NE Valley Times

Councilman Allen Skillicorn successfully leads vote to bring back invocation prayer for Fountain Hills Town Meetings. Mayor Ginny Dickey admits to unilaterally banning prayer in 2021 without vote or public notice.

An invocation prayer for public, legislative bodies began as tradition in 1774 by the Continental Congress. Today this tradition has continued in countless municipalities, state legislatures, and the United States Congress. Former United States Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren E. Burger said, " There can be no doubt that the practice of opening legislative sessions with prayer has become part of the fabric of our society.”

Tuesday January 3, 2023, Councilman Allen Skillicorn motioned to restore the invocation prayer to Fountain Hills Town Meetings. Debate was spirited for and against restoring prayer. Mayor Ginny Dickey admitted to Councilman Allen Skillicorn during debate that she unilaterally banned prayer without a vote or public notice in 2021 and replaced prayer with a so-called moment of silence. The Fountain Hills Council voted to restore the invocation prayer four votes to three. 

Council members Allen Skillicorn, Hannah Toth, Brenda Kalivianakis, and Gerry Friedel voted for invocation prayer.

Council members Peggy McMahon, Sharron Grzybowski, and Mayor Ginny Dickey voted to ban prayer.

After the meeting Councilman Allen Skillicorn said, “What kind mayor bans prayer? Our mayor banned prayer without a vote or public notice. She just snuck this in the back door and now defiantly tries to keep prayer out. The people of Fountain Hills have spoken. They spoke at the ballot box and now they have spoken out at town hall.”