HONESDALE, PA — Approximately 50 attendees made their way to the November 14 Honesdale Borough Council meeting at Honesdale High School’s LGI amphitheater, some sporting black T-shirts with “Protect Our History” in white lettering.

Asked if their shirts were the uniform of an organization dedicated to preservation of Irving Cliff holiday displays, one wearer said that it isn’t an organization, just a Facebook page conceived in the wake of a June letter sent to Honesdale Mayor Sarah Canfield by the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF).

FFRF is a nonprofit organization whose stated goal is to promote non-theism and defend the constitutional separation between religion and government. The organization’s letter threatened Honesdale officials with litigation if the holiday religious displays—a star at Christmas and a cross at Easter—are not removed from borough-owned property on Irving Cliff.

Michael Lehutsky, the first of 12 speakers who took the podium that night, is a lifelong resident of Wayne County, a former Honesdale Borough Council member, a former Wayne County District Attorney and one of more than 3,000 attorneys nationwide who work pro bono for the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). ADF is an American, conservative, Christian, nonprofit organization with the stated goal of advocating, training and funding on the issues of “religious freedom, sanctity of life and marriage and family,” according to its website.

After offering his professional services on behalf of the borough, Lehutsky told the gathering that the FFRF letter is not a legal pleading and requires neither action nor response. He added that the judiciary has drawn a distinction between the star and cross, the cross being a more overt Christian religious symbol. Per Lehutsky, there is no case law history of objections to star symbols on public property.

But Lehutksy noted that the U.S. Supreme Court may soon hear a case brought by the American Humanist Association concerning the Peace Cross in Bladensburg, MD, that honors veterans of World War I. If an opinion is rendered in that case before the 2019 Easter season, Honesdale will have a legal precedent on which to base its actions.

Most of the speakers advocated continuing the holiday display tradition without regard for legal ramifications. Council president Mike Augello, however, said that it is not just the borough that can be held liable; council members and borough officials can be sued individually, leaving each responsible for his own legal defense costs, which would not be covered by the council’s professional liability insurance.

State Representative Jonathan Fritz pledged the resources of his office to fight FFRF, noting that FFRF is also challenging the PA House of Representatives’ practice of opening each session with prayer. He also offered to the borough the services of the Harrisburg legal team used by his caucus.

Not all the speakers endorsed continuation of the holiday displays. Lisa Glover observed that someone in Honesdale must have brought them to FFRF’s attention because they are in some way offensive. She suggested a middle path between offending some with continuation of the traditions and angering many with discontinuation of them. She suggested rotating the star and cross with symbols of other religions and more generic, universal symbols, such as a candle. Her sentiments were echoed by Derek Williams.

Regardless of the opinions and suggestions expressed, all speakers received polite attention and applause.

No vote was taken on the Smith ordinance, which has yet to be advertised. But Augello noted that some positive benefits have already accrued. Many people formerly unfamiliar with the workings of borough council now know what it does and understand that they can be part of Honesdale government.