City of Mequon Will Not Enforce Sign Ordinance Against Recall Organizers, Commits to Review

Background: A group of citizens organizing recall elections for members of the Mequon-Thiensville School District (MTSD) have been out in their community with a banner to gather signatures and provide information. The banner read “RecallMTSD.com,” to promote the effort. The goal of the recall election is to restore educational excellence to MTSD. WILL’s client and other parents supporting the recall also oppose Critical Race Theory and mask mandates.

But on at least four occasions, Mequon police officers confronted WILL’s client and told her the sign violated a City sign ordinance and that citations would be issued in the future. The City of Mequon has a sign ordinance that prohibits “Signs, cards, banners, pictures, handbills, sign posters, advertising, or notice of any kind, on any curb, street-walk, public thoroughfare surface, fence, board, barrel, box, case, railing, pole, post, bridge, tree, barricade, material, bridge fender, dock, pile, building or structure of any kind on public ground, public waterway or upon any structure projecting over any public thoroughfare, public ground or public waterway within the city except by City of Mequon authorization.”

WILL issued a letter to Mequon Mayor John Wirth and City Administrator William Jones warning the City that attempts to enforce a sign ordinance against a group of school board recall organizers violates the First Amendment. WILL also highlighted how the City’s ordinance violates the Constitution by regulating signs based upon their content because the City allows other types of signs.

The City of Mequon responded in good faith and has committed to a review of the current sign ordinance. The City committed to halting any enforcement that may violate the Constitution.