Pueblo County commissioners split over prayer vs. moment of silence; plan to vote next week

Commissioners debated whether to adopt a policy allowing an invocation or a moment of silence before board meetings during the March 6 work session.

Commissioner Zach Swearingen (identified in the meeting as an advocate for allowing prayer) said he preferred aloud, verbal prayer and argued it would allow members of faith communities to express their beliefs openly. He said volunteers have already stepped forward and that staff were willing to administer scheduling.

Commissioner Miles Lucero pressed concerns about constitutionality and the inclusive impact of allowing verbal prayer. Lucero argued a moment of silence would be less exclusionary and characterized public concerns about prayer as reasonable. Commissioner Paula McPheeters and others expressed both procedural and personnel concerns about staff time to administer a scheduling process; one commissioner said a staff member had already prepared a list of clergy and the process should be straightforward.

The draft policy discussed would allow individuals from local faith communities to sign up on a county web form and be scheduled on a rotating basis; staff designated by the BOCC would manage scheduling and ensure leaders were local and unpaid. Supporters said the policy would be open to any faith and that participation would be voluntary for staff and members of the public.

Opponents warned about potential problems if a prayer devolved into proselytizing or politics and whether to permit leaders from outside the county. Commissioners debated whether a verbal invocation or a moment of silence better preserved free-expression rights. No legal determination was made in the meeting. Commissioners who supported the change characterized it as consistent with practices in other local governments.

Ending: Commissioners agreed to move the draft forward for a vote the following week. No final resolution was adopted during the March 6 session.