RELIGIOUS EVENT Church pays back city for prayer service

The law director says he doesn't know why the city mailed letters for a church.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Expenses the city incurred to promote a prayer service have been reimbursed by a local church.
According to city records, North Mar Church of the Christian and Missionary Alliance paid Warren $49.95 for the expenses associated with a community prayer service Sept. 25 at the city's amphitheater.
The check from North-Mar Church is dated Sept. 30.
The city had typed a letter promoting the event and mailed 85 copies, city records state. The letters, also faxed to local media, stated the city was holding its first prayer service.
Signed by officials
The letter, signed by Mayor Michael O'Brien; Doug Franklin, safety-service director; and Jeff Hoolihan, a city police detective, also extended an invitation to all of Warren's religious leaders and their parishioners.
O'Brien, however, stressed that the city did not sponsor the event.
"We only facilitated it," said O'Brien, who had said last month that he and Franklin would reimburse the city for any expenses.
"After the article ran about this, there were several local churches who offered to pay," O'Brien said.
The Rev. John A. Temple, senior pastor at North-Mar Church, sent a letter with the check, thanking the mayor for his cooperation regarding the prayer service.
"It was a wonderful privilege to pray for you and the leaders of our city," the letter stated.
The Rev. Mr. Temple could not be reached to comment.
Law director's concern
"It's all well and good that the church paid this, but I still don't understand what the government was doing mailing letters for a church," said Greg Hicks, city law director. He noted that taxpayer money was still used to pay the employees who typed, copied and mailed the letters.
Hicks stressed he is not against a prayer service, but government and religion should be kept separate.
The invoice, sent to the church Sept. 25, says the city charged 5 cents per copy, 5 cents for each envelope, 37 cents for each stamp and $10 for the amphitheater permit application fee.
Hicks said he did not know why the church was charged 5 cents per copy when the public pays 10 cents per copy at the police station.
The mayor says he believes it may be that the copy paper used for the church mailings cost less.
Dave Griffing, city auditor, said he believes all the paper is purchased at the same company.
"The city should be charging the actual cost, and if the actual cost is 5 cents per copy then that's all everyone should be paying," Hicks said.
sinkovich@vindy.com