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Grand Island Nebraska City Council Overrides Mayoral Veto On Sexual Orientation Anti-Discrimination Ordinance

By Chris Dyer | GRAND ISLAND, NE -- In a contentious city council meeting Tuesday regarding the proposed change to the City of Grand Island's hiring practices that would affect LGBT persons which led to a Mayoral veto, the council turned around and promptly voted for an override, which passed 8-2. 

At issue was whether to add "sexual orientation" to a list of classes that the city does not discriminate against, including race, color, religion, sex, marital status and mental or physical disability, when hiring city workers.

In an unexpected twist, Councilman Mitch Nickerson, who had taken considerable heat for his comment during the initial council debate last month-- saying that the proposed ordinance would make Grand Island known as being too "gay-friendly"-- initially voted against the proposal then reversed his stance and voted to override Mayor Jay Vavricek's veto.

The Grand Island Independent reported that the council had The council voted 6-4 to add the protection, but after an impromptu celebration broke out in the gathered council chambers, Mayor Vavricek spoke out saying he was not in favor and asked for a roll call verbal explanation of council member's who had voted in favor. The mayor then asked the four against the protection why they voted no. 

Vavricek said he saw the protection more as "symbolic," which is not what government is about. He issued a veto. 

Only Councilman John Gericke questioned the mayor's demand for an explanation from council. Explaining a vote was unprecedented, Gericke said as he wondered aloud if the mayor was mulling a veto. 

Nickerson didn't like the veto. "I believe the council has spoken," he told the mayor.  

Even though decisions Tuesday night weren't "going his way," Nickerson said, policy decisions are the council's to make. Therefore, the council's wishes should be carried out, he said. "I will vote for the override," Nickerson told the council and mayor.

The override vote was immediately called after the mayor's veto and the arguments with council members, only two voting against the override.