21-1562 Amending Rules of Procedure Concerning Ceremonial, Opening Invocations at Commission Meetings RESOLUTION NO. 21-1562
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LONGWOOD,
FLORIDA, AMENDING THE CITY COMMISSION RULES OF PROCEDURE
CONCERNING CEREMONIAL, OPENING INVOCATIONS AT COMMISSION
MEETINGS PRIOR TO WHEN OFFICIAL POLICYMAKING OR LEGISLATIVE
FUNCTIONS ARE PERFORMED; ADOPTING A POLICY OF NON-EXCLUSION
FOR SELECTION OF VOLUNTEER INVOCATION SPEAKERS AND A
DIVERISTY OF VIEWPOINTS; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS, SEVERABILITY
AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City of Longwood (the "City") desires to preserve and maintain the
tradition of solemnizing its proceedings by allowing and inviting an opening invocation before
each meeting for the blessing and solemnizing of the City Commission's proceedings for the
benefit of the City Commission;
WHEREAS, the City recognizes that our history is replete with official references to the
value and invocation of Divine guidance in deliberations and pronouncements of the Founding
Fathers and contemporary leaders as set forth in the holding of Lynch v. Donnelly, 465 U.S. 668,
675 (1984);
WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court and Eleventh District have consistently
upheld the practice of delivering religious invocations before deliberative public bodies
occurring prior to policymaking. See Town of Greece v. Galloway, 572 U.S. 565; Marsh v.
Chambers, 463 U.S. 783 (1983); Atheists of Florida, Inc. v. City of Lakeland, 713 F.3d 577 (11th
Cir. 2013);
WHEREAS, the City recognizes that our City and Nation is comprised of individuals with
a diversity of viewpoints, including but not limited to, faiths, religions, beliefs, and non-beliefs.
Accordingly, the City will make reasonable efforts to invite, locate, and welcome individuals
with a diversity of viewpoints to offer the opening invocation for the benefit of the City
Commission, and the City's policies shall not be intended, implemented, or construed in any
manner to affiliate the City Commission with or express any preference for or against any faith,
non-faith, or religious denomination;
WHEREAS, in recognition of the diversity of faiths, ideas, viewpoints, and various beliefs
as referenced herein, it shall be the policy of the City that sectarian prayer may be allowed that
is solemn and respectful in tone that invites the City Commissioners to reflect upon shared
ideals and common ends before embarking on the business of governing. However, invocation
speakers are hereby requested to refrain from exploiting the invocation period with
proselytizing or advancing any one belief, view, or religion; disparaging any other faith or belief;
denigrating nonbelievers or religious minorities; threatening damnation; or preaching
conversion; and
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WHEREAS, the City Commission intends, and has intended in past practice, to adopt a
policy that does not proselytize or advance any faith, or show any purposeful preference of one
religious view to the exclusion of others.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
LONGWOOD, FLORIDA,AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I. Rule 4.2.1 of the City of Longwood City Commission Rules of Procedure is hereby
amended as follows (underlined language are additions, and strickcnthough words are
deletions; provisions not included are not being amended):
4.2.1 The agenda will be arranged in the following order:
1. Call to order by the Chair.
2. Opening Invocation.
3. The Pledge of Allegiance - shall rotate among the five Commissioners in an
ascending numerical order.
4. Community Announcements.
5. Proclamations/Commendations/Awards/Presentations.
6. Board/Committee Appointments.
7. Public Input.
A. Special Presentations.
B. Public Participation Period (30 minutes time limit).
8. Mayor and Commissioners' Report.
9. Any Additions or Deletions to the Agenda (See Rule 3.4.3)
10. Consent Agenda (See Rule 4.4)
11. Public Hearings.
12. Regular Business(Other requests, Introduction of Ordinances, Resolutions).
13. City Administrator's Report.
14. City Attorney's Report.
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15. City Clerk's Report.
16. Adjournment.
SECTION II. The City of Longwood City Commission Rules of Procedure are hereby amended to
create a new Rule 4.9 to read as follows:
Rule 4.9 OPENING INVOCATION
4.9.1 Intent. It is the intent of the City Commission to allow a private citizen to solemnize the
regular meetings of the City Commission. It is the policy of the City Commission to allow for an
invocation, which may include prayer; a reflective moment of silence; or a short solemnizing
message, to be offered before its regularly scheduled meetings for the benefit of the City
Commission, to accommodate the spiritual needs of the public officials. Special meetings,
emergency meetings, and workshops will not include an opening invocation. These policies and
procedures are not intended, shall not be implemented, and shall not be construed in any way
to affiliate the City Commission or the City with, nor express a preference for or against any
faith, belief, opinion, religion, or denomination. Rather, these policies and procedures are
intended to acknowledge and express the City Commission's respect for the diversity of
religious denominations and faiths represented and practiced among the citizens of the City.
