The American flag hangs in the McLennan County Commissioners Courtroom next to a sign that says, “This is our flag, be PROUD of it.”

But in decades of heated discussion on jails, salaries, tax rates and other county business, the court has never recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the patriotic emblem.

“I hate to say it, but that’s just the way we’ve done business for many years, and I’ve accepted it and never said a word,” Commissioner Ray Meadows said.

Commissioner Joe Mashek is pushing the initiative.

The commissioners today will discuss officially making the pledge a part of its meetings.

Commissioner Kelly Snell said he was surprised to learn when he took office in 2009 that the court didn’t recite the pledge. The court’s plans to begin broadcasting its meetings online may have brought the issue to the forefront, he said.

“I have no problem with it, I’m just curious as to why they decided to (put it on the agenda) now,” Snell said. “A lot of places do that. It might be just something that they never brought it up, I don’t know.”

Snell said the court will be hearing presentations today about broadcasting its weekly meetings online.

Commissioner Joe Mashek, who is pushing the initiative, said he is aware of other counties that recite the pledge.

But only recently, while listening to commissioners court minutes online for Johnson County, did he decide to raise the issue of adding the pledge to the weekly court gatherings.

The Waco City Council and the Waco Independent School District board of trustees recite the pledge at the beginning of their meetings.

“We represent the state of Texas in the things we do, and so it just might be nice to go ahead and say the pledge,” Mashek said. “I’m a very patriotic person, and I love Texas.”

Mashek proposes that instead of saying a prayer, the court could end the pledge by saying “God bless Texas.”

“I know that some other counties also say a prayer at the end of it,” Mashek said. “I have no problem with saying a prayer, but I worry a little bit about mixing religion with politics. But it’s up for discussion.”

Meadows said he favors saying a prayer each week, even if it potentially drew some controversy.

“I would rather go with the Christian way,” Meadows said. “Over the years, we’ve had a few comments about the Christmas tree in the courthouse and celebrating Christmas, but we still go ahead and go with what you might say is the majority of people.”

Mashek said instituting a prayer also may require designating a different person each week to perform the prayer.

rdennis@wacotrib.com

757-5755

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