Two of the town’s political organizations will be welcome at Town Day this year after the Belmont Center Business Association reversed an earlier decision to ban the groups.
There was no formal vote taken on either the initial decision to exclude the groups or the subsequent decision to lift the ban.
A statement released by the association read: “Together, we’ve agreed to return to previous practices and are happy to welcome these groups in September as we have done in the past. We apologize for the earlier decision, we intended no censorship, harm or malicious intent.”
The reversal followed a heated exchange during a Select Board meeting last week between Business Center Association President Deran Muckjian and Select Board member Taylor Yates, who read a statement objecting to Muckjian’s decision to bar the Belmont Democratic Town Committee and the Belmont Republican Town Committee from having tables at the annual event.
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“The reason we did it this year … was the political unrest going on in our country,” Muckjian said following Yates’ statement. When prodded for further explanation, he pointed to the ‘No Kings’ protest that took place in town a few weeks prior. His point was countered by others who described the No Kings event as peaceful and without confrontation.
Last week, Muckjian said it was a decision he made for only this year, as he anticipated allowing the two committees in subsequent years.
Belmont Republican Town Committee Chair Tommasina Olson, who had supported Muckjian’s unilateral decision prior to an anticipated vote of the association this week, said Muckjian “is using the democratic process to make this decision.”
“He is not being swayed by personal opinion or the vocal group who are insisting that they have a table,” she said. “The Belmont Business Association pays to put on the event. There are other ways for these groups to reach the community sponsoring their own event as well as through … The Belmont Voice.”
Linda Levin-Scherz, chair of the Democratic Town Committee, meanwhile, said any attempt to curb speech is a violation of the First Amendment and “should not be tolerated.”
“I don’t think this is an issue that should be up for debate,” she said. “Leonard Street is a public way and the services provided by the police and fire are public services.”
At least one other organization in town, the Belmont Farmers’ Market, has a policy on who is invited to participate in its weekly event. Whereas government officials and representatives of government agencies are allowed to participate, groups that are partisan or explicitly political, or candidates running for office (unless they are incumbents) are not allowed. Groups that may be deemed “too controversial” are also exempt. A pro-choice group once asked to attend, but its application was declined.