4.9.2 Timing. After the Call to Order of all official regular meetings of the City Commission an
Opening Invocation as described herein will occur. The opening invocation will occur and be
completed during the opening, ceremonial portion of the City Commission meeting and shall in
no event occur, or be construed to occur, during the policymaking, legislative or quasi-judicial
portions of the City Commission meeting. The opening invocation will be limited to no more
than 1 1/2 minutes.
4.9.3 Speaker Selection. The opening invocation will be performed by a local volunteer
("invocation speaker") who is an appointed representative of a group that is selected in
accordance with these rules. The invocation speaker giving the opening invocation will not
receive compensation from the City for his/her participation or services. To ensure that
invocation speakers are selected from among a wide pool of representatives, on a rotating
basis, the invocation speaker shall be selected according to the following procedure:
A. The City Clerk will compile and maintain a database (the "database") from a
broad and diverse pool of volunteer invocation speakers from leaders of any and all
local religions, denominations, faiths, creeds, and beliefs, including but not limited to,
ministers, priests, chaplains, rabbis, imams, deacons, clerics, and the like. The database
may be compiled through referencing the listings for "churches," "synagogues,"
"mosques," "temples," "congregations," and other similar groups and organizations,
located, or with an established physical presence, within the jurisdictional limits of the
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City of Longwood, through research from the Internet and the phonebook, consultation
with local organizations, and any other methods deemed effective by the City Clerk or
her designee.
B. Any church, synagogue, mosque, temple, congregation, entity, organization or
group within the jurisdictional limits of the City not identified within the database for
participation may request for their representative's inclusion within the database by
written communication directed to the City Clerk that references the opening
invocation. Should a question arise as to the authenticity of the church, synagogue,
mosque, temple, congregation, entity, organization or group requesting to be added to
the database, the City Clerk shall refer to the criteria used by the Internal Revenue
Service in its determination of whether such requesting organization would legitimately
qualify for section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
C. This policy is intended to be and shall be applied in a way that is all-inclusive of
every diverse congregations, groups and organizations within the jurisdictional limits of
the City. The database is compiled and used for purposes of logistics, efficiency, and
equal opportunity for all congregations, groups and organizations within the
jurisdictional limits of the City to choose whether to respond to the City Commission's
invitation.
D. The database shall be updated, by reasonable efforts of the City Clerk, in
November of each calendar year. The City Clerk will keep a record of attempts to solicit
invocation speakers and of the invocation speakers that have given the opening
invocation.
E. In December of each calendar year, the City Clerk shall communicate with each
group leader from each entry on the database using reasonable methods, and shall post
an invitation on the City's website.
F. The invitation will comport with substantially the following form:
Dear ,
The City Commission of the City of Longwood makes it a policy to invite
volunteer invocation speakers to voluntarily offer an invocation before the
beginning of its meetings,for the benefit and blessing of the City Commission.
As a representative of one of the religious congregations or other groups with
an established presence serving the City, you are eligible to offer this
important service at an upcoming meeting of the City Commission.
If you are willing to assist the City Commission in this regard, please send a
written reply at your earliest convenience to the City Clerk of the City of
Longwood at the address included in this letterhead. Representatives are
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scheduled on a first-come,first serve basis. The anticipated dates of the City
Commission's regularly scheduled meetings for the upcoming year are listed
on the following attached page. Speakers are invited on a rotation basis. We
are unable to accommodate requests for specific dates.
This opportunity is voluntary, and you are free to offer the invocation
according to the dictates of your own conscience. To maintain a spirit of
respect and ecumenism, the City Commission requests that the opportunity
not be exploited as an effort to convert others to the particular faith of the
invocation speaker, or to disparage any faith or belief different than that of
the invocation speaker. A copy of Resolution No. adopting the City
Commission's policy regarding invocations is attached for your information.
On behalf of the City Commission of the City of Longwood, I thank you in
advance for considering this invitation.
