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Sandpoint public comments press council on nondiscrimination ordinance; mayor to propose code change mirroring state law
Summary
At a Nov. 12 special meeting, residents gave emotional testimony about YMCA locker-room policies and the city's nondiscrimination ordinance. Mayor Jeremy Grama said he will bring an ordinance next week to align Sandpoint’s code with state and federal law; councilors debated whether to wait for state action.
At a special meeting Nov. 12, Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grama said he will bring an ordinance next week to change city code 5.2.10 so it "mirrors federal civil rights law and state law," after several residents raised concerns about the YMCA's policies for restroom and locker-room use.
Public-comment speakers described fear and safety concerns tied to mixed-use locker rooms and asked the council to protect women-only spaces. Heather Haggard, a Bonner County resident and veteran who identified herself as a survivor of sexual assault, told the council the situation at the YMCA made her feel unsafe and said, "That is not okay." Suzanne Tavern, a city resident and YMCA member, urged the council to "keep public bathrooms and locker rooms as female-only spaces" for safety and privacy.
Andrea Marcaccio, speaking for the Sandpoint Alliance for Equality, warned that reversing the city's nondiscrimination ordinance (NDO) could put organizations such as the YMCA at legal and financial risk and could harm the community's economy and services. "To be clear, this attack on this single organization ... is to risk losing the YMCA altogether," Marcaccio said, urging the council to invite thoughtful public dialogue before making changes.
Mayor Grama said he reviewed the city code and legal advice and concluded the city has inserted itself into a dispute governed largely by state and federal law. "I intend to bring forward an ordinance that will modify our current 5.2.10 to simply reflect federal established civil rights law and state law," he said, adding his intent is to remove the city from a role that could expose it to costly litigation and administrative confusion.
Council members expressed differing views during the discussion. Some said they preferred waiting for pending state legislation and Supreme Court developments; others favored aligning city code with state law now to reduce local liability. Legal counsel (identified in the meeting as Zach) advised that an ordinance that defers to state and federal law would be "deferential" and unlikely to create significant additional liability.
No formal ordinance was proposed or voted on at the Nov. 12 meeting. Mayor Grama said he will present a drafted ordinance at the council's regular meeting on Nov. 19, when the council will take public comment and may take further action.
