BY JIM LARKIN
Will LGBTQ residents of the City of Holland have to wait another four years before they have the votes of the City Council to pass an anti-discrimination ordinance that will protect them?
They'll get their first indication on April 25, which is the deadline for filing for four open seats on the council. All four seats are currently held by council members who voted against such an ordinance in 2011: Mayor Nancy DeBoer, 1st Ward Councilman Myron Trethewey, 3rd Ward Councilman Brian Burch and 5th Ward Councilman Todd Whiteman.
DeBoer and Trethewey have already filed to seek re-election. DeBoer will be opposed by Jay Peters, incumbent Ward 2 Councilman who voted for the anti-discrimination ordinance.
Only three members of the nine-person council – Peters, Dave Hoekstra and Wayne Klomparens – voted for the ordinance six years ago. That means either both of the other current council members – Brian Lyon and Quincy Byrd – would have to support such an ordinance for it to pass or pro anti-discrimination candidates would have to file by April 25 for Trethewey's, Burch's or Whiteman's seats and then beat the incumbents.
As of April 17, none had. The primary election is Aug. 8 and the general election on Nov. 17.
