County commissioners may start opening their meetings with a prayer and with the Pledge of Allegiance. But they’re running it past lawyers first.

Commissioner Joe Mashek had proposed saying the pledge, followed by the phrase “God bless Texas,” before the McLennan County Commissioners Court gets down to business.

Mashek said he is concerned that adding a prayer could prompt a lawsuit.

“My real concern is making sure that the county doesn’t get sued, so I wanted to leave it at just (“God bless Texas”). Or we could have a moment of silence and let people pray to whoever they want to pray to, or to not pray,” he said after the meeting.

The commissioners agreed at Tuesday’s meeting to seek a legal opinion from the county’s attorney before deciding the issue.

Commissioner Lester Gibson said he would prefer to say a prayer before the Pledge of Allegiance.

“Why would we put the pledge before prayer? Prayer comes first,” Gibson said. “My religion and my faith is God first, family second and nation third.”

Commissioner Ray Meadows agreed, saying it is a standard format in many conferences and political party meetings he has attended.

“That right there’s a heck of a note, to have to get an attorney’s opinion to say a prayer, and I’ve got a problem with that,” he said.

County Judge Jim Lewis and commissioner Kelly Snell said they would not object to adding a prayer.

Meadows also proposed each commissioner be assigned to schedule clergy members to say the prayer and to include the different communities of faith from around the county.

Gibson said he would support saying a prayer before officially calling the meeting to order to shield the county from a potential lawsuit.

“If we haven’t called the meeting to order, then it’s not like the county officially sanctions it,” Gibson said.

In other action, the court Tuesday voted to hire First Assistant County Treasurer Adam Harry as the county’s new budget officer.

Harry, who has worked in the treasurer’s office for four years, will begin his new duties Thursday at a starting salary of $70,000.

rdennis@wacotrib.com

757-5755

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