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Residents urge Lackawanna County to adopt nondiscrimination ordinance; solicitor says research ongoing
Summary
Multiple residents during public comment urged the board to enact a countywide nondiscrimination ordinance protecting LGBTQ residents and other groups, while the county solicitor said legal research is underway and a memo will be produced after the election.
Several residents used the Sept. 17 public-comment period at the Lackawanna County commissioners meeting to press the board to adopt a countywide nondiscrimination ordinance that would add protected classes, including sexual orientation, gender identity and housing status.
Speakers included members of the group "NEPA stands up" and individuals who identified themselves as residents of Scranton and surrounding townships. One speaker said that outside Scranton and Dickson City it remains lawful for employers, landlords and some social-service providers to discriminate on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation and urged the county to "protect our queer neighbors in Lackawanna County." Frankie Malacario, who said he was speaking as a member of Pennsylvania Stands Up, highlighted that nondiscrimination policies can include other protected classes such as weight, height and housing status and cited incidents in which people who are unhoused were removed from commercial premises despite having money to spend.
Kristen Zayaktes, Carisius Clino (who identified himself as a transgender man), and Holly Ord also addressed the board, urging equal protections for housed and unhoused residents and for LGBTQ residents. Several commenters tied the issue to enforcement mechanisms and asked for a local human relations commission.
County solicitor Don Frederickson told the board he had researched the option and that, under Pennsylvania law, the county can enact such an ordinance but that "there are a number of considerations." Frederickson said he has consulted with Lehigh County, which enacted a similar ordinance, and that the county must also consider potential costs of implementation. He told the board a memo would be prepared after the election when staff time is more available.
Why it matters
Speakers said a county ordinance would standardize protections across townships and boroughs and provide enforcement locally, rather than leaving protections dependent on municipal boundaries. The solicitor's response indicates the county is exploring legal authority and fiscal impacts but has not yet proposed draft ordinance language.
Ending
The board did not vote on an ordinance at the Sept. 17 meeting; the solicitor said a formal report and memorandum on options and costs will be provided after the election.
