Livingston commissioners add prayer before meetings rather than silence

The Livingston County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted, 7-2, after a robust discussion, to offer a prayer before meetings, rather than a moment of silence as has been the practice.

Commissioner Jay Drick, who offered the proposal during a previous meeting, presented examples of governmental bodies starting meetings with a prayer, including Congress. He said, in 1983, The United States Supreme Court ruled that government entities are constitutionally allowed to offer prayers.

"The notions that we're not being inclusive or not being diverse or any of those things. I'm guessing were thoroughly briefed and thoroughly argued before the two sessions of the Supreme Court and we know that our Supreme Court of the United States says it's just fine," Drick said.

The prayer will be controlled by the commissioners, according to Drick.

Drick declined to comment further when reached by phone Thursday.

Voting in favor of the proposal were Doug Helzerman, Frank Sample, Wes Nakagiri, Drick, Roger Deaton, Martin Smith and Nick Fiani. Jay Gross and Dave Domas opposed the move. All seven Livingston County commissioners are Republicans.

Drick first brought up the idea of changing the moment of silent reflection to a moment a prayer during the organizational meeting in earlier January. Commissioners decided to advance the matter to the general government committee and it was referred to the full board.

Other commissioners Tuesday said they supported a prayer, but had concerns about how it will take place.

Gross said he had no issue with the idea of a prayer, but also was comfortable with a moment of silence.

"I pray every day. When we get a moment of silent reflection, I use that to say a prayer myself," he said. "I believe that the power of prayer has been evident throughout the history of the world in many situations.

"I'm perfectly fine with keeping the words a moment of silent reflection. Each of us, myself, my colleagues, we can do what we personally wish to do at that point in time and I'm also personally comfortable if we want to rephrase it to silent prayer," he said.

"My concern on the issue is that if we open the subject up and get into a situation where we're scheduling commissioners and or others to say a prayer for us, it gets cumbersome," Gross said.

Domas said he shared a neutral approach on prayer.

"It's tough to find somebody that doesn't really believe in prayer," he said. "Although you find out that sometimes there are circumstances at the time, determine whether they believe in it or not. I think we probably will attract more people to the cause if that's what we we're here to do. If we talk in terms of silent prayer for those who feel comfortable with it and for those who want us to whisper that's fine too, but that's my conclusion."

Deaton said he was confused by a moment of silent reflection versus a moment of silent prayer, adding he believed them to mean the same thing.

Commissioners discussed a number of amendments, including eliminating some points of the resolution entirely. Gross suggested limiting a prayer to 1 minute, but the motion failed.

Helzerman made a motion to table to matter, but received no support.

The board's next meeting is at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30, in the Livingston County Administration Building, 304 E. Grand River Ave. in Howell.

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Livingston County Board changes moment of silence to prayer