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Resident calls council's opening prayers unconstitutional; mayor defends practice citing precedent
Summary
During public comment on July 1 a resident criticized the council's use of Christian prayers at the start of meetings as unconstitutional and exclusionary. The mayor defended the tradition and cited Town of Greece v. Galloway; supporters in the audience urged retaining the practice. No policy change was made.
A member of the public told the Riverton City Council on July 1 that opening the meeting with Christian prayers is unconstitutional and offensive to people of other faiths. The mayor and several audience members responded in defense of the practice.
Fred Putre told the council he had called members in advance and said the consistent use of Christian prayers amounted to an endorsement of a single religion. "It's unconstitutional. It's rude. It's offensive to people who are not part of that religion," Putre said during the public-comment period and urged the council to invite prayers from other faith traditions or stop the practice.
Mayor Tim Hancock responded that legislative bodies have a long tradition of opening with a prayer and cited the U.S. Supreme Court's Town of Greece v. Galloway decision as his legal reading of the practice's permissibility. Hancock said the council does not compel participation, advertises the prayer on the agenda and that any council member wishing to offer a different form of prayer is welcome to do so. "As long as I'm mayor, we will open the meetings with a prayer," Hancock said.
Audience members then addressed the council in support of opening prayers. Ron Wortness said he supported continuing the practice and urged council members to keep it. No council action or change to meeting procedures was taken during the session.
The exchange occurred during public comment and prompted no ordinance, resolution or formal directive; the council's practice remains unchanged.
