East Texas city won’t consider request to compensate owner of controversial ‘Jesus’ sign

Published 5:40 am Wednesday, November 20, 2024

A Hawkins man who sued the city over the removal of a controversial religious sign wants the Wood County town to compensate him for damages despite being ruled against in court. The city’s mayor insists that his request won’t be met.

Hawkins has been embroiled for years in a conflict regarding a sign reading “Jesus Welcomes You to Hawkins” that was erected on the east side of town along U.S. 80. Former Hawkins Mayor Will Rogers put it up, and Mark McDonald — who started the Jesus Christ Open Altar Church — fought to protect it.

Hawkins made national headlines as the city and the sign’s proponents battled over whether it was on private or public property. The saga began in 2015 when Hawkins resident Todd Eddington complained to the Freedom From Religion Foundation about the sign, and the organization complained to city leaders about it.

The City Council later voted to remove the sign, but Rogers sued the city and several residents, claiming they violated his civil rights by conspiring to have him arrested and that he was being harassed. The Texas Municipal League — which provides insurance and legal services to cities — paid Rogers $20,000 to settle the suit.

In 2017, Hawkins sued the Jesus Christ Open Altar Church regarding the sign, claiming that the city had an easement on the land to build a street where the sign stood. The trial court and appellate court agreed that the city had an easement on the land dating to 1909, despite McDonald’s assertions that the land was privately owned and the city no longer had the easement.

The sign was removed in 2019, and a street was built there afterward. The sign remains in city storage, though other religious signs have been erected on either side of the new street, which connects to U.S. 80.

McDonald sued the city and Eddington, a vocal opponent of the sign. But in June, a Wood County judge ruled against McDonald, reaffirming the city’s right to build the road and ordering McDonald to pay the city’s court fees totaling $4,698. However, McDonald has filed an appeal in the case.

The Jesus Christ Open Altar Church claims the site where the sign was built is its church home, though it has no building there, Eddington said.

On Monday, McDonald spoke to Hawkins City Council members and asked for them to set up a hearing with him to discuss compensation for “property damaged, stolen or removed.” When a resident at the meeting asked McDonald if he was talking about “the sign,” he replied: “No. I’m talking about property stolen, damaged and removed from the church’s property.”

Mayor Deb Rushing said she wouldn’t grant McDonald’s request. She cited Texas Municipal Code Section 216.004, which requires a mayor to form a municipal board to oversee sign control. Rushing said she would not form the board, saying courts have ruled in the city’s favor twice regarding the sign and found it was on the city’s easement.

Place 4 Alderwoman Eleta Taylor said McDonald is entitled to be compensated.

“That’s not your decision,” Rushing said.

“It’s the law,” Taylor said.

“No, it’s not,” Rushing replied.

“Actually, it is,” Taylor said.

Rushing said the city would abide by the courts’ rulings. She also said the city has offered to return the sign to McDonald, but he has declined those offers.

“Mark McDonald sued the city multiple times and lost every time, and even in the end, the judge said that he is actually responsible to pay back court fees for people he was suing, so I believe that’s the end of it,” Rushing said Tuesday.

“The citizens of Hawkins have gone through this drama of being sued by Mark McDonald for four years, and I’m not going to put them through it for one more minute. I’m not going to open our city to that. The citizens deserve better. They want this to be done.”