06-28-10 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING JUNE 28, 2010 and transform their economies. He is one of the world’s leading public intellectuals on economic competitiveness, demographic trends, and cultural and technological innovations. In a 2003 USA Today Article, Florida wrote: “Research I conducted with Gary Gates, and Urban Institute demographer, shows that the big new-ideas and cutting- edge industries that lead to sustained prosperity are more likely to exist where gay people feel welcome. Most centers of tech-based business growth also have the highest concentrations of gay couples. Conversely, major areas with relatively few gay couples tend to be slow-or no-growth places. Innovation and overall regional economic vitality also are closely associated with the presence of gays and other indicators of tolerance and diversity, such as the percentage of immigrants and the level of racial and ethnic integration.” Certainly they can always find people to argue research data, but Florida’s theory strikes him intuitively, as not only plausible but probable. He’s found that this group of knowledge-based workers, techies, innovators, and artist represents just one- third of the total workforce, but earns more than half of all wages and salaries, and controls nearly 70 percent of all discretionary income in the United States. Unlike previous generations of workers, members of the Creative Class have much more control over where they choose to live, and they are increasingly choosing places that proactively include GLBT people. Florida relates this to the “3T’s” of economic development: Technology, Talent and Tolerance. Again the areas with a growing tech-based business economy have the highest concentration of gay couples, while major areas with few gay couples tend not to show any signs of growth. The City of South Bend is working st feverishly to brand itself a 21 Century City, citing its Metronet, Innovation and Ignition Parks. But if we don’t publicly show ourselves as a place tolerant of the attitudes of the people who make up the business we’re trying to attract, we simply cannot be as successful as we hope to be. We cannot allow ourselves to be perceived as community, intolerant, or unwilling to stand up for the rights of any group of people, for fear of falling farther behind in the race toward economic growth and prosperity. Mr. Kelly placed on file in the Office of the City Clerk petitions in support of Amending the South Bend Human Rights Ordinance to extend to all individuals protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation (heterosexual/bisexual/lesbian/gay) or gender identity in the area of employment. Doug (no last name or address given), stated that he used to work for a distribution company here in South Bend. He worked there for five years. At a point in time he was up for consideration for a management position with the company. He stated that his supervisor submitted his name and he was told to submit another name. I found out afterwards that the plant manager, upon reading his name, said at the management team meeting “I will not have a faggot on my management team! When he learned of this he asked his supervisor if this was true. He was ushered into his office, shut the door and told him it was in fact true. He asked if he had any options and was told no. That if forced, the company could find any excuse it wanted to fire him if he contested this. Two days later the plant manager summoned him into his office. He then was told what he had heard was not true, but for someone to be on his team, he had to command respect and he had to remember that this is South Bend not San Francisco, which completely negated his previous claims. He stated that he left the company, not long after that and went back to college, because he realized that he would have no chance at advancing at the company. He encouraged the Council t act progressively. With the City attempting to attract new business especially in the technology corridor, it would be beneficial that the city act accordingly. He stated that more than 260 of the Fortune 500 Companies provide benefits and job guarantees for their homosexual employees. He asked the Council to please pass this ordinance. Theresa Wainscott, 503 Riverside, South Bend, Indiana, stated that she grew up in LaPorte and moved to South Bend to attend IUSB. She stated that she is a Medical Social Worker. She stated that at work derogatory remarks were made against her regarding “her kind of people.” She stated that after this incident she did not know who she could trust to talk to. She stated that she went to the Human Resources Department and was told that they would investigate the allegations. She stated that after two meetings she went back to Human Resources and they told her that it had been taken care of. She questioned what had been taken care of? Ms. Wainscott stated that nothing had 22