Fayetteville Chamber Chief Wants Civil Rights Commission

FAYETTEVILLE -- Steve Clark, Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, in a letter sent Thursday to Mayor Lioneld Jordan, requested a change to the contentious Civil Rights Administration ordinance City Council members approved earlier this month.

The ordinance, set to go into effect Sept. 20, prohibits specific types of discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. It creates a civil rights administrator position to receive, investigate and, in some cases, mediate complaints of alleged discrimination.

"With the passage of the new civil rights ordinance, the business community has become very concerned as to how the city will implement ... the ordinance," Clark said in his letter.

He suggested the mayor appoint a 10-member committee to determine how the ordinance will be enforced. Clark suggested the following committee membership:

• Two members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community

• Two representatives of businesses that provide products and services

• Two real estate representatives, including one who owns or operates a multifamily facility

• Two members of the faith community

• Two lawyers regularly engaged in civil rights practice

"The business community recognizes the urgency of getting the administrative rules and enforcement provisions in place prior to implementing this ordinance," Clark said. "It also recognizes that it is equally important that the citizens of Fayetteville believe and accept that their public input was sought and considered prior to a set of administrative rules and enforcement provisions being implemented."

Other cities, such as Iowa City, Iowa, and Columbia, Mo., have human rights commissions in place. The commissions serve as sounding boards for complaints of discrimination.

Alderman Justin Tennant, one of two City Council members to oppose the Fayetteville ordinance Aug. 20, suggested a commission, rather than having a single city staff member responsible for responding to complaints. Neither he nor any other members of the City Council offered a formal amendment to that effect.

Clark urged Jordan to appoint members to the committee by Tuesday, the date of the City Council's next regular meeting.

NW News on 08/29/2014

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