BELMONT, N.C. — A local attorney has filed a lawsuit against the city of Belmont, alleging the removal of LGBTQ+ protections from its personnel policy and violations of open meetings and public records laws.
The lawsuit, filed by Karen Hinkley on Oct. 30 at the Gaston County Courthouse, claims that the Belmont City Council removed protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity from the personnel policy approved on March 3.
It also alleges that council members discussed city business via a private group text, violating open meetings law, and that the city failed to adequately respond to public records requests, according to the Gaston Gazette.
“I was kind of surprised … Hearing Miles’ presentation of the policy that he gave on March 3, it almost sounds progressive,” Hinkley said, reflecting on the initial presentation of the policy.
Hinkley became aware of the changes after other citizens raised concerns, prompting her to examine the policy closely. She discovered that previous protections for LGBTQ+ employees were no longer included.
The lawsuit details Hinkley’s attempts to obtain records of discussions related to the policy change, which were met with inadequate responses from the city. Hinkley claims that the city manager and council members failed to produce complete records and falsely claimed that no records existed.
The complaint also highlights an incident where meeting minutes misrepresented Hinkley’s public comments, making it appear as though she supported the removal of protections, which she did not.
Hinkley is seeking a court order to compel the city to preserve documentation related to the policy change and to conduct business more transparently in the future.
The lawsuit aims to hold the Belmont City Council accountable for its actions and to restore transparency and protections for LGBTQ+ employees in the city’s personnel policy.
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