PARIS — The Oxford County District Attorney’s Office has cleared Oxford Town Manager Michael Chammings of any wrongdoing after a witness complained Chammings removed a roadside campaign sign belonging to selectman candidate Scott Hunter.

In an email to the Sun Journal on Wednesday morning, Oxford police Chief Jonathan Tibbetts said the DA declined to prosecute the complaint.

“The sign was placed on property owned by Michael Chammings and according to the statute, the property owner has a right to remove any political signs that they do not want on their property,” Tibbetts said. 

Assistant District Attorney Richard Beauchesne said his office declined to pursue charges after review of the statute. 

Last week, a witness filed a police complaint that Chammings removed the sign placed in the road right of way at the intersection of Whittemore and Robinson Hill roads. Political signs are permitted on some public property, but not on private land without permission. 

Chammings did not dispute he removed the sign, but said it was unlawfully placed on his land and that professional ethics rules prohibit him from giving the appearance of endorsing a candidate in an election. 

According to Beauchesne, while a right of way extends 33 feet from the centerline of the road, it does not give private persons authority to place a political sign on a person’s property without permission. 

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