Fraser Orders Couple To Remove Controversial Signs, ACLU Sues Town

FRASER, Colo. (CBS4) - The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado is suing the Town of Fraser pointing to ordinances which silence free speech. It started in 2016 when Melinda McWilliams and her partner Alan Jensen installed anti-President Trump and environmentally-motivated signs on a property near downtown.

The display of signs stood for 20 months according to the couple, but soon letters from the town of Fraser began arriving. The couple was threatened with a citation for violating the town's sign code.

The code requires any sign in town be permitted and meet specific size, location and safety guidelines, as well as having residents pay a fee for each permit. Yard signs are restricted to one sign per lot and not to exceed 6 square feet, according to the town officials.

McWilliams says the couple removed the original signs and submitted plans for new ones they considered more artistic, the town shot down the designs too.

"The first words out of the town manager's mouth when we proposed them was he said that would just attract more attention to me he was making a content judgment at that point," McWilliams told CBS4 Monday.

The town manager issued a statement to CBS4 saying:

"The Town of Fraser respects First Amendment freedom of speech rights, we are taking the matter seriously and are currently reviewing the complaint."

The display has been disassembled as the issue now heads to Federal Court with a lawsuit filed against the town of Fraser.

McWilliams just wants to be allowed to put the signs she designed up to share with people passing by.

"I think we have a very strong case."