Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Friday, May 09, 2008
‘Star Hill’ site sold to Lions Club
HOLMEN, Wis. — The hilltop site that holds a large, illuminated star and cross will become property of the Holmen Lions Club in a sale approved Thursday by the Holmen Village Board.
The board unanimously and with no discussion agreed to sell the 30-by-30-foot “Star Hill” parcel to the Lions for $600.
The sale had been in the works since Holmen resident Eric Barnes lodged an informal complaint in March about a cross being lit on the village property during the 40 days of Lent. Barnes contended it violated the doctrine of separation of church and state.
The village and Lions Club put the illuminated star and cross on the hilltop in 1960, on property that is part of the village reservoir site. Village electricity lit the symbol.
A village-ordered appraisal valued the parcel of land that has the cross and star at $100.
But the Washington, D.C.-based American Humanist Association sent the village a $1,000 check for the property, and the Madison-based Freedom from Religion Foundation bid $1,200.
Trustee Mark Seitz read a list of reasons Thursday why the village should sell the property to the Lions Club: The $600 offer exceeded the appraised value; the village has the right to sell land to whomever it chooses; and the Lions Club has maintained the display over the years.
Two people attended Thursday’s board meeting hoping to speak against the sale. But Holmen resident Joseph Lyman arrived shortly after the matter was brought up, and the vote already had been taken.
Lyman said after the meeting he was concerned the board had no public discussion or public comment on the issue. “I called and was told there generally was no public input allowed,” he 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.”
The deal with the Lions Club requires the area be fenced and signs added stating it is club property; the club have an electric meter installed and pay for lighting costs; and access to site be restricted to protect the adjacent village water reservoir.
“This is an effective way to bring this matter to a fair conclusion,” Seitz said.
Other village officials Thursday had no comment on the sale.
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