Wichita City Council tables anti-discrimination vote for 90 days after contentious meeting

The Wichita City Council chose not to vote on its proposed anti-discrimination ordinance Tuesday after a second marathon public feedback session, citing the need for more community input.

Council member Becky Tuttle, who voted against the proposed ordinance last week, made the motion to table for 90 days. She was joined by council members Jeff Blubaugh, Jared Cerullo, Cindy Claycomb and Bryan Frye.

“This has been very divisive in our community. I think everyone would agree,” Tuttle said.

The ordinance is designed to prevent discrimination within city limits on the basis of “age, color, disability, familial status, gender identity, genetic information, national origin or ancestry, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other factor protected by law.”

It bans discrimination in employment, housing and businesses that serve the general public.

Over the course of more than three hours, roughly 40 public speakers weighed in, with some describing how discrimination has impacted their lives and others asserting that the ordinance would infringe on their religious liberties.

Vice Mayor Brandon Johnson, who opposed tabling the proposal, invoked Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s letter written from the Birmingham Jail.

“As those he thought were supporting his cause were encouraging him to stop fighting for justice and not bring it to their city, he mentioned waiting for 340 years for justice, and they were asking him to wait again,” Johnson said.

“Ninety days or 90 years, there are going to be people who are concerned with this because it is offering protection to groups who are discriminated against.”

Although the proposed ordinance aims to address discrimination of many kinds, the conversation mainly focused on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. Numerous speakers cited their Christian faith in explaining why they opposed the ordinance, saying religious exemptions written into the proposal were inadequate.

“Ms. Tuttle, you’re going to bear on your conscience the fact that you have voted against what God has given,” said Richard Haley, pastor of Amazing Grace Baptist Church.

“When it comes to transgender ideology, right now, we have in our country the gender unicorn that’s being passed around from public school to public school that’s making its way through our children, teaching them that you’re not who you think you are and you get to decide who you are.”

The City Council has voted twice in the past month to support different versions of an anti-discrimination ordinance. Tuttle, Claycomb and Cerullo all said they still favor a policy but can’t ignore community concerns.

“I have heard from both sides of the argument, and one thing that’s been agreed on — that the process of creation of this ordinance is unacceptable,” said Claycomb, who is up for reelection in November.

Tuttle called for the council’s nascent Diversity, Inclusion & Civil Rights Advisory Board to assess the proposal.

Cerullo, a married gay man, accused Mayor Brandon Whipple of acting too hastily to get an ordinance approved.

“There is one reason and one reason only why our community is in such turmoil right now, and that is the way you have treated this,” Cerullo said.

Whipple said the proposal has already been thoroughly vetted.

“We have had more public engagement and have worked on this bill longer than anything else we have voted on so far this year — longer than the budget, longer than a 16-page amendment that lowered the age for drinking establishments last week,” Whipple said.

The language of the proposed ordinance is based on similar policies implemented by multiple Johnson County cities.

“Not one person has come up here and talked about how Johnson County has found themselves in any sort of legal trouble by passing similar ordinances,” Whipple said.

He charged Claycomb with deferring the vote for politically motivated reasons.

“To use a procedural motion to stop this right before your election and support it, I think also, is really saddening,” Whipple said.

Tuttle defended her ally, apologizing to the public for Whipple’s insinuation.

“First and foremost, the comment that was made against my colleague is appalling and should never happen from this bench, and for the people in this room and the 220 watching, I’m sorry, because we deserve better and you deserve better,” Tuttle said.

The council tentatively agreed to take up the anti-discrimination ordinance again at its Oct. 12 meeting.

This story was originally published July 13, 2021 at 5:08 PM with the headline "Wichita City Council tables anti-discrimination vote for 90 days after contentious meeting."