UW student support stood out at the second reading of the Laramie non-discrimination ordinance.
In a two-hour Laramie City Council meeting, three amendments were attempted, with only one passing by the end of the meeting. The passed amendment addressed the council’s concern about whether or not the ordinance could violate the public’s First Amendment rights. It passed unanimously with all nine councilors in favor of the amendment. Joe Shumway, ward two representative, said this amendment states the obvious.
“As a municipal government, we can’t do anything to trump the First Amendment of the Constitution,” Shumway said.
Robert West, director of institutional development at ASUW, presented resolution #2459, a resolution ASUW passed unanimously. He said the resolution puts the student government, representing the student body, in support of the non-discrimination ordinance.
“As the associated students of the University of Wyoming, and with the full support of not only myself as a gay man, but with 22 ASUW senators who voted in favor of this, the Vice President Lind-Gonzales, President Balogun and the 10,000 UW students which our organization represents. We stand alongside the countless individuals throughout our faculty, our staff and our administration of the university and the many city of Laramie residents who are already in support of this ordinance in order to urge this body to pass ordinance number 1914,” West said.
William Gern, vice president of research and economic development at UW, said economic development in a technology dependent sector like Laramie is dependent on a diverse workforce.
“This ordinance, the stake that is being made by the city council and by the community about how the community values a diverse workforce is really important to the economic future of Laramie,” Gern said.
Dave Paulekas, Laramie mayor, said this ordinance is the right thing to do.
“It’s disappointing what happened at the state level, but from an economic development perspective it’s the right thing to do, it just makes sense,” Paulekas said. “We’re probably the most progressive community in the state and it’s only fitting that this community take this issue on and act as a demonstration to the rest of the communities throughout the state.”
The ordinance moved on to a third reading with a seven to two vote in favor of the amendment with councilor Vitale and Shuster being the dissenting votes.
