Church-State Debate Leads City Council to Drop Park Anniversary Support

After a heated debate at last month's meeting and the threat of a lawsuit for the anniversary organizers, the Claremont City Council will not sponsor the El Barrio Park 40th Anniversary celebration on June 16.

According to the Claremont Courier, the organizer for the event, Arbol Verde Preservation Committee chairperson Al Villanueva said the committee was threatened with a lawsuit for pursuing sponsorship from the city. 

Villanueva would not name the party seeking the lawsuit.

The conflict initially arose when Councilman Opanyi Nasiali spoke out agaisnt the city council's support for the park event at its May 25 meeting, saying it was an unconstitutional infringement of the separation of church and state because a Catholic Mass would be held during the event.

The committee was asking for the the council to help offset the cost of the event by taking care of a $370 insurance and equipment charge. The entire event will cost about $1,000, according to the Courier.

The anniversary celebration will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.