to remove the blue and white political signboards -- or be fined $25 a day for each until she did.

"You have a sign on your lawn which is illegal," George Puskas, board secretary, wrote in an Oct. 6 missive.

All signs must be approved by the board, he said, citing city ordinance 5.3.3.3.

But according to a copy of the ordinance provided by Still, permits are required for all temporary signs posted in Milford "with the exception of temporary political and real estate signs."

The ordinance also says, "A temporary sign shall only be posted with the consent of the property owner or occupant."

Still, a later letter arrived via certified mail with a "Notice of Rules Infraction."

"You have been issued a $25/day fine...for this infraction and will continue until said signs are removed," it said in part.

So Still keeps placards hanging boldly above the porch of her  mobile home.

Attempts to reach Al Hricz, president of the Ryder Woods Residents Association, Inc., and George Puskas, association secretary, were not immediately successful.