Cheyenne City Councilman Dicky Shanor is defending his proposal for a Human Rights Advisory Council against criticism from another council member that it's too weak.

Councilwoman Annette Williams, earlier this week, called the Advisory Council idea ''a Band-Aid" for addressing discrimination in the city.

But Shanor says it's important to move deliberately and methodically on issues involving constitutional rights. He also says the council would include a cross-section of the community, and "not just one group pushing a specific agenda".

Williams says she feels the council proposal is really just a way to avoid dealing with the specific issue of rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. She says the broader issues of discrimination against people on the basis of race, religion and gender are already well-addressed by existing laws.

She says she plans to bring forward a proposal based on a Laramie ordinance that would specifically ban discrimination because of sexual identity or orientation in housing, employment or public accommodations.

Shanor says he envisions the Advisory Council as a seven-member volunteer board that represents a variety of groups, including  "someone on there who is a religious freedom advocate". He also says he wants to make sure the board members "aren't all there under the same umbrella and pushing the same issue".

Shanor's proposal is co-sponsored by seven council members, including Mayor Rick Kaysen.  It's scheduled to go before the City Council's Public Services Committee on September 9.

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