ELKHART — Amid a strong outpouring of opposition, Elkhart Mayor Dick Moore has asked that his proposed ordinance extending civil rights protections to the LGBT community be withdrawn from formal consideration.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the issue is dead.
The Democrat said in a letter sent Monday, July 27, to Elkhart City Council members that he’s asked city staff to pursue a more comprehensive overhaul of the city’s human relations ordinance instead. As with the original proposal, he wants the overhaul to incorporate civil protections for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
Still, some council members expressed skepticism.
“I guess I would ask what time frame can we expect it in,” Councilman Brian Dickerson, a Republican, said. “I don’t believe he had the support for the ordinance.”
Councilman Dave Henke, too, questioned whether Moore’s ordinance proposal had sufficient votes among the nine-member council. He also noted the strong phone and email campaign against the measure initiated by conservative advocate Eric Miller and his Indianapolis-based group, Advance America.
“We’re getting 10 to 12 calls a day, everyday,” said Henke, who was contacted at least twice personally by Miller. “It was just way over the top.”