Mayor says ‘no’ to putting Free the Nipple on city agenda

By GAIL OBER, LACONIA DAILY SUN

LACONIA — Mayor Edward Engler has declined to recommend adding Free the Nipple NH leader Heidi Lilley to the City Council agenda.

Engler said Wednesday that Lilley had contacted him about being on the June 13 agenda as part of her effort to get the city to repeal its ordinance that bans toplessness and harassment to go topless.

"Typically, agenda items are reserved for legislative action and I said I was proposing no such action," he said on Wednesday. "We don't just put things on the agenda for a discussion."

Engler said there is a process to being part of the council agenda and that agenda items are typically reserved for legislative items. He said a person can either make a request to be on it through the city manager or city clerk or to get a city councilor to sponsor them. Lilley called Ward 4 Councilor Brenda Baer on Tuesday but she declined as well.

Lilley and her friend Kia Sinclair were arrested Tuesday by city police after someone reported that they were topless on the beach and there were small children nearby. Both were cited for public nudity, which is a violation punishable by a $250 fine.

Engler told Lilley that she could speak to the City Council during a public comment session.

He said although she is a resident of Gilford, Engler said she is challenging a Laconia ordinance and should be able to speak briefly to the council about it.