Ex-Clerk Challenges Lancaster Council Vote

A former Lancaster city official has filed a legal challenge that accuses the City Council of violating the state’s open meetings law in a vote last month to oppose two gay rights bills in the state Legislature.

The complaint by former Deputy City Clerk Alan Robertson, who resigned in protest over the May 6 vote, gives council members 30 days to correct their action. Otherwise, Robertson can sue the city and ask a judge to invalidate the 5-0 council vote opposing Assembly Bills 101 and 167.

Robertson, who is gay, said he resigned because he could not work for a city that publicly opposes a bill that would extend job and housing discrimination protections to gays.

Robertson and three other people who filed the complaint with the city June 4 contend that council members arranged their vote in advance through a series of private meetings with conservative religious activists. City officials acknowledged the meetings, but said they did nothing improper.