Courthouse may add ‘God’

COOKEVILLE (AP) — The Putnam County Commission will consider placing the motto “In God We Trust” on all four sides of the courthouse in Cookeville.
According to the Cookeville Herald-Citizen (http://bit.ly/QS3Lnm), the effort grew out of a group at Colonial View Baptist Church.
The group brought the proposal to the county’s planning committee this week. Group supporter Anthony Leonard suggested raising funds to pay for placing the national motto on the courthouse. “What I would like to see, and when I say ‘I,’ I think I speak for not only myself but quite a majority of the community here in Putnam County, on all four sides of the county building is the words ‘In God We Trust,”’ Leonard said.  County Executive Kim Blalock said the committee recommended adoption of the proposal and put in the full commission’s agenda for Monday night. Blalock said the commission will have final say.
Commission Chairman Mike Atwood said Wednesday if the issue doesn’t raise legal questions, he has no problem with it personally.
“I would be supportive of it, providing there are no legal issues involved,” Atwood said.
The chairman noted the phrase is the national motto and appears on U.S. currency.
The U.S. Treasury Department website says the motto first appeared on the 1864 two-cent coin.
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Information from: Cookeville Herald-Citizen, http://www.herald-citizen.com/

Published in The Messenger 10.10.12

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