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Committee refers proposed expansion of invocation lottery to full council
Summary
The General Services Works committee voted to place consideration of expanding the city's invocation lottery on the next full council agenda after staff described the current online registration and random-draw process limited to city nonprofits.
The General Services Works committee voted to send a proposal on the invocation selection process to the full Coeur d'Alene City Council for consideration.
Renata, who oversees the registration process for invocation presenters, told the committee the city has used an online registration and random drawing to allot invocation slots to nonprofit organizations within city limits. She said the system is intended to avoid discrimination and that staff would like direction before re-opening the registration lottery. "We do a random drawing of dates, and it keeps us legally compliant," Renata said.
Council member Kiki said she favored keeping the practice limited to city groups. "I feel it's the city of Coeur d'Alene," Kiki said, arguing that faith-based organizations tend to serve their local neighborhoods.
A council member moved to send the proposal to the full council for a decision; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote with no opposition. The committee instructed staff to place the item on the next full council agenda.
The referral does not change current practice; it directs the full council to consider whether to keep the eligibility limited to city nonprofits, expand it to include county organizations, or adopt other changes before staff re-opens the lottery.
