City receives request from civil right group for hill use

by Marie Havenga, Grand Haven Tribune, Grand Haven, Michigan, October 7, 2014 (excerpts)

...Norton Shores (MI) residents Mitch Kahle and Holly Huber, who believe the city is violating the constitution by having a cross on public property, did not speak at Monday's meeting.

Kahle arrived in City Hall chambers a few minutes after 8 p.m. and left less than half an hour later, before the final public comment session.

Huber was there for the initial comment opportunity but remained seated.

On behalf of Kahle, Huber and Grand Haven Township residents Brian and Kathy Plescher, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State sent letters to City Manager Pat McGinnis and Mayor Geri McCaleb last week.

McGinnis said his letter arrived Monday.

The correspondence requests that the group be allowed to display banners on subjects such as atheism, pro-choice, same-sex marriage and the summer solstice being “the reason for the season.”

Kahle said he is testing the city's Feb. 7, 2013, use of public lands policy, which states the city will not discriminate and that content won't matter when requests are made to use public property.

Kahle said recently he believes the city never expected anyone to make a request and that the policy is a “smokescreen.”....

Kahle and Huber filed several successful lawsuits in Hawaii on church and state separation issues.

They moved from Hawaii to Norton Shores (MI) last year.

read ... “Remove the Dewey Hill Cross” 

October 8, 2014: Grand Haven leaders consider Dewey Hill cross request