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Pitman council approves senior photo banners and DEI committee’s rainbow ribbons after heated public comment
Summary
Council approved Pitman High School 100th graduating-class photo banners and a separate DEI Committee request to place rainbow ribbons on lampposts in June after public commenters criticized a compromise and called for clearer application rules. One council member voted No on the ribbon request; one abstained from the banner vote.
Council approved two separate lamppost signage applications on Jan. 27: a set of photo banners to celebrate Pitman High School’s 100th graduating class and a DEI Committee proposal to hang rainbow ribbons beneath lamppost banners in June.
Councilwoman Debra Guarni presented the graduation-banner application submitted by alumni organizer Lauren Eisenhart, noting the banners would use student photographs "contingent upon receiving appropriate permissions." The council voted to approve the graduation banners; Councilman Mazzola abstained. Guarni then presented the DEI Committee’s ribbon request for June 1–30, 2025; the motion passed with Councilwoman Musto voting No and all other members voting Yes.
The two approvals prompted an extended public comment period. Resident Tammy Razze asked why the original Pride-banner request was withdrawn and replaced with the ribbon compromise and urged in-person participation rather than social-media complaints, saying some people should stop being "keyboard warriors." Lauren Eisenhart told the council she "was not part of any discussion on compromise with the DEI Committee prior to this meeting" and said she would have liked to be included in discussions. Several residents—including Scott McIlvaine and Aiden Stranahan—urged Council to allow seniors to choose any ribbon associated with their banner or to re-vote; some said combining the requests felt disrespectful to applicants who had not conferred with one another.
Council President Vanessa James encouraged communication between the applicants and noted that the DEI Committee meets publicly on the second Thursday of each month. Solicitor Vigilante explained that adjusting approval criteria for lamppost signage would require an amendment to the ordinance, and Councilwoman Musto recommended a neutral application policy to reduce future conflict.
Council did not change the ordinance at the meeting. Officials encouraged applicants and residents to meet and discuss options between now and June so similar disputes can be avoided going forward.
