S.B., N.B. only towns

with display policies

Majority of county

towns permit

holiday displays

SOUTH BRUNSWICK — Of the 25 municipalities in Middlesex County, only North and South Brunswick have formally adopted a policy regarding holiday displays.

According to a recent survey of towns, conducted by the Middlesex County Human Relations Commission last spring, the policies in these two towns resulted from objections to previous practices.

"The results were to give other towns an idea of what was being done," commission Co-chairman Robert Stone said, adding that the commission did not plan for the survey to be made public.

While South Brunswick banned all displays in 1998, North Brunswick established a resolution creating a Diversity Display Committee composed of clergy, and interested community residents.

That committee is now included in the North Brunswick Human Relations Council, according to the survey.

The township reported that it has dedicated a piece of land next to the municipal building as an area for displays approved by the committee to be placed.

The site, the survey reports, contains a plaque that reads: "This site has been designated by the Township of North Brunswick to encourage resident communities to erect seasonal displays that, taken together, celebrate the diverse, multicultural nature of our community."

Township officials said that they believe this site meets the standards of the U.S. Constitution.

The survey of the towns revealed that the majority have been able to have a display during the season, but do not have a formal policy in place.

According to the survey, 18 towns have some kind of display, and six of the municipalities reported no observances during the winter holiday season.

Cranbury did not respond to the survey.

Plainsboro officials reported that they have no formal observation, but that municipal employees decorate a Christmas tree, and display a menorah in the lobby of the municipal building.

Nine towns display both a Christmas tree and menorah, according to the survey.

South Brunswick’s decision to eliminate any displays on municipal property in 1998 followed a complaint the previous year about the display of a Christmas tree and menorah at Woodlot Park on New Road, according to the survey.

None of the communities surveyed reported being involved in litigation from the displays.