Councilwoman who quit over 'Christmas' tree rescinds resignation

NJ.com ^ | 12/4/15 | Tom Haydon

[Impala64ssa]

The Roselle Park councilwoman who resigned Thursday after the council voted to change the name of the borough's "Tree Lighting" to a "Christmas Tree Lighting" is now rescinding her resignation.

Minutes after the council voted 4-2 Thursday night to change the name, Councilwoman-at-Large Charlene Storey walked out of the meeting. She later submitted her letter of resignation to the municipal clerk's office.

"I cannot in good conscience continue to be part of a council that is exclusionary or to work with a Mayor who is such," Storey said, adding that the change "cuts non-Christians out of the loop and favors one religion."

Storey, who was raised Catholic but is now a "non-believer" and has never hidden that fact, said the issue was a matter of principle. Changing the ceremony, she said, "turned it from a non-religious event to a religious one."

Roselle Park councilwoman quits over tree lighting

Roselle Park councilwoman quits over tree lighting

Roselle Park Councilwoman Charlene Storey resigned from office minutes after the council voted to include the word "Christmas" in the tree lighting ceremony.

The story of the dispute and Storey's resignation went viral, with more than 1,200 comments on NJ.com and TV media descending on the borough today.

"I can't believe that people are going this crazy over this," Mayor Carl Hokanson, who proposed the renaming, said Saturday. "There are more important things going on in this world."

He said he's received dozens of calls and emails, most of them in support of the renaming of the Dec. 11 event.

Hokansan said he had no intentions of being exclusionary, but that "a Christmas tree is a Christmas tree."

"Just like the Easter Bunny is the Easter Bunny and not the Holiday Bunny," he said. "It was never my intent to insult anyone's beliefs or religion."

[Impala64ssa]

So now the atheist crybaby gets to head her very own department. What a racket! She must've been a Soprano, this is NJ, after all.

[rktman]

Uh, can the council tell her “STFU”. You quit, you gone. Bye Felicia.

[Dogbert41]

They should not allow the attention whore back.

[Rutles4Ever]

Sorry, no take backs!

[Cowboy Bob]

You can't "un-ring" a bell.

You cannot take back your publicly announced resignation.

[P.O.E.]

They should accept her resignation and make her re-apply.

[ETL]

Oh, this reminds me, I still need to pick up a holiday tree for the holiday at the end of the month. Because the holiday just wouldn’t be the same without a holiday tree.

[Cowgirl of Justice]

My oh my.

Seems her mouth wrote a check she can’t cash.

You quit.

You are done.

And I hope when the resignation is delicately fluttered in front of her face by someone tired of her crap, that it is done with a very slight smile.

[Covenantor]

...a snort and a smirk would work for me.

;>)

[OldSmaj]

"She is a very good councilwoman who is very good at what she does for the borough," Hokanson said.

Oh, really?

She flies off in a hissing tizzy every time she doesn't get her way...and that makes her very good at what she does?

Sounds to me like all she does is be a liberal pain in the ass.

I wouldn't accept her "rescinded" resignation.

Stupid birkenstocker.

[SMGFan]

So now she starts a new diversity committee

“She said she hopes that as part of the new committee she can set up an application process so religious and non-religious groups can submit proposals for additions to the event and display.

“I think next year will be much more inclusive,” she said. “The new committee will help the borough identify and better deal “

[Flintlock]

You’re fired.

Now don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

[SamAdams76]

The article implies they allowed this hateful and intolerant woman to take her resignation back. If so, that’s a shame. They should have accepted her resignation and saved the NJ taxpayers from having to pay this reprehensible woman a salary.

[redcatcherb412]

It’s ok to say kwanza and publicly light a kwanza menorah and ok to say happy hannukah and publicly light a hannukah menorah, but utter the dreaded ‘christmas’ word or display a tree or manger scene and the liberal world seems to shatter and cry for removal. These people need a safe area that they can be locked in so nothing can offend them.

[JayGalt]

Found some information on what she does for a living/side job that may shed some light.

Charlene Komar Storey, Humanist Celebrant provides Officiant in Greater Northern New Jersey Area.
Milestones Secular Rites
Roselle Park, NJ
908-955-4452
As a Humanist Celebrant, I help people create thoughtful, beautiful and memorable ceremonies without a religious component. I never forget that this is YOUR special day and I make sure the ceremony reflects YOUR dreams and desires. My goal is to see you enter into married life with grace and ease.

[ZOOKER]

She thought it would be: "No wait, come back! We love you! We'll change our minds on this issue to keep you from leaving!"

The reality: "See Ya"

[joshua c]

NO TAKE BACKS!!!

[VeniVidiVici]

"I think next year will be much more inclusive," she said. "The new committee will help the borough identify and better deal with diversity and all of its issues, and hopefully head off such disagreements."

Another liberal Democrat with no principles.

And why do these groups feel the need to be "included" at Christmastime? Let them pick a day in August to be included with whatever stupid display they wish to put-up in the town square.

[so_real]

What? She has no authority to rescind. She quit. She lost her positional authority when she vacated the position. When you cast your ballot, the machine won't give it back. When you pull the trigger, the bullet won't return to the barrel. When you ring the bell, you don't get to say "just kidding". This makes no sense to me.

[GOPJ]

The city needs to keep her off the committee... and never let her back.