ALEXANDRIA, Minn. — A resolution recommended by the city attorney to adopt a prayer policy for Alexandria City Council meetings has been voted down — for now.

For several years, the council has opened its regular meetings with a prayer offered by local clergy members, but there aren’t any rules or policies in place.

City Attorney Tom Jacobson recommended the resolution in light of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision. In the “Town of Greece vs. Galloway,” the court generally approved of such prayers but it also noted that they violate the First Amendment if they aren’t used properly, according to Jacobson. The policy was drafted to prevent those rights from being violated.

Mayor Sara Carlson noted that the point of the policy was to protect the city from getting sued, not to govern what anyone says in a prayer.

However, council members Virgil Batesole and Roger Thalman were both uncomfortable with putting a policy in place. Council member Owen Miller also voted against passing the policy in the Monday night meeting, so it failed on a 3-2 vote.

“I’m very touchy about interfering with prayer,” Batesole said, adding that he wanted more feedback from residents and local religious leaders.

Thalman said the policy would allow any kind of prayer under the sun, which he said could cause an uproar, yet he said he realized if the city didn’t have a policy it could be dragged into a lawsuit. Thalman said one option is to have a 15-second silent prayer but he didn’t want to give up the kind of prayers that are being said at the meetings.

Jacobson said that if the council wants to continue having prayers, it must adopt a policy that respects people’s First Amendment rights.

Here were some of the policy’s key provisions:

–Anyone who lives or practices their faith in Alexandria may request to offer a prayer at a meeting, and they would be placed on the agenda on a first-come, first-served basis.

— No one would be denied the opportunity to be on the agenda based on their religious beliefs.

— No one would be allowed to offer a prayer more than twice every three months.

— Prayers would only be offered at the beginning of the meeting, not during the decision-making or legislative portions of the meeting.

— Prayers would be limited to no more than three minutes.

— No one attending the council meeting would be required to participate in a prayer. No one would be criticized for not participating.

— City council decisions would never be based on whether a person chooses to participate or not participate in a prayer.

— The council would not direct or control the content of prayers.

— Those offering prayers would have to act with respect and common courtesy toward others and must not engage in conduct or commentary that is defamatory, disorderly, disruptive or otherwise unlawful.

— Those offering prayers would be discouraged from criticizing non-believers or those with a differing belief by threatening damnation or preaching conversion to any particular religious belief.

The issue could come up again as Miller suggested that Jacobson could rework the policy and present it to the council sometime in January, after two new council members take office. This will include newly elected Bob Kuhlman and an appointee who will fill Miller’s spot. Supporting the policy at the meeting were council members Dave Benson and Todd Jensen.