Archive for September 2nd, 2009

One has to wonder if they are serious about proposing this now, since they just said they are closing a number of libraries and pools because the City is supposedly broke. However, “Dallas, Austin, and El Paso are doing it,” so apparently we need to act immediately.

Of course, maybe it wouldn’t cost as much as the pools and libraries.  But couldn’t we know what the fiscal impact would be before agreeing to adopt it, City Council?

But wait, maybe the real reason they’re doing this now is PR/mop-up because of the Rainbow Room incident of Friday June 26th. Now it makes sense.

From the City’s Press Release:

The City Manager’s Diversity Task Force voted unanimously at its Aug. 27 meeting to recommend that Fort Worth begin providing domestic partners of city employees with the same benefits that it now provides to employees’ spouses.

In response to the Task Force’s recommendation, City Manager Dale Fisseler has asked the City Attorney for advice on the legal basis upon which Texas municipalities may provide domestic partner benefits. He also will refer the issue to the city’s two benefits committees that will make recommendations regarding healthcare and retirement. According to the Task Force’s research, the cities o fDallas, Austin, and El Paso currently provide such benefits.

The Diversity Task Force also voted to endorse a recent Human Relations Commission proposal to amend the city’s existing anti-discrimination ordinance to prohibit discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation based on gender identity and gender expression. The proposed amendment would extend that protection to transgender citizens.

Fort Worth was one of the first cities in the state to adopt an anti-discrimination ordinance and currently prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, and sexual orientation.

The Diversity Task Force, comprised of 14 community leaders and 12 city employees, was appointed by the City Manager in mid-July to provide advice on issues affecting Fort Worth’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) citizens. It was charged with providing input on three tasks:

• providing city employees with appropriate customer service training for LGBT citizens
• increasing community awareness of the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance and inclusiveness policies; and
• improving communication between the city and LGBT citizens.

The Task Force also has established three subcommittees to study the issues of human resources, community relations and economic development. The full Task Force is scheduled to meet again at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 24, at City Hall in Room 380. The City Manager has asked the Task Force to complete its work and provide a final report by the end of November.