Other HRC Developments:

HRC Thank You's

Read the Full Ordinance as a PDF

Council Votes 6-1 for ordinance 2/26/02

Council tables HRC ordinance again, but... 1/8/02

HRC has first reading by County Council on 12/18/01

HRC withdraws plan to de-fund HRC 11/27/01

Joint Council/HRC Meeting 9/28/01

HRC reaffirms recommendation to include Sexual orientation 9/10/01

HRC Agrees to Review Inclusion of Sexual Orientation Despite Pressure by County Council 8/13/01

County Council Tables Hearing of Proposed Ordinance 3/6/01

HRC Unanimously Votes to Include Sexual Orientation 1/29/01

HRC Ordinance FAQ's

How to Contact County Council

Sample Letters to Council Members

Joint HRC/County Council meeting 9/28/01

by Mike Mahler

There was a joint meeting of Erie County Council and the Human Relations Commission on Friday, September 28, 2001. Erie County Council members attending included Joy Greco, Carol Loll, Mark Divecchio and Joe Giles. HRC Commissioners attending included Bill McCarthy, Dorothy Smith, Judith Jobes, Joe Legansky, Becky Mazary, and James Feritto. As well as the HRC's Executive Director, Rev. Willie Damper. County Council Clerk Flo Fabrizio was also present. In addition, about 15 or so citizens were present, almost all favoring the inclusion of sexual orientation.

Rev. Damper noted that during the early phases of revising the ordinance, he was simply going along with the will of the commissioners, but as the process has unfolded and he has become familiar with the testimony of the GLBT community and the data on discrimination, he now believes that the new ordinance MUST include sexual orientation as a protected category. This represents an important stand from the "professional" who runs the day-to-day operation of the HRC and a recommendation that the Council cannot easily ignore.

As County Council President James Terrill was out of town, Joy Greco chaired the meeting. Apart from Greco asking for confirmation again that sexual orientation was not covered under federal or state law, there was no discussion of that particular aspect. The meeting dealt with wording in the proposed ordinance unrelated to categories that would or would not be covered.

This was draft 7, the final draft submitted by the current HRC commissioners to County Council. There has been no official discussion of the proposed HRC ordinance since it was tabled by County Council. Mark Divecchio was the only Council member to not vote to table at that meeting. Joe Giles was not present. Joe Giles however, did speak at an HRC meeting on September 10, and spoke firmly in favor of submitting the draft with the sexual orientation included.

The local Human Relations Commission has been under the auspices of County government since 1993, when Erie City Council voted to make the change. The language for the current HRC ordinance is considered to be out of date for a number of reasons.

Several of the County Commissioners have spoken against including sexual orientation in the new ordinance, most notably James Terrill, and also David Mitchell. Mark Divecchio has consistently supported including it, and many feel Giles support at the 9/10 meeting to have been crucial. Giles, Divecchio and Mitchell are up for re-election on November 6.

In addition, current County Executive Judy Lynch has been considered to be supportive of the GLBT community. She is also up for election on November 6. Her opponent, Rick Schenker, won the Republican primary in an upset this past April. He is the former coordinator of the Pennsylvania Christian Coalition. He also referred to gays as leading a "demented and depraved lifestyle" in late 1992 when WSEE TV35 interviewed him as the then-head of that group in a story on the local gay community.

It is possible that those who oppose including sexual orientation may be trying to out wait those who support it, or may be hoping for results in the November elected that could be considered unfavorable to the GLBT community.

The joint HRC/County Council meetings are open to the public, but only a small number (maybe 15 or so) can fit into the room. County Council meetings are held in a court room that has more space. It is VERY important that there is representation at these meetings from members and supporters of our community.

The next joint HRC/County Council meeting will be on Wednesday, October 10 at 4 PM. The next County Council meeting will be the night before on Tuesday, October 9 at 7 PM. The HRC next meeting is on Monday, October 8. All meetings are at the Erie County Courthouse, 140 W 6th St. We will need some representatives at all of these meetings.

Please write to your County Council representative right away, even if you have written/called them before. Please also consider writing to the other County Council members. You can get all County Council contact info here.

If your representative is Joe Giles or Mark Divecchio, please make a special point to thank them for their support.

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