Urgent (?) Pledge

We’re saying the Pledge of Allegiance before council meetings now. I'm being told that it was the mayor's decision since he is the chair of the council meeting but it's not as simple as that. Wayne Vennard, the councilmember from Ward V brought this up at his first meeting after his appointment to the council a couple of months ago. I don’t mind saying the pledge of allegiance at the council meetings, I object to having it added to the agenda as some kind a magic way to patriotize or legitimze the proceedings. I don’t approve of someone changing council meeting processes that don’t first and foremost improve the efficiency and faithfulness with which we do the work of the residents of the city. Apparently, Wayne couldn’t get enough support from the Council to institute the Pledge democratically, so he put the mayor on the spot.

I believe in what the flag stands for. I respect the flag as a symbol of our history and our country's unique ability to remain united and stable and strong for over 200 years.

I find it disturbing that the neither the council nor the mayor felt that the Pledge was an integral part of doing the City’s business, yet an new member is appointed and we add it to the agenda within two months.

I have participated in two council work sessions in the last two years and we have barely scratched the surface of the issues that the entire council agreed were important to a better, more efficient, more productive and more cohesive council. Yet we add the Pledge to the council meetings without any compelling reason to do so and without consent of the council as a whole.