Glen Rock Keeps Columbus Day On Borough Calendar

GLEN ROCK, NJ — Columbus Day remains on the borough calendar.

Before a packed chamber where people stood out in the hallway, the Borough Council unanimously voted to keep the holiday on the borough council and not replace it with Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Councilman Michael O'Hagan made the motion to keep the calendar as is.

"I did not feel replacing one holiday with another was the appropriate thing to do," O'Hagan said. "If we ever need to make an adjustment to the calendar later, that can be examined."

The issue was a contentious one in the borough. Resident Rebecca Coll created a petition, which she eventually took down, to urge local officials to make the change, NorthJersey.com reported.

"We're a little town, comparatively speaking, and there's no reason we can't communicate without throwing insults at one another," Coll told NorthJersey.com.

The change was a hot-button issue since it was first proposed last month, generating comments on Facebook on both sides of the issue, according to officials.

Related: Columbus Day Could Become Indigenous Peoples' Day In Glen Rock

Several people spoke at the meeting, including many from local Italian American heritage organization who pleaded to keep the holiday on the calendar, according to NorthJersey.com.

Representatives from the Italian American Forum of Lodi and UNICO Paramus, a local chapter of the national Italian-American service organization, could not be reached for comment.

Seven states, Vermont, Maine, New Mexico, Alaska, South Dakota, Oregon, and Hawaii observe Indigenous People's Day or an equivalent alternative to Columbus Day. South Dakota, for example, observes Native American Day.

New Jersey recognizes Columbus Day as a state holiday. It has been recognized as a federal holiday since 1937.

Council President Kristine Morieko said she was pleased the council came to a unanimous decision to keep Columbus Day as is.

"It was my belief from the start that we lacked the jurisdiction to make such a decision," Morieko said. "Going forward we need to recognize those issues which may be inflammatory and parse our words carefully and consistently so that every voice can be heard."

Mayor Bruce Packer said officials listened to the various viewpoints on the issue before reaching a decision.

"We move on with a much better respect and understanding of all sides of the issue, including the significance of this holiday to our Italian-American residents and neighbors that often goes well beyond the man that it is named for."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com