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Shelton speakers press council to reinstate Pride Month proclamation after contentious public comment
Summary
Dozens of residents spoke for and against a proposed Pride Month proclamation at the May 19 Shelton City Council meeting. After extended testimony the council agreed to add the proclamation back to the June 2 agenda while earlier voting 4–3 to limit tonight's public comments to two minutes each.
Dozens of Shelton residents filled council chambers on May 19 to urge the City Council to reconsider a vote that left the city without an official Pride Month proclamation this year.
Supporters and opponents used the public-comment period to make sharply different appeals about the meaning and role of local government. Several speakers framed the proclamation as a public-safety and mental-health measure for LGBTQ residents and youth, while others argued the city should avoid symbolic recognitions that they said privilege one identity group.
"We will dazzle and delight and celebrate in June and every day," said Ari Green, who identified themself as a Shelton resident and used they/them pronouns, asking the council to restore the proclamation and affirm that LGBTQ people have a place in Shelton. Beth Johnston, a longtime resident and retired nurse, told the council the proclamation is about safety and services, noting higher rates of homelessness and unmet health needs among LGBTQ populations.
Opponents framed the matter as a limit on government role and a potential source of division. One commenter urged the council to focus on roads, safety and services rather than endorsing social causes. Multiple speakers who opposed the proclamation invoked their faith or argued the council should remain neutral on identity-based proclamations.
The meeting also featured visible testimony about experiences of harassment and threats. Several speakers described incidents they said made the lack of an official proclamation feel like an abdication of protection; others disputed that characterizations and said existing state law already provides legal protections.
Earlier in the meeting the council voted, 4–3, to temporarily reduce public-comment time to two minutes per person for that session so more residents could speak. The clerk conducted a roll call after the motion; the council announced the tally as 4 to 3.
After receiving the extended public comment, a council member moved to add a Pride Month proclamation to the June 2 meeting's presentations. Council members debated the procedural question and then carried the motion by roll call; the council will revisit the proclamation on June 2.
The public-comment exchanges included direct, personal testimony and repeated appeals to the council about local safety and economic concerns. Mayor Sharon Sherman and other council members acknowledged the volume of testimony and said they would review the concerns before the June 2 meeting.
Next steps: the council added the Pride Month proclamation to the June 2 agenda for further consideration.
