Pledge proposal approved by Grant PUD

Pledge of Allegiance will be said at weekly meetings

EPHRATA - After receiving criticism from two ex-servicemen, Grant County PUD commissioners agreed Tuesday to have the Pledge of Allegiance said at their weekly commission meeting.

The commissioners' unanimous decision happened after Commission President Tom Flint proposed the idea at last week's meeting, said PUD customer Pete Horn of Soap Lake. Horn later commended Flint for remembering the veterans.

Commissioners weren't able to reach an agreement last week, Horn said.

"I wasn't there, but I spoke to Tom (Flint) and others that were there," Horn said, who served in the Marines. "I was frankly outraged by it."

Tuesday's meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and the idea was revisited after Horn asked commissioners to have the pledge said at PUD meetings.

Commissioner Greg Hansen proposed a vote for the pledge to be said at the PUD's weekly business meeting and Commissioner Randy Allred seconded the motion.

They previously objected to the pledge being said regularly at the PUD's meetings, according to Horn.

But Allred said Tuesday he didn't have a problem saying the pledge "anyplace or anytime."

Allred also reiterated what he said last week: that he thought there's more the PUD could do for its employees who are also military personnel.

Flint reportedly said Hansen and Allred opposed the idea, according to the Grant County Journal. Commissioner Bob Bernd allegedly supported it. Commissioner Terry Brewer said he wasn't at the meeting when the issue was discussed.

The discussion took place before the weekly business meeting and official minutes were not available.

Hansen said Tuesday he wasn't sure if it is necessary for him to say the pledge every week.

He also said he thought schoolchildren should be taught the pledge.

"I love this country, it's just a matter of personal perspective," Hansen said.

Another pledge supporter, Navy retiree Hank Severin of Ephrata, also attended Tuesday's meeting.

He asked commissioners against the pledge what patriotism is and said the request to include the pledge before commission meetings is for everyone, not just veterans.