NEOSHO, Mo. (AP) — The city of Neosho has transferred ownership of park land where a religious cross is located to a nonprofit corporation.

The move announced Thursday by the council comes after a secular group, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, asked in May that the cross be removed after some Neosho residents complained its location in a public park violated the Constitution.

The Joplin Globe reports city officials refused to remove the cross.

The nonprofit group that now owns the park land was created this summer. Councilman Richard Davidson is the registered agent for the Save Our Heritage Foundation. Davidson says the purpose is to maintain and protect the historical value of the cross and other culturally significant properties while removing a possible legal conflict.