What the Royal Oak Human Rights Ordinance Could Look Like On the Ballot

A proposal to adopt a human right ordinance will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot in Royal Oak.

On Nov. 5, Royal Oak voters will choose whether or not to join a dozen Michigan communities, including Ferndale, Birmingham and Ann Arbor, and adopt a human right ordinance.   Opponents of the issue succeeded in forcing the human rights ordinance passed by commissioners in March to a vote after submitting the required 746 valid signatures of registered voters. Royal Oak City Commissioners will consider ballot language at Monday's commission meeting, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall. The Proposal A language commissioners will weigh in on reads: An ordinance to amend the code of the City of Royal Oak to prohibit discrimination based upon actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, height, weight, …

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Bob of RO

8:49 am on Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Sorry, I can't stop myself. :-) If you try to rent a house. And you're turned away. Who ya gonna call? JIM RASOR! If you're really a louse. And you happen to be gay. Who ya gonna call? JIM RASOR!   more ›

Human Rights Ordinance Placed on Ballot, 'Dangerous Dog' Ordinance Passes on First Reading

Commission works until 11:45 p.m. to handle its agenda at Monday night meeting.

The Royal Oak City Commission worked more than four hours to complete its agenda at Monday night’s regular meeting. Commissioners voted unanimously to put the much talked about human rights ordinance for Royal Oak to a vote of the people. Opponents of the issue succeeded in forcing the human rights ordinance passed in March back to the table after submitting the required 746 valid signatures of registered voters. Voters will now decide on Nov. 5 whether or not to prohibit discrimination in employment, housing or public accommodation on the basis of a variety of factors including race, religion, weight, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or HIV status.  "I just hope we are not going to have a combative, nasty campaign going…

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Opponents File Petitions to Change Course of Human Rights Ordinance

The much talked about human rights ordinance for Royal Oak could go to a vote of the people.

Opponents of Royal Oak’s human rights ordinance have succeeded in forcing the issue back before the city commission. A group of residents submitted the required 746 valid signatures of registered Royal Oak voters on Tuesday, within the 20-day window of opportunity electors have to push the issue back to commissioners, according to Royal Oak City Clerk Melaine Halas. She said approximately 1,200 signatures in total were turned in. The city commission will now have to decide whether to repeal its 6-1 decision or put it to a vote of the people. The ordinance commissioners passed on March 4 would have prohibited discrimination in employment, housing or public accommodation on the basis of a variety of factors including race, religion, weight, …

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Judy Davids

1:22 am on Sunday, April 7, 2013

This comment stream is now closed. Thank you for your input.   more ›

Group Challenges Human Rights Ordinance, Law Now on Hold

City leader encourages residents not to sign future petitions, stand up for fairness.

Royal Oak's historic human rights ordinance was supposed to go into effect Thursday, but a group against the inclusive law was successful in getting the law postponed while it gathers more signatures in hopes of getting it overturned permanently. But at least one city leader said he won't let that happen. A rally in support of the law was attended by approximately 30 people Thursday afternoon on the steps of the Royal Oak Post Office. "We're here today because we don't want to let hate and discrimination take over Royal Oak," Royal Oak Commission Jim Rasor said. He asked supporters to encourage their family and friends to "decline to sign." More than 100 valid signatures of registered Royal Oak voters were submitted on Tuesday, within the …

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Judy Davids

8:56 am on Wednesday, April 3, 2013

There is an update on this story. Opponents have collected enough signatures to send this issue back to the Royal Oak City Commission. Read: http://patch.com/A-3tJJ   more ›

In Brief: Human Rights Ordinance Passes, City OKs Suicide Prevention Task Force and More

Commission handles long agenda in Monday night meeting.

The Royal Oak City Commission took three hours to work through a long agenda at Monday night’s regular meeting. Royal Oak became the 22nd Michigan community to pass a human rights law, joining Ann Arbor, Birmingham, Detroit, East Lansing, Ferndale, Traverse City and others. After listening to nearly two dozen speakers during public comment, the commission voted 6-1 to approve a human rights ordinance. It will take affect on March 14. It was just "happenstance" that Ryan Plecha, whose house was damaged by Wednesday's explosion on Cooper Avenue, participated in public comment. He came solely for an update on the explosion, he said. "I moved to Royal Oak because it seemed to be the right place, but I am now convinced it is the right place to …

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Judy Davids

11:54 am on Thursday, March 7, 2013

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Ethics Ordinance, House Explosion on City Commission Agenda Tonight

The Royal Oak City Commission meets Monday to discuss Human Rights Ordinance, Suicide Prevention Task Force and more.

