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CASSELBERRY CITY COMMISSION Minutes of January 13, 202.5 — Regular Meeting Page 5 of 8 Discussion: Discussion ensued which included concerns that although the agenda contains language stating that no person in attendance at the meeting is or shall be required to participate in any invocation, there are staff who are required to attend the meetings who may hear things in an invocation that are contrary to their own beliefs or values; the fact that the policy provides that there be time given for anyone not wishing to be present for an invocation to exit the Chambers and return after the invocation is given; the fact that the vote on the resolution in 2015 had been 3-2 with two dissenting Commissioners who had expressed similar concerns at the time; concerns about the amount of staff time needed each year for research on organizations eligible for receiving invitations to give the invocation; and the opinion of some members of the Commission that a moment of silence would be sufficient and would give an opportunity for attendees at the meetings to pray or not pray as they see fit which it was felt would be more respectful of everyone's personal beliefs or non -beliefs. CONSENSUS: The Commission agreed by consensus to direct staff to continue to hold off on sending out invocation invitations, and to work with the City Attorney to prepare a resolution repealing the Invocation Policy which would be brought back for Commission consideration. The Commission also agreed as a whole to continue with a moment of silence in lieu of the invocation at the beginning of regular City Commission meetings. Ms. Gardner thanked the Commission for their direction and advised that staff should be able to bring a resolution forward for their consideration at the next regular meeting. 9. RESOLUTIONS No items were presented for consideration on this agenda. 10. FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES No items were presented for consideration on this agenda. 11. PUBLIC HEARINGS No items were presented for consideration on this agenda. 12. OTHER ITEMS No items were presented for consideration on this agenda.