The Orange City Council has informally agreed to put up a Christian nativity scene and add representations from other religions. City Manager Dr. Shawn Oubre went over options Wednesday during a budget workshop and asked the council for direction.
Oubre recommended buying new nativity to replace the one the city bought in the 1970s because it will not look good next to the new symbols purchased. He said a new nativity will cost $7,500 and more. He said the council could decide which one to buy. A display of symbols could run $20,000. Mayor Jimmy Sims said the council needed to make a decision now so the expenditure could be in the new budget, which will start October 1.
At-Large Councilor Bill Mello suggested asking citizens for donations for the nativity.
After the agreement on the nativity, Oubre told the council they will have to cut expenses from the preliminary budget or raise taxes.
This past December, Oubre had the nativity scene moved from the lawn of city hall after the Orange County Atheists asked to display a banner with their name and symbols from different religions. Oubre in a press release at the time said the nativity was removed to avoid the legal costs of defending the Christian symbol. The private Stark Foundation then displayed the city’s nativity scene in Stark Park, adjacent to city hall.
The removal drew a comment from Governor Greg Abbott supporting the display of the manger scene. However on Wednesday, Oubre said a small Texas town has had to pay a court judgment of about $130,000 after being sued because of displaying a nativity. “Greg Abbott supports the city that lost” but the state and Abbott did not help pay the judgment, he said.
District 4 Councilor Annette Pernell, who is a paralegal with a Beaumont law firm, was the only council member Wednesday opposed to displaying the nativity. “I say there’s a separation between church and state,” she said. If the city displays the Christian symbol, then it should “recognize every religion out there,” she said.
District 2 Councilor Dr. Wayne Guidry is an administrator for the West Orange-Cove school district. He said he does not want the city to lose a lawsuit. The school district employees have had to go three years without a pay raise after the district lost a lawsuit. He said the city employees could face a similar situation if the city was sued.
He asked about local lawyer Jim Bearden, who publicly offered to represent the city in a lawsuit if sued concerning the display of the nativity. Oubre said Bearden, though, did not offer to pay any court judgment the city might face if losing a lawsuit.
Mello said people support displaying the nativity and they will help pay for it instead of using tax dollars. “I don’t think we should force the guy who is an atheist to pay for it,” he said.
Oubre’s three options were to display the nativity with other religious symbols, not display any religious symbols, or move the nativity to private property like last year.
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