The city of Bloomfield is considering using online fundraising to pay the $700,000 it owes from the lawsuit regarding the Ten Commandments monument that was formerly located outside of City Hall.
Because the courts ruled the monument violated the U.S. Constitution and represented a government endorsement of religion, the city must now pay the legal fees for the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the complaint in 2012 on behalf of two Bloomfield residents, Janie Felix and Buford Coone.
The nonprofit law firm Alliance Defending Freedom provided Bloomfield with free legal representation throughout the litigation process.
City Manager Eric Strahl said Bloomfield until June 30, 2021, to pay the $700,000 that it owes for the ACLU’s legal fees. He said the city can choose to pay in installments or pay the entire amount in 2021. The city will not have to pay interest if it waits.
Strahl said he has been evaluating different online fundraising sites and may establish an account up to “see if there are like-minded people who supported the city’s position” who may be willing to help pay.
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