BERNARDSVILLE – An ordinance requiring that religious holiday displays be placed near the memorial pond on Route 202 was tabled Monday night by the Borough Council.


A brief public hearing took place but will be continued on Monday Oct. 24. The council held open the hearing because some people of the Jewish faith may not have attended Monday’s meeting due to the holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

The ordinance under consideration would allow only non-religious displays on Olcott Square. Meanwhile, the council could authorize up to 10 organizations or individuals to place holiday displays on the grounds near the borough pond on Mine Brook Road.

The council decided to ban religious displays from the square, fearing there could be a jumble of them in one relatively small area. Borough Attorney John Pidgeon has also advised that the square resembles sites in other towns that have seen lawsuits from religious displays being placed on public property.

“We’re going to end up with Frosty the Snowman leering over the infant Jesus,” said Mayor Jay Parsons, when one resident expressed disappointment about Olcott Square not being used. “If we get a request for the elephant God we’re going to have to accept it and there’s not enough room there.”

The ordinance was triggered by an inquiry from several residents who wanted to see an old municipally owned crèche - which contains symbols connected to the birth of Jesus - displayed again in Bernardsville this year.

If the residents want to see the crèche at the pond during the holidays, they will have to erect it themselves. Borough officials plan to auction the crèche, which has been stored and fallen into disrepair in recent years. Officials appear to presume that the residents who want to see the crèche displayed will be the only bidders. Doing so would also remove the borough from possible claims that it is erecting religious displays.

By law, borough-owned property can only be sold via auction.

©Recorder Newspapers 2005