Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — The Limestone Selectpeople faced a hot agenda item on their hands even before the meeting was called to order on Nov. 18, as Selectperson Wade McLaughlin placed a motion to change the town bylaws which currently indicate that a non-denominational prayer be read by the Chair of the Limestone Board of Selectpeople at the beginning of the meeting after the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. Selectperson Mary Morin seconded the motion to open discussion between board members, stating her reasoning for doing so.
“We all believe what we believe; my feelings are that a moment of silence gives us that chance to say what we want to say to our own personal deity, be it God or whomever,” she said. “If someone doesn’t feel comfortable praying, then I don’t feel that they should be forced to pray.”
Selectperson Fred Pelletier expressed his desire to see the tradition of prayer remain in the beginning of the meetings.
“I think that [the opening prayer spoken by Board of Selectpeople Chair Walt Elliot] is nondenominational. I think that its asking for a higher power of guidance and I don’t see anything wrong with that request,” Pelletier said. “I believe that on all of the bills that we have in our wallets it still says ‘In God we trust’ and I think that we probably should trust in God or a higher power; there’s nothing wrong with the opening prayer and if you stand or sit through it, that’s fine, but [prayer] is a tradition in this town and I’d like to see the tradition remain,” he added.
McLaughlin responded to Pelletier’s statement by agreeing that prayer during the meetings hasn’t hurt anybody up to this point. He also explained his interpretation of the Constitution and cited precedence made by the United States Supreme Court.
Elliot extended the discussion to community members in attendance, and Limestone Fire Chief Paul Durepo expressed his opinion regarding the nondenominational prayer, highlighting the freedom of the public to either participate in the opening prayer or not.
With only four board members in attendance at the meeting, McLaughin requested that the board revisit the topic when all members were present.
“Because I feel so strongly about this, I would ask for a full vote of the board and ask for this motion, at this time, to be tabled until the full board can vote on it,” he said.
The Limestone Selectpeople are scheduled to further discuss the topic of the opening prayer during the next meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the Municipal Building in Limestone.
