Why is a Maryland sheriff compromising public safety by putting political sign at a busy intersection?
County has ordinance against political signs in public right-of-way. A spokeswoman said the sign is far enough from public land on private property. But it’s still close to be easily seen in a busy intersection, causing a hazard to public safety.
A large political sign for a Maryland sheriff has stood at the corner of a busy intersection for weeks, seemingly in violation of a county ordinance against such signs in public right-of-way. Though a spokeswoman said the sign is on private land, it’s close enough to be easily seen by motorists, causing a potential distraction.
The approximate 3-foot by 3-foot sign for Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins was placed in front of a plant bed that contains numerous flowers at the intersection of New Design Road and Crestwood Boulevard in early August 2022. Jenkins is a Republican who has been sheriff since 2006.
The sign is within a few feet of the public sidewalk and the street. The intersection gets a lot of traffic from two nearby interstate highways and several neighborhoods.
A Frederick County ordinance clearly states that political signs cannot be located within public right-of-way. A county spokeswoman said the sign is far enough from public land…