Sincerely,
City Clerk
G. The City Clerk will attempt to schedule invocation speakers from those
representatives within the database for all regular meetings of the City Commission
except those meeting(s) within the month of December. For the regular meetings of the
City Commission falling within the month of December, the Mayor shall have the
prerogative to choose an invocation speaker(s) for such regular meetings from the
database. The Mayor's selection of the invocation speaker for such regular meeting(s) is
to be given to the City Clerk prior to public posting of each applicable Commission
agenda. If the Mayor does not make an invocation speaker selection for such December
meeting(s), a moment of silent meditation will be conducted at such December
meetings in lieu of an opening invocation.
H. During the transition period needed for the City Clerk to compile the database
and schedule invocations speakers from such list after the adoption of this Rule, the City
Clerk may use best available information to make informal requests departing from the
procedures above for the scheduling of a volunteer invocation speaker to give the
opening invocation at each regular City Commission meeting.
4.9.4 The City Clerk shall make every reasonable effort to ensure that a variety of eligible
invocation speakers are scheduled for the City Commission's meetings. To ensure a variety of
speakers, no invocation speaker will be scheduled for more than two Commission meetings in
any calendar year, and no invocation speaker will be scheduled for two consecutive meetings.
The City Clerk may add the name and affiliated group or organization of the selected invocation
speaker for a particular regular meeting to the Commission agenda next to the "Opening
Invocation" item.
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4.9.5 Absence of Invocation Speaker. In the event a regular meeting of the City Commission
does not have an invocation speaker scheduled or the invited invocation speaker is not present
when the meeting is called to order, the Mayor will call for a moment of silent meditation to be
conducted in lieu of an opening invocation. The silent meditation will afford each person the
opportunity for silent personal prayer, meditation or reflection.
4.9.6 Conduct of Opening Invocation. Neither the City Commission nor the City Clerk shall
engage in any prior inquiry, review, or involvement in, the content of any invocation to be
offered by an invocation speaker. However, consistent with U.S. Supreme Court precedent,
invocation speakers are hereby advised that the invocation should not denigrate any religious
faith or non-religious views of others; threaten damnation; or proselytize or preach conversion
to their faith or viewpoint. Statements reflecting ideals relating to peace and security for the
nation; safety of our armed forces, police, firefighters and emergency service personnel;
wisdom for the lawmakers; and justice for the people are encouraged. Invocation speakers
should face the City Commission when giving the invocation. The City Commission reserves the
right to limit any invocation speaker who violates the spirit and intent of this Resolution
from delivering opening invocations at future Commission meetings.
No member of the City Commission, City employee or staff, or any other person in attendance
at the meeting shall be required to participate in any opening invocation that is offered. An
opportunity to exit the City Commission Chambers and return upon completion of the opening
invocation is afforded to those who do not wish to participate or witness the opening
invocation.
Persons in attendance at the City Commission meeting are invited to stand during the opening
invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. However, such invitation shall not be construed as a
demand, order, or any other type of command. Such invitation constitutes a general invitation
that a person in attendance may stand if he/she wishes to do so for such observances. No
person in attendance at the meeting shall be required to stand or participate in any opening
invocation that is offered.
4.9.7 Agenda Disclaimer. The following statement shall be placed at the bottom of City
Commission meeting agendas:
Any invocation that is offered before the official start of the Commission meeting shall be the
voluntary offering of a private person, to and for the benefit of the Commission. The views
or beliefs expressed by the invocation speaker have not been previously reviewed or
approved by the Commission or the city staff, and do not necessarily represent their
individual religious beliefs, nor are the views and beliefs expressed by an invocation speaker
intended to suggest the City's allegiance to or preference for any particular religion,
denomination,faith, creed or belief. Persons in attendance at the City Commission meeting
are invited to stand during the opening invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. However, such
invitation shall not be construed as a demand, order, or any other type of command. No
person in attendance at the meeting shall be required to participate in any opening
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invocation that is offered. You may exit the City Commission Chambers and return upon
completion of the opening invocation if you do not wish to participate in or witness the
opening invocation.
SECTION III: CONFLICTS/SUPERSEDE. This Resolution shall supersede any previous rules,
policies, procedures, or resolutions to the extent of any conflict with this Resolution.
SECTION IV: SEVERABILITY. If any portion of this Resolution is finally determined by a court of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid, unconstitutional, unenforceable, or void, the balance of
the Resolution shall continue in full force and effect.
SECTION V: EFFECTIVE DATE. This Resolution shall take effect immediately.
PASSED AND RESOLVED this 17 day of May 2021, by the City Commission of the City of
Longwood, Florida.
APPROVE
Brian D. Sackett, Ma
ATT T:
, City Clerk
Approved as to form and legality for the use and reliance of the City of Longwood, Florida only.
Da iel W. La atiO, C' orney
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