Delta Township
Township OKs gay rights law, may push in Lansing
DELTA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Suburban Lansing officials have voted to extend civil rights protection to gay people, and they’re debating whether to ask Michigan to do the same.
The Delta Township board scheduled a discussion Nov. 4 on a resolution asking the state Legislature to amend the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to extend anti-bias protection based on sexual orientation.
Last Monday, the Eaton County community’s board voted 6-0 to bar discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation against gay, bisexual and transgender people.
A standing-room-only crowd packed the board’s chambers for the meeting, the Lansing State Journal reported.
“The question is, do we sit back and do nothing” while waiting for the Legislature to act, said Township Supervisor Ken Fletcher just before the vote. “I believe we have a moral obligation to act. We need to get these (protections) on the books.”
“This is a very, very important ordinance,” said Township Clerk Mary Clark. “My main absolute goal is to protect all persons in our community.”
Local attorney David Kallman, an opponent of the ordinance, called it “seriously flawed.” He said it means that “people of religious faith can’t act on that faith.”
Justin Lippi said he has experienced discrimination that would be prohibited by the ordinance.
“The most powerful thing for me is not being fired or not being able to live in my house because people find out I’m gay,” Lippi said.
Lansing
State gets $14.4M for home-visiting infant program
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan is getting $14.4 million in federal funding for a home-visiting program that’s designed in part to reduce infant mortality, officials announced Monday.
The money is for the Michigan Department of Community Health’s Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, and is being provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for federal fiscal years 2013 and 2014.
“This expansion grant is Michigan’s opportunity to further support prevention-focused home visiting in a number of at-risk Michigan communities,” James K. Haveman, MDCH director, said in a statement. “Expanding Michigan’s home visiting efforts is one of the key strategies identified in the effort to reduce our infant mortality rates.”
Michigan officials in recent years have worked to call attention to infant mortality in the state and come up with ways to reduce the problem.
The Home Visiting Program is designed to promote maternal, infant and early childhood health, development, and safety; school readiness; and strong parent-child relationships.
The newly announced money is in addition to $3.2 million Michigan received for the program in 2012, the state said.
Novi
City to consider making charter gender-neutral
NOVI, Mich. (AP) — Voters in a Detroit suburb will decide next week whether to update the city charter to make language in the document gender neutral.
Novi’s city charter, last revised in 1977, describes the clerk’s duties using the phrase “he shall” at least eight times, the Detroit Free Press reported. The language in the document is there, however, even though Novi’s city clerks have been women.
City Clerk Maryanne Cornelius said the time has come for the city of 55,000 people to update the language to better reflect changing times.
“It’s evident in the year 2013 that any government positions can be either male or female,” said Cornelius, who took part in a review of the charter this year.
If passed Nov. 5, the charter would in many cases simply drop the pronoun. Instead of saying “he shall,” for example, the wording might say, “the clerk shall.”
Several other Michigan communities have made similar changes, including Farmington, Barton Hills and Alpena.
