05-08-06 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING MAY 8, 2006 there who would once in a while make a homophobic comment about himself or others they that he perceived to be gay. He would create stories about them. Mr. Seifert said that he would let the comments go at first, because he really doesn’t have any experience and it was not his job to reprimand him. As time went on it became more prevalent and he started to involve more people in these accusations, and for a fact they were not gay or lesbian. He just perceived them to be so. Mr. Seifert said that he finally mentioned to him that he should be more understanding and accepting and that his job was security not to figure out who is sleeping with whom. Mr. Seifert stated that he filed a report with the Executive Director and was told that they would take with this individual, which they did. Things were good for awhile, but things started up again. This went on from 1994 until 1997. Mr. Seifert stated that all he requested over this period of time on several different occasions could he and the security person, the administrator and the assistant administrator sit down for ten (10) minutes and talk this out. He stated that he was never allowed that opportunity it was just a matter of saying that they would take care of this and talk to the security person. It never subsided, and the working conditions became utter harassment, because he never knew when this person would come into the gallery when he was working and make some comments. It was almost like the security guard enjoyed it because he was getting away with it. Mr. Seifert said that he went to the South Bend Human Rights Commission and found out that there wasn’t much of an alternative. He inquired with a friend that was a civil rights administrator with the Federal Government and he explained to him that since the South Bend Heritage Foundation received federal money, he could file a complaint through the government and he would assist him in doing so, because they would be able to investigate it. Unfortunately, this person, the security person became very ill, terminal and died in about six weeks. If Bill 29-06 is amended hopefully, others would not have to go through what he had to go through and be handled in a more diplomatic way. Dr. Carolette R. Northwood, 1201 E. Bronson Street, South Bend, Indiana, spoke in support of Bill 29-06, it is the right thing to do. Prejudice and discrimination is wrong regardless of color, sexual orientation etc. nd Pamela Wesolowski, 1102 S. 32 Street, South Bend, Indiana, speaking on behalf of herself and friends who are too afraid to come to the Council meetings because of exposure to cameras and the news. Ms. Wesolowski stated that when she read the mission statement of the Council, she didn’t think anyone looked at it and said that being responsive to the needs of the residents was supposed to be something that excluded anyone. She encouraged the Council to pass Bill 29-06 to include everyone in the community. She stated that she has dealt with physical threat from people in public; she has had a firearm pulled on her because she is a lesbian. In 1999 as a member of the Legal Community in South Bend, after serving under Michael P. Barnes of the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office and after his term ended after the election after one year of employment under the new prosecutor and an excellent performance review and a substantial increase in pay, her employer found out one way or another that he was a lesbian and the next morning she was terminated. That was it, the excuse was given that, and she stated that she really didn’t know what the excuse was. She stated that she honestly doesn’t know, she stated that she heard so many things and at that time she didn’t think that it would do any good to go to the Human Rights Commission. She didn’t feel like there was anyway to fight that. People just want a chance to be able to contribute to the Community to continue to be who they are. Tax paying law abiding citizens and not asking for a privilege it is just asking for the same protection that anyone can expect anywhere. She thanked the Council for taking the time to review this bill and for taking the time to making the policies for the City of South Bend to be inclusive instead of exclusive. Mike Eisenhower, 4230 Hickory Road, Mishawaka, Indiana, member of the United States National Guard, and has been in the Army for eight (8) years. He works at Sears Roebuck and Co., and employed for four (4) years. At both of his jobs it is against the rules for any kind of discrimination toward anyone. He stated that he is very pleased that those rights to protect him at both the Sears and the National Guard are in place. These places of employment work together as a team and respect each other; there is no type of discrimination at either place. One thing that he learned in the military that team work is essential to the job. Working together is vital to accomplishing the goal at hand. Mr. 23