COUNTY SEAL MAY BE ALTERED.

Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer

The American Civil Liberties Union on Wednesday reached a tentative agreement with Los Angeles County government to replace a historic cross on the county seal with depictions of a Spanish mission and Native Americans.

The details of the agreement, along with the actual design of the replacement symbols, was still being worked out Wednesday.

``We think this is a great development,'' ACLU spokesman Tenoch Flores said. ``The county has offered something that will be more inclusive and representative for the residents of the county.''

Before the seal on thousands of county buildings, vehicles, flags, employee badges and other locations is changed, the Board of Supervisors will have to vote to give final approval to the deal.

County officials estimate it could cost millions of dollars to replace the cross on county seals, made famous worldwide on television shows like ``Baywatch.''

Meanwhile, four legal foundations and public interest law groups on Wednesday offered to foot the bill if the county supervisors instead decide to engage in a legal fight with the ACLU of Southern California, a battle experts say could cost millions of dollars and wind up before the U.S. Supreme Court.

``We have reviewed the Los Angeles County seal and have concluded that the seal is certainly defensible under current legal precedent,'' wrote Gary S. McCaleb, senior counsel for Alliance Defense Fund, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based public interest law group.

``The U.S. Supreme Court has never ruled that (government) seals or displays must be sanitized of all religious symbolism. To do so would ignore the important and unique contribution of religion to American culture and society.''

In letters to his office, Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich said the legal organizations wrote that several court decisions indicate crosses on government seals are constitutional.

``I believe we should fight for what is right,'' Antonovich said. ``There will be another vote, and I would hope the people listening would communicate to their elected supervisors and let them know their views.''

In closed session Tuesday, the supervisors directed the County Counsel's Office to enter into negotiations with the ACLU to either remove, replace or alter the cross on the county seal. After the closed-door meeting, the three Democrats on the board directed the board's executive officer to report that no ``reportable action'' had occurred.

Antonovich said he and fellow Republican and board Chairman Don Knabe were ``very upset.'' Antonovich said he and Knabe had expected the board to vote on Knabe's motion to direct county attorneys to prepare a legal defense against the ACLU's threat to sue unless the cross is removed.

``I would say it's a violation of public trust,'' Antonovich said.

Troy Anderson, [phone]

troy.anderson(at)dailynews.com