Richmond Select Board approves year-round Black Lives Matter sign after heated public debate

The Richmond Select Board voted Aug. 18 to amend a 2021 resolution so the town will continuously display a Black Lives Matter sign and flag and include messaging that “all are welcome here.” The motion, made by Select Board member Caitlin Filkins and seconded by Bart Hill, passed unanimously after more than an hour of presentations and public comment.

Bonnie Steuer, spokesperson for Richmond Racial Equity, framed the request as a continuity of the town’s 2021 declaration of equity and inclusion, saying, “This is clearly an issue that is there every single day of the year” and urging the board to approve continuous display so the sign “reminds all those who live in and travel through our community that black and brown lives matter.” Several residents said the sign signals an inclusive town while others objected to the phrasing and to what they called the sign’s potential political character.

Speakers raised two recurring, concrete questions for the board: whether the sign is government speech or a political sign subject to different rules, and whether extending the display from three months to year-round requires zoning or permitting changes. Board members and staff noted the select board’s prior resolution and said the item is speech by the select board rather than a zoning permit; Kara (a resident) cautioned that the town should still get a permit or adjust the zoning if necessary. The chair said staff would follow up with the town zoning administrator to determine whether a retroactive or new permit is required.

Several public commenters urged broader wording to include other marginalized groups. Filkins, who made the motion, said the board can revisit exact wording with advice from the Racial Equity group: “If the words ‘black lives matter’ are not the right words to use, I’m open to conversation about that,” she said, but added the board should act now to show support for community members who requested the sign.

The board discussed alternative placements and regulatory approaches — for example, adding the message to the town-center permanent directory sign to avoid creating an extra freestanding sign on the town lot — and agreed staff should research state case law and provide guidance at a future meeting. The motion as amended directed the town to display the updated sign and flag year-round and instructed staff to follow up on permitting and any needed wording adjustments.

The decision followed a public-comment period in which dozens of residents spoke for and against the change. There was no formal challenge to the board’s right to display government speech; instead, commenters focused on community tone, legal compliance and whether the wording should be broadened. The board indicated it will seek legal clarification about government-speech boundaries and sign permitting as a next step.