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Select board adopts policy to begin meetings with an invocation before the Pledge; participation noncompulsory
Summary
Citing Supreme Court precedent, the board adopted a policy to invite clergy to give a brief invocation before the Pledge of Allegiance, with business starting at 5:00 p.m.; one member said they would not participate.
The select board voted to adopt a procedure to begin meetings with an invocation (a short clergy-led prayer) followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and then the start of business at 5:00 p.m. The chair referenced the Supreme Court case Town of Greece v. Galloway and said the court's guidance supports a permissive, rotating invocation practice.
The chair described an earlier informal rotation of local clergy and explained the intention is not to compel participation: residents or board members who do not wish to attend the invocation may arrive after it or temporarily leave the room. One board member said they would abstain from participation and indicated they would "walk out" rather than take part in the invocation.
The board approved a motion to formalize the practice, asked staff to prepare an agenda template that includes the invocation before the Pledge, and tasked one board member to manage an initial rotation and outreach to local clergy. The board emphasized the invocation would be noncompulsory and transparent.
