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Council considers tightening banner policy after recent court rulings
Summary
City Attorney advised the council on two recent court decisions raising First Amendment limits on municipal banner policies; council discussed limiting banners to city-sponsored events and federal holidays and asked for a follow-up work session.
City Attorney Bob Siderius briefed the council on two federal rulings the city reviewed while discussing its banner policy, citing Scaer v. City of Nashua (2025) and Shurtleff v. City of Boston, 596 U.S. 243 (2022). Councilmembers discussed options including restricting banner displays to city-sponsored events and federally recognized holidays and the possibility of accepting donated banners for federal holidays.
Councilmembers asked staff for another work session to refine policy language in light of the cited First Amendment decisions. No ordinance or formal vote was taken at the workshop.
