Advertisement By unanimous consent and with no discussion, Holmen Village Board members agreed at their May 8 meeting to sell the structure to the Holmen Lions Club for $600. A village-ordered appraisal of the patch of land on which the cross/star sits valued the property at $100.
The American Humanist Association based in Washington, D.C., however, sent an offer to buy the land for $1,000 and included a check for the full amount. The Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation topped that with a bid of $1,200.
Spokesmen for the American Humanist Association said the group is now considering taking legal action against the village over government support for the religious display.
“To any onlooker, the cross will still appear to be on public land,” said Bob Ritter, attorney for the AHA. “So this was a sham sale that followed a closed-door sweetheart deal that was settled from the beginning. No fair hearing was given to other viewpoints. We aren’t surprised by this faith-based sleight of hand, but we had hoped that Holmen officials might rise above religious favoritism and back-door politics.”
The village is not required to take bids when selling property, but if a municipality ignores a much higher bid in favor of a lower one, the AHA argues, it might be considered an abuse of discretion.
“The village of Holmen simply ignored the fact that there were other bids and ignored the public controversy that has raged for weeks in the local media,” said Fred Edwords, director of communications for the American Humanist Association. “The village board clearly wants the cross to remain where it is. Otherwise there’s no reason to put on blinders and award the site to the lowest bidder. This is all about government support for religion.”
The AHA is fighting the Holmen cross display because it could be seen as a precedent for municipalities across the country.
“This isn’t the first time government has made a maneuver such as this to keep a religious symbol on public property, Edwords said. “Humanists have been fighting the same tactic at Mount Soledad in San Diego, California, for nearly two decades. And there are other communities with crosses on public land. These crosses are maintained at taxpayer expense. So now there is a risk that, if this gambit proves successful in the end, communities all over America will duplicate this same faith-based trick. This is why we have taken action to stop it here.”
Annie Laurie Gaylor of the FFRF said she wanted to review minutes from the village meetings before commenting, adding that a complaint to the attorney general was possible.
The village and Lions Club erected the illuminated star and cross on the hilltop in 1960. The property was privately owned until five years ago, when the the village bought it for a reservoir site. The cross and star have been lit with village electricity since it was erected, and the Holmen Area Fire Department has provided ladder trucks to change bulbs in the 40-foot structure.
The controversy erupted in March after a Holmen resident, Eric Barnes, lodged an informal complaint with the village because the cross, which is lit during the 40 days of Lent, is on village property.
After Barnes’ complaint, representatives of the Lions Club met with village officials and made an offer to buy the land in hopes of preventing controversy and keeping the symbol on the hill.
Two people attended last week’s village board meeting hoping to express opposition to the sale. Village resident Joseph Lyman arrived shortly after the matter was brought up so he never had an opportunity to hear the board’s position.
Lyman said he was concerned there was no public discussion of the issue and that public input was not wanted at the board meeting. “I called and was told there generally was no public input allowed,” Lyman said.
“It is inappropriate they felt the need to hurry this,” Lyman said. “It is a poor solution to hurry an issue like this through simply to avoid controversy.”
Trustee Mark Seitz read a list of reasons why the village should sell the property to the Lions Club: He said the $600 offer exceeds the appraised value; the village has the right to sell land to whomever it chooses; and the Lions Club originally constructed the star and cross and has maintained it.
The deal with the Lions Club insists the area be fenced with signs stating it is the club property. The club will have an electric meter installed and pay for lighting the structure, and the club will restrict access to protect the adjacent village water reservoir.
“This is an effective way to bring this matter to a fair conclusion,” Seitz said.
Trustees had no comment on their action.
Later in the meeting Trustee Ryan Olson asked Administrator/Clerk Catherine Schmit why she had not responded to inquiries from a reporter at the Holmen Courier.
“I responded in the manner I was directed to respond,” Schmit said.
Village attorney Alan Peterson said he expected to begin the paperwork to transfer the land the day after the meeting. He said the deal should be complete in 30 to 45 days.
Library in the mall
Holmen Square mall owner Marvin Wanders has discussed locating the Holmen library in the mall with village officials.
The group has been pushing to find a replacement for the existing library, which they say has too little room for too many patrons. A push to buy St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church for a larger facility failed because its appraised value of $1.3 million was less than the $2 million minimum the church would accept.
Wanders met with Village President John Chapman and Schmit recently. “He suggested it could be like a Borders book store,” Schmit reported.
The cost for leasing the space was not specific. “He said he would take a sharp pencil to the lease,” Schmit said.
No formal action is planned on the idea at this time.
HVAC service
Trustees voted to continue Advance Comfort Systems HVAC contract. The price went up 3.5 percent from last year to $2,098 and $70 per hour.
Rezoning
Trustees rezoned the property at 2810-2812 Locust from R-4 two family to R-6 zero lot line.
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