Storey said she was raised Catholic but describes herself as a non-believer.
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The second highest-ranking council member and the town’s only woman to serve as an elected official, Storey explained her decision in a statement. She later submitted her letter of resignation with the municipal clerk’s office. “I can not in acceptable conscience continue to be part of a council in that is exclusionary or to work with a mayor who is such”, Storey stated in her resignation letter.
Hokanson said, “I am deeply sorry for the council president’s decision to resign, and I did not intend to insult or question anyone’s religious beliefs with the name change for our annual event”. “This year, Tammie and her mother started talking about the possibility of donating the tree to Metro”.
Storey says the town’s decision to change the ceremony’s name from “A Tree Lighting” to “A Christmas Tree Lighting” favors one religion and “cuts non-Christians out of the loop”. In this video, retired New Jersey state forester Les Alpaugh guides you through New Jersey’s most popular evergreen species. Storey still opposes the change.
Roselle Park mayor Carl A. Hokanson told Eyewitness News that he wanted to bring the word “Christmas” back into the equation.
Hundreds of Nashvillians gathered on Public Square downtown Friday night to welcome in the Christmas season in Music City with the lighting of the city’s tree.
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“In light of recent news, some communities are choosing not to light their community Christmas trees”, said Chico Vice-Mayor, Sean Morgan. A call to Elmarassy was not immediately returned. She later rescinded her resignation, which was supposed to take effect on January 7, the newspaper reported.
