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Public commenters clash over prayer in meetings; accusations against commissioner raised and addressed
Summary
Speakers at Josephine County's public comment period debated reinstated prayers at the board meeting and one speaker alleged past harassment by a commissioner; the commissioner denied the allegation and described a different, noncriminal interaction.
Several members of the public used the three-minute comment period to dispute the board's reinstatement of prayer and to raise allegations of misconduct against a commissioner.
A speaker identified as Victor, calling himself a Grants Pass resident, told the board he and others "object to the commissioners forcing their personal religious beliefs and dogma on the public while on the course of their official duties," and criticized use of religious texts and messaging at meetings. He said a book presented at a previous meeting was "embellished with pseudo historical facts" and also asked the board to confirm or deny alleged harassment accusations involving Commissioner Smith and a former finance director; he said, "People, we must stand up, fight back, and recall them all."
Kathleen Crone of the City of Grants Pass praised the return of prayer in meetings, thanking the board for "reinstating prayer in our government agencies. It's been long, long missed." Pete McBride, speaking from a historical perspective, also expressed support for the invocation's role in local history.
Commissioner Smith addressed Victor's remarks and denied that the accusation constituted sexual harassment. Smith said the former finance director "had bent bowed her head down and began to cry. I took 1 finger and took a hair out of her eye. That's what it's all about. That's how that charge came about." Smith said there was no broader harassment charge documented in the hearing.
Ending: The board did not take formal disciplinary or investigatory action during the meeting; public comments illustrated sharply different community views on religious expression at official gatherings and included an allegation that the transcript records only as a citizen's claim.
