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CITYOF CAPECORAL
MEMORANDUM
FINANCIALSERVICESDEPARTMENT
MayorSawickiand Council Members
JohnSzerlag, CityM a n a g ~
VictoriaBateman, CPA, ~ /"
FinancialServices Direc=>, - Y
January21, 2014
LGBTSurvey
After the Budget Review Committee, the Mayor showed me a survey from the Human
Rights CampaignwhereCapeCoral ranked lowaswe onlyscored 10outofa possible 100
points(seeattached survey).
Afterreviewing the survey, Imade some suggestions on what the City could do to improve
itsscore. Thesesuggestionsincluded:
18 points could be earned ifthe City Council would adopt an ordinance to include
non-discrimination language based on sexual orientation and gender identify for
employment. housingand publicaccommodations(LGBTCommunity)
12pointscould be earned jftheCitycreated adomesticpartnerregistry
25 pOints can be achieved by updating the City's Administrative Regulations or a
change to the personnel ordinance to allow employees in a federally recognized
marriage(same-sex)ordomesticpartnerrelationship:
o non-discriminationin employment
o allow benefits for employee for health, dental and vision. Gehring and
Associates can negotiate any changes with Blue Cross/Blue Shield and other
benefitproviders
o allowspousallifeinsuranceforemployee
o changepension/401s,457stoallowsurvivorannuities
o FMLAapplicableto LGBTemployees
o Grossing upemployeebenefits
2 points could be earned ifthe City allows benefitsfor stepchildrenllegal dependents
ofLGBTemployees
4 points could be earned by requiring City Contractors to have inclusive non-
discriminationpolicies
5pointscould beearned iftheMayor'sofficeenlistsan LGBTliaisonforconstituents
7pointscouldbeearned iftheCityformed aHumanRights Commission
6pointscould beearned iftheCity's CharterSchoolhasanti-bullyingpoliciesagainst
LBGTstudents
RECEIVED
JAN 23 2014
lTV COUNC-Il OFFIC
r
2 points could be earned if the City provides services to particularly vulnerable
populationsoftheLGBTCommunity
12pointscould beobtainedthroughadoptingapublicpositionon LGBTequalityand
pro-equalitypolicy, ifthecityengageswiththeLGBTcommunityand arepro-equality
10pointswerealreadyawardedtotheCityforLawEnforcementreporting2011 Hate
CrimesStatisticstotheFBI.
8 points couldbeawarded fora LGBT Police Liaison ora Task Force forengaging
withtheLGBTCommunity
ThefollowingpointswouldbedifficultornotpossibletoachievethroughCouncilaction:
3pointsforopenlyLGBTelectedorappointedmunicipalleaders
4 points for an ordinance requiring City Contractors to provide equal benefits for
LGBTemployees
2bonuspointsarenotapplicableaswedon'tcurrentlyhaveadomesticregistry
Pleasefeelfreetocontactmewithanyquestions.