PLUMSTED – Municipal officials have agreed to switch from observing a moment of silence at the start of Township Committee meetings to offering a public prayer.
“All of us on this committee believe we have the right to start our meetings with a prayer,” Mayor Jack Trotta said of the decision.
The idea of offering a prayer at the start of committee meetings has been discussed for several months.
In April, Committeeman Vincent Lotito and Township Attorney Denis Kelly outlined a proposed resolution that would have established guidelines for a sectarian prayer to be recited at the start of each meeting of the governing body.
Lotito said he proposed the resolution in part because other public entities in Plum- sted that conduct meetings start their meetings with a prayer.
In May, officials decided to leave the decision of whether someone prays before a meeting during the moment of silence up to each individual, rather than crafting a resolution allowing the practice.
In August, Lotito and Committeeman Mike Wysong brought the issue back to the dais.
Committee members tabled discussion on the matter until September because Deputy Mayor Eric Sorchik was attending the Aug. 5 meeting via telephone. Sorchik regularly attends meetings via telephone because of work commitments.
Following the governing body’s decision to table the matter, some residents in attendance, including Dominick Cuozzo, pastor of the Bible Baptist Church of New Egypt, called officials “cowards.”
Trotta responded, saying, “I take great offense to the charge of being a coward simply because I wanted everyone in the same room for this discussion. I try very hard to make sure that any member that is calling in gets a chance to speak on the various subjects that are on the agenda, things they have had a chance to review.”
In September, officials decided that a public prayer will be offered at 7 p.m. when the committee opens its workshop meeting.
The workshop meeting is open to the public, although the majority of people who come to watch the committee conduct the township’s business arrive closer to 8 p.m. when the agenda portion of the meeting begins.
Some people objected to the committee’s decision to offer the prayer at 7 p.m., but Trotta said it was the best time to provide a time to pray without cutting into the agenda portion of the meeting.
“Our meetings start at 7 p.m. and are open to the public,” the mayor said. “There is discussion and deliberation (of township business) beginning at that time. Aren’t all of our discussions and deliberations worthy of divine guidance?”
The prayer will not be offered by a member of the public or the committee. Trotta said the township attorney has advised the members of the governing body that the prayer must be delivered by a member of the clergy. If no clergy member is present then a moment of silence will be observed.