By CASSANDRA MICKENS/Associate Editor

CHELSEA — During its June 3 regular meeting, the Chelsea City Council gave a brief lesson in how to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

“It’s not one nation, pause, under God; it’s one nation under God,” Councilwoman Juanita Champion said following the delivery.

Champion and fellow Councilman Tony Picklesimer exchanged smiles as they took their seats. Champion went on to say to guests in attendance that the council has worked to recite the pledge correctly. That’s when Councilman Dale Neuendorf asked Champion to further explain how to recite the pledge.

Champion said most people have been taught to recite the pledge with commas, pausing when reciting “one nation under God.” Champion said correcting one’s delivery is as simple as omitting the pause.

“We were taught in school to pause, but that’s not right, so we’re trying to say it correctly,” Champion said.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the term “under God” being added to the Pledge of Allegiance. State legislators in the New York and Utah introduced resolutions this year to recognize the anniversary. The pause debate also surfaced in Utah this year when a legislator talked about removing the commas in an effort to get a deeper meaning of the words.

In other council business:

• The council unanimously voted to reappoint Paula Baker to the Chelsea Library Board. Baker’s three-year term will end in May 2017. In addition, the council unanimously voted to appoint Jerry Roethig to replace Tamara Roethig for the remainder of her term on the library board.
• The council unanimously voted to transfer a Certificate of Deposit from Coosa Pines Federal Credit Union to Cadence Bank to comply with the Security for Alabama Funds Enhancement (SAFE) program. SAFE, which provides a uniform program for the security of public funds, requires cities use financial institutions that are FDIC- or FSLIC-insured.
• Pastor Barry Elliott of Westover Church of Christ delivered the invocation at the June 3 meeting, and later announced that the church is in the process of changing its name to East Chelsea Church of Christ.
• Mayor Earl Niven was not present at the June 3 meeting, as he is vacationing in Destin, Florida.