Aclu May Challenge Council Prayer

Thu., Feb. 12, 1998

Associated Press

Leaders of this Yakima Valley town could find themselves on a collision course with civil-liberties advocates if they follow through with plans to open City Council meetings with a prayer.

Some question whether prayers belong with liquor license applications and money matters in what was once called the holiest city in the state.

“We do believe it’s unconstitutional and Sunnyside would be running a risk of being sued if they engage in that practice,” said Gerard Sheehan, American Civil Liberties Union legislative director in Seattle.

The ACLU is already preparing to sue an Eastern Washington city for beginning its council meetings with an invocation. Sheehan wouldn’t identify the city, but both Walla Walla and Othello open council meetings with a prayer.

Brad Beeman, pastor of the United Methodist Church in Sunnyside, said the council should be more cautious in crossing the line between church and state.

“That seems like a very, very quick decision not put before the people,” he said. “In a multicultural area, you better be very careful. I’m not worried about offending anybody; I’m worried about leaving anybody out.”

Interim City Manager Mark Kunkler said he knows of no legal reason that prevents starting meetings with a prayer.

“The state Legislature has a chaplain. The Congress has a designated chaplain. If it’s all right for them, it’s all right for the city,” Kunkler said.

Councilman Don Vlieger, who proposed the prayer time Monday, said he’s not worried about the ACLU.

“Tell them to sue Congress first,” he said.

Longtime resident Wade Drysdale, a candidate in the past two council elections, doesn’t want his theology and taxes mixed.

“I think prayer and government have no place with each other. What they’re doing is starting trouble they don’t need,” he said.

Kunkler said an invocation will start the council’s next meeting on Tuesday if Mayor Ed Prilucik finds a minister to lead the prayer.

The council plans to invite ministers from the Sunnyside Ministerial Association, which is open to the city’s 43 Christian churches.

Inviting only Christians to lead prayers, Sheehan said, may open the council to other criticism.

xxxx A little history Sunnyside was founded as a Christian commune nearly a century ago and likes to boast that it has more churches per capita than any Washington city.

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