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UPDATE 10-8-14

Talk about adding insult to injury. Last nights October 7th 2014 City Council meeting was… interesting and perhaps enlightening for some.

Agenda Item 1: “To adopt an ordinance repealing by reference the City of Sterling Heights Non-Discrimination Ordinance, Ordinance No. 435.”

Agenda Item 2: “Consent Agenda”

Agenda item 1 was bundled and voted upon with another item that was NOT on the official agenda for that date. These items were voted on together without discussion. The second piece was to pass a resolution to notify the State Government in Lansing that the City of Sterling Heights supports modification of the Elliot Larsen act to add LGBT. This is in stark contrast to the will of the people of the City of Sterling Heights as evidenced by the results of the petition drive and the very nature of item 1 on the agenda.

Specifically, Mayor Pro-Tem Michael Taylor failed to properly recognize at least two residents who attempted to simply bring the matter to discussion. This is a direct violation of protocol and is an example of exactly what the rules and protocols are in place to prevent.

Despite which side of the argument (with regard to the LGBT issue) you may be on, please ask yourself if this is unethical or dishonest. Are you OK with a Council that simply does whatever it wants with complete disregard and disrespect for the electorate?

Do I need to remind you to vote and be informed on the choices available to you when you do?

Finally a note on rookie Councilman Doug Skrzyniarz who is not shy to castigate fellow residents while denying their right to speak. During last nights meeting Mr. Skrzyniarz was called out of order from his fellow councilman for moving off topic. It is reported that this individual has a history of behaving in this manner, or should we say, without manners.

Here is a link to the 10-7-2014 meeting video. After the initial vote there is considerable fluff interjected. Feel free to fast forward. The video site has some links on the side to some key points in the video.

References and Links:

Report on the City Council Meeting
City of Sterling Heights Web Site
Sterling Heights City Council Page
Sterling Heights City Council Rules and Ethics
I was once a dummy: Parliamentary Procedure for Dummies

On the City’s site you can easily find links to the minutes, schedules and more including meeting videos and past items.

UPDATED 10-9-14

The comments below have been edited to include the full names for the contacts and a link to their sites. The comments were received from a concerned citizen.

Subject: The people of Sterling Heights DEMAND a state-wide gay law.

Did you blink?

Take a look at the video 3:58:23 to 3:59:39 – one minute and 23 seconds.

• No discussion
• No debate
• No reading of the proclamation.
The Sterling Heights gay power ordinance was previewed by Taylor on May 21, 2014, and slammed through in two meetings, June 3 and June 17th. 3,500 words of ordinance in two weeks.

It was opposed by a huge spontaneous uprising of SH registered voters. They did the impossible. They gathered, notarized and submitted over 7,500 legitimate signatures in order to force the city clerk to certify the required 5,858. After several more extremely long meetings (3 to 5 hours vs the usual one hour), the offensive ordinance finally repealed three hours and 58 minutes into the meeting of October 7, 2014.

So in four months and sixteen days these people passed a gay rights ordinance and it was rescinded by a powerful referendum by The People. On or about September 17 the status of gay rights in Sterling Heights was exactly as it was on June 17. Nobody was ever charged with an act of gay discrimination before, during, or after the ordinance.

All that was accomplished was conclusive, solid evidence that The People do not want a gay rights ordinance.

So, in the wake of that, in the span of one minute and twenty-three seconds, City Council approved a proclamation to the Lansing government that the people of Sterling Heights want a state wide gay ordinance . Even by government standards this is a monumental lie.

Please contact Representatives Jeff Farrington and Henry Yanez and Senator Rocca and register your protest against this blatant lie.

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