Dugger decides to sell land with cross

DUGGER, Ind. (WTHI) - The first item on the agenda at Monday's Dugger town board meeting was what to do with a cross that's been getting national attention.

A Washington D.C.-based group threatened legal action because the cross is on public property, which they say is a violation of the first amendment.

The board decided they'd look into selling the property. That way a private owner could keep the cross without fear of legal action.

"Someone else will maintain it. It won't be our ground, it'll be up to them what they do with it," Dwight Nielson, the town board president said.

It was shortly after that one of the board members, Lane Lovelace, shocked everyone by resigning.

From there on out, the meeting took an emotional turn, specifically, when the treasurer discussed the budget.

She said, the town was in the hole more than $20,000 dollars for June.

She said if the city doesn't do something, they risk having to file for bankruptcy and losing the city all together.

To help, the board approved cutting several city jobs, and reducing salaries, but that caused plenty of angry reactions.

People were wondering why some jobs and salaries were cut when others weren't.

The meeting adjourned with lots of unanswered questions, but the board is trying to persevere

"We're going to save this town, for those that don't agree with it, too bad, but we're gonna save our town," Nielson said.