Carey Mayor Armand Getz resigned Tuesday after council rejected his move to end prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance from council meetings.

Getz informed council that they would no longer be having the prayer or pledge at the beginning of the meeting.

He cites a lawsuit against a town in Michigan that is pending in the Circuit Court.

Getz tells 13abc that he feels including the pledge and the prayer amounts to extortion to people who might feel uncomfortable abstaining.

Carey Council members disagreed and voted to draw up ordinances that would reinstate the Pledge and a moment of silence.