Tonight, the Springfield City Council unanimously approved members for this Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Task Force. Council members each appointed one task force member, and the following members were chosen by the City Council’s Public Involvement Committee from a pool of applicants. The approved members include:

• Miles Sweeney, retired Greene County judge (non-voting chair)

• Rev. Michael Overton, pastor at First Baptist Church

• David Trippe, retired teacher

• Dr. Robert Saylor, director of ethics for Mercy Health System

• Dick Hardy, former vice president at Central Bible College and consultant to the Assemblies of God

• Randy Doennig, owner of Meridian Title Company and president of Springfield Black Tie

• Lorie Latimer, co-owner of Springfield Special Products

• Lola Butcher, a member of Brentwood Christian Church and its Center for Diversity and Reconciliation

• Lynne Meