City commissioners to discuss proposed anti-discrimination law at Monday's work session
The local movement urging Mount Pleasant to adopt an anti-discrimination ordinance is making headway this month, as the subject is up for discussion at a work session at Monday’s regular City Commission meeting.
In November, Mount Pleasant residents filled the meeting room at City Hall, 320 W. Broadway St., to support establishing an all-inclusive law intended to prevent discriminatory acts against other residents. Currently, Mount Pleasant is the only city in the state that is home to a large public university and does not already have such a law.
Norma Bailey, spokeswoman for the movement and a professor of teacher education and professional development at Central Michigan University, had asked commissioners to review an ordinance for the city that has already been drafted. She said members of the movement’s steering committee will be in attendance on Monday, should they be needed.
“We have understood that what they’re concerned about is cost — the amount of work it’s going to cost the city and the amount of money — as well as any, what they consider, ‘unintended consequences,'” Bailey said. “We want to make sure we have somebody there who is legally sound and knowledgeable to answer any questions that they might have.”
City Manager Kathie Grinzinger said the primary focus of Monday’s work session is the deliberate with the city’s attorney, who will “provide some information” about the drafted ordinance given to commissioners last year.
At this month’s second City Commission meeting, on Feb. 27, Bailey and others involved will formally present on the subject. Before anything is approved, Grinzinger said commissioners may choose to amend language in the ordinance and will hold a public hearing on the matter.
Once the ordinance is approved, there is a 30-day waiting period, during which members of the community may file a referendum. Otherwise, Grinzinger said the law would go into effect after the 30 days.
“It’s going exactly as it should, where people bring an idea to the commission and the commission begins its discussion,” she said. “I expect it will follow the process through the charter.”
Down the road
Bailey said the Feb. 27 meeting will do a number of things, but especially demonstrate the broad range of support the ordinance has gained. That has been a primary focus since November, she said.
She said support includes more than 30 businesses that have agreed to sign on, which is up from the original 10 businesses that signed a letter of support given to the commissioners last year.
She said they have also created a list of people “who have influence” in the community, whether it be through politics or business, to additionally seek support.
Since their first appearance at a commission meeting, the proposed ordinance has been made available to the public online. Bailey said people involved have begun to collect signatures in support of its passing via postcards and an Internet petition, which can be found at www.mpwelcome.org.
As of Wednesday afternoon, she said more than 400 signatures had been collected with the online petition and 50 to 60 postcards had been collected.
Last year, commissioners had acknowledged the potential need for an anti-discrimination ordinance. Commissioner Sharon Tilmann said one would have to “be living in a cave” not to have heard of an instance of discrimination in Mount Pleasant.
“What I do think (is) the commission will be very open-minded …” she told Central Michigan Life Nov. 29. “It works very diligently to do the homework and listen to what the citizens want.”
In general, Bailey said the ordinance would be a “welcoming statement” to people in and outside the community; that it shows good business and involves a diverse body of residents.
