DATE: September 14, 2015

CITY OF COOLIDGE

CITY COUNCIL ACTION FORM

SUBJECT: Adopt a Written Policy to Hold
Invocations at City Council Meetings

STAFF PRESENTER: Norma Ortiz, City

Clerk

RECOMMENDATION
Approve the Resolution adopting a written policy for the City of Coolidge that sets guidelines
and procedures for the recitation of invocations at future City Council meetings.

DISCUSSION
In October 14, 1996, the former City Council approved a request from the Coolidge Ministerial
Alliance to open each Council meeting with a prayer, and included the stipulation that the City
be careful to rotate among all interested denominations. Invocations continued from that point
until August 13, 2007, when they were discontinued.

The City recently received a request from Pastor Byron Sanders with the Public Safety
Chaplaincy Program to once again begin holding invocations at our City Council meetings.
Based on case law dealing with invocations by a public body, it was recommended by the City
Attorney that the City adopt a policy that sets the guidelines and procedures for invocations
recited at City Council meetings to ensure that the City does not violate the Establishment Clause
under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Staff is requesting approval of the Resolution that adopts the written policy to begin reciting
invocations at future Council meetings, beginning with the September 28th Council meeting. If
approved, in accordance with the invocation policy, staff will mail out invitation letters to each
religious/spiritual organizations within the City, as well as to chaplains who may serve the fire or
police department of the City inviting them to voluntarily offer an invocation before the
beginning of a regular City Council meeting. Invocation speakers will be scheduled on a firstcome, first-served basis. Staff will maintain and update the list of religious/spiritual
organizations and chaplains on an annual basis.

FISCAL IMPACT
none
ATTACHMENTS
RES 15-31 Invocation Policy (DOC)

DATE: September 14, 2015

REVIEW:
Norma Ortiz Completed

09/01/2015 5:21 PM

City Attorney Completed

09/04/2015 3:09 PM

Robert Flatley Completed

09/04/2015 3:36 PM