WHITEVILLE, TN -
(WMC-TV) - A strange looking one armed cross on the water tower in Whiteville, Tennessee will remain disfigured as the town has settled a lawsuit with Freedom from Religion Foundation for separation of church and state.
The battle over displaying the cross in Whiteville, Tennessee has gone on since last October, when a prominent cross on the city's water tower went from whole to just one arm.
In January, churches showed their support for city leaders by carrying a 12 foot cross across Hardeman County.
Whiteville Mayor, James Bellar pushed the issue even more by placing crosses with wreaths on them outside city hall.
"The only one who complained is Ms. Gaylor at the freedom from religion," Bellar said.
When the Freedom from Religion Foundation sued the city on behalf of a complainant who works in the city, Whiteville leaders were forced to settle or go to an even more costly trial.
"We are a little frustrated that we had to go to such lengths to get the city to follow the law it shouldn't have been necessary to sue in the first place," Annie Laurie Gaylor, Co-President of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, said.
As part of the settlement; Whiteville agreed to not place crosses on city hall and to never add a second arm to the water tower cross. The mayor also personally agreed to not place crosses on the public portion of the sidewalk in front of his insurance business, as he had done in the past.
The city will also have to pay $20,000 in attorney fees to the foundation.
"We are you know satisfied," Gaylor said. "We have an agreement that the city has stipulated to and we think the problem is solved."
Despite being on the losing side of the settlement, the city has had strong support from the community.
Action News 5 was unable to reach Whiteville city leaders for comment on the settlement.
Freedom from Religion has also taken issue with crosses in Somerville, Tennessee. At this point the group has only sent letters of complaint to the mayor.
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