BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – To pray or not to pray? Voters in Brown County may soon get to offer their opinion.
The Brown County Board opens every meeting with prayer, but that has come under recent controversy as some call it too “Christian”.
It was announced Monday that the issue could be another advisory referendum that could be on the ballot in November.
“Some supervisors are upset because the prayer has the words God and Amen in it.”
Brown County Supervisor Pat Evans believes the current style is fine, but that it should be up to the people to decide.
“This is part of who we are as a county government, and having a nice prayer at the beginning is fine.”
Not all agree. Supervisor Paul Ballard supported a motion to work toward amending the invocation to a moment of reflection.
“I represent not only Christians but Buddhists and Jews and Atheists and Agnostics,” said Ballard. “I want to make sure when they look at me that they know I am serving their best interest.”
In addition, Ballard said he believes Evans is making his proposal to get his name in the public eye while campaigning to be Green Bay’s next mayor.
“For me, prayer is a very private thing,” said Ballard. “To use it for political purposes, I think is just really grandstanding.”
Evans says it has nothing to do with his mayoral campaign and says having the voters weigh in may end some of the debate that is taking place.
“We should put this issue to rest and hear from the people. I believe we are well within our rights to keep it the way it is, but request to hear it from the people of Brown County.”
If passed by the board, it will be the second Advisory Referendum on the ballot, but Evans explains this referendum should be approached differently than the medical marijuana debate:
“The marijuana issue is just that we have no say over it at all. This referendum really has more power sort to speak, to influence the county board more than the marijuana one.”
The county board’s executive committee will take up Evans’ proposal next Monday. The full county board would take it up at its August meeting. It must pass at that meeting in order to be on the ballot in November.
