City
extends benefits to same-sex partners
Plainfield City
Council unanimous in support
By
CHAD WEIHRAUCH, Courier News Staff Writer, March 21, 2006
PLAINFIELD --
The City Council voted unanimously Monday night to extend health
and pension benefits to same-sex domestic partners of municipal
employees.
The move came during a meeting packed with items that have
generated some interest in the past few weeks. A measure
that will move regular council meetings from Mondays to
Wednesdays and a vote to make permanent Mayor Sharon
Robinson-Briggs' top political appointments also won approval.
The vote on the domestic partnership benefits resolutions --
there were two: one for health benefits, another for
pensions -- occurred without any voices raised in opposition.
Joan Hervey, founder of the gay activist group Plainfield Area
Equality, read a statement beforehand from a former mayor, the
Rev. Rick Taylor, whom she said was ill and could not attend
Monday's meeting.
"He wanted me to tell you, 'To be tolerant is a gift from God,'
" Hervey said, after expressing her own support.
The resolution will make registered same-sex domestic partners
of city workers eligible for the benefits, under the state's
Domestic Partnership Act. Monday's easy passage comes in
contrast to a measure nearly two years ago, when the City
Council attempted to pass a resolution that went a step further
and essentially supported same-sex marriage.
That measure died after significant opposition from religious
groups. But supporters of the new resolution have pointed
out there are large differences between the two.
Only Councilman Rashid Burney, who introduced the measure, was
absent at Monday's meeting. Traveling in Texas on
business, he said earlier in the day that he would be proud if
it passed, because he sees the benefits issue as one of
fairness.
"I almost see this as an obligation on the part of Plainfield to
pass legislation like this," he said. "What it does, it
sends a message to everyone -- Plainfield is an open town; we
respect all segments of the community."
After the measure passed at Monday's meeting, Robinson-Briggs
echoed those comments.
"We thought this was fair for the folks this would assist," she
said.
Also Monday, officials voted unanimously on final passage of an
ordinance that will move regular council meetings to Wednesday
nights from Mondays.
Though the new schedule has not been published, it appears
likely, based on another resolution that contains parts of a
revised meeting plan, that it would begin the week of April 17.
Council members also voted to confirm Robinson-Briggs' top
political appointments, who had been serving in an "acting"
capacity since the beginning of the year, when she took office.
They are: Carlton McGee, city administrator; Dan
Williamson, corporation counsel; Jennifer Wenson- Maier,
director of public works and urban development; and Martin
Hellwig, director of public affairs and safety.
Chad Weihrauch can be reached at (908) 707-
3137 or cweihrau@gannett.com
from the Courier News website
www.c-n.com
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