At their 7:30 p.m. regular meeting at City Hall, city officials are expected to discuss a variety of matters. City officials will provide an update regarding Wednesday's explosion at 4232 Cooper Avenue, which took the life of Daniel Malczynski, 58, and forced several other individuals to evacuate their homes. Read more on the explosion. The much talked about human rights ordinance for Royal Oak could be voted into law today, if commissioners are satisfied with answers to questions about monitoring compliance and processing complaints. Read more on the human rights ordinance. Commissioners will consider staff recommendations to create a suicide prevention task force.  The Rules Committee (Mayor Jim Ellison and Commissioners Dave Poulton and…

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Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: State Rep Supports Royal Oak's Human Rights Ordinance

Rep. Jim Townsend (D-Royal Oak) urges the Royal Oak City Commission to support a human rights ordinance.

The following letter was sent to Royal Oak Patch by State Rep. Jim Townsend, a Royal Oak resident. The letter was read at the Royal Oak City Commission meeting on Monday: I am writing to you today to urge your support for the Human Rights Ordinance for the City of Royal Oak. The next great hurdle in the struggle for civil rights in our country centers on the equal freedom and rights of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered (LGBT) Americans. The promise of equal rights for all Americans remains unfulfilled when it is still legal to discriminate based on sexual orientation. Adopting the Human Rights Ordinance for the City of Royal Oak is a vital and overdue step toward ensuring that our city lives up to America’s fundamental values, …

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Human Rights Ordinance Passes on First Reading

Commissioner David Poulton is the lone 'no' vote during Monday night's meeting.

Just over an hour into its meeting Monday evening, the Royal Oak City Commission voted 6-1 to approve a human rights ordinance on the first reading.  If passed into law, Royal Oak will join Ann Arbor, Birmingham, Detroit, East Lansing, Ferndale, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Saginaw, Traverse City and Ypsilanti in enacting a human rights ordinance. The commission voted unanimously in November to have City Attorney Dave Gillam draft a broad ordinance to protect against discrimination in employment, housing or public accommodation on the basis of height, weight, marital status, source of income, family responsibility, education association, sexual orientation, gender identity or HIV status. Commissioner David Poulton was the only "no" …

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The Duke of Royal Oak

2:59 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Wopps...correction " civil rights OF the 1960's"......   more ›

City Commission Tackles Human Rights Ordinance

The Royal Oak City Commission will discuss a variety of ordinance amendments when they meet at 7:30 p.m. today at City Hall.

At their 7:30 p.m. regular meeting at City Hall, city officials are expected to discuss a variety of matters. Commissioners are expected to vote on the first reading of a Human Rights Ordinance tonight. According to City Attorney David Gillam, the proposed ordinance would prohibit discrimination based upon a number of factors, including sex, age, weight, religion, sexual orientation and others. The discussion of a human rights ordinance was requested by City Commissioners Jim Rasor and Kyle DuBuc in November. The commission voted unanimously to have Gillam draft a broad ordinance.  "It's a municipal best practice," Rasor said at the time. "This is the best tool we have to ensure we're including best and the brightest." A copy of the …

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Week in Review: Royal Oak Looks at Human Rights Ordinance and More

Here's our Week in Review – a roundup of the past week's top stories on Royal Oak Patch.

A lot happened last week, and we want to make sure you didn't miss the top headlines on Royal Oak Patch. Here are six of our most-read stories from the past week: Residents Plead With Royal Oak Leaders: Protect Human Rights After nearly an hour of public comment, commissioners pass a resolution to draft an ordinance to protect the LGBT community and others from discrimination. Are Downtown Security Gates Cause for Alarm? The Royal Oak City Commission takes a look at the use of security fences and rolling gates in downtown Royal Oak. Call to Action: Royal Oak School District Hosts Critical Meeting Parents, school employees, and concerned citizens are invited to a briefing on public education issues in front of Michigan legislators. …

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