Asserting her power to change the agenda, Mayor Jean Eaton removed the serenity prayer from the city council meeting agenda, and one councilor is concerned.

Thursday night, at the city’s pre-agenda meeting, it was brought up by councilor George Marin, who is a pastor, that the serenity prayer was no longer on the agenda.

Eaton took the prayer off the agenda reasoning that other cities, such as Austin and Owatonna, have no prayer before their council meetings and it makes some people uncomfortable.

The prayer and the pledge of allegiance had been added to the agenda by a motion by Marin in March of 2001. That motion was passed unanimously.

Marin felt that Eaton overstepped her boundaries when she made the decision on her own.

&uot;It doesn’t even matter to me whether the prayer continues or not. The principle behind it bothers me greatly, &uot; Marin said. &uot;If the mayor has authority to wipe things out with a swipe of a pen it doesn’t represent what the council is about.

There is a reason why we are a democratic society.&uot;

The prayer issue had been brought up in a previous meeting. Some councilors said they had constituents and knew of other councilors who didn’t feel comfortable having the prayer on the agenda.

Marin wishes the decision would have gone to a motion. Other councilors seemed to be fine with Eaton’s decision.

Councilor Randy Erdman pointed out that the prayer has also been important to people in Alcoholics Anonymous, because it is the group’s prayer.

&uot;I think some of those people feel it’s kind of a personal prayer,&uot; he said. &uot;They’ve paid their dues on it.&uot;

City manager Paul Sparks said it was legal for Eaton to pull the prayer.

&uot;Normally, the mayor gives direction on the agenda and decides how it goes,&uot; Sparks said.

Marin said he’d asked Sparks at an earlier meeting whether prayer could be stricken by the mayor. Marin said he was told that because the prayer, as the pledge, was put on by a motion, it could only be taken off by a motion.

Sparks replied that after looking at the issue more in depth, that Eaton had the power to do so without a council vote.