IRVINGTON, NJ — Conrad McPherson, who ran for the Irvington Board of Education in the spring and lost, is scheduled to appear in court Monday, July 22, for allegedly illegally posting campaign signs in the recent April election.
McPherson will go to court because he was cited by the township for violating Ordinance MC 3529, which requires anyone interested in posting election campaign signs or materials related to a particular election to first secure a $2,500 permit. According to the ordinance, “Failure to obtain permit for signs will result in the removal of each sign.”
“There will be a fee imposed for the removal of each sign in the amount of $100 per sign,” according to the ordinance. “A permit fee of $2,500 shall be required to put up signs no sooner than 14 days prior to an election and shall be removed seven days after.” It further states that anyone in violation, upon conviction, must pay a fine of $100 to $499 for a first offense, $500 to $999 for a second offense, and $1,000 or imprisonment for a third offense.
McPherson said he doesn’t plan to pay any of the fines because he did not violate the ordinance.
“I went to court yesterday and this time I requested to speak with the prosecutor directly,” McPherson said July 2. “He told me that I could either accept a plea offer and pay the fine or go to trial. I choose to go to trial.”
McPherson said he doesn’t believe he’ll win his trial, but he is going to go for it anyway because he believes it is worth fighting the system.
“I believe this is politically motivated,” McPherson said July 2, following his second appearance in the Irvington Municipal Court for the same ticket. “I am innocent. The ordinance applies to public places, not private property.”
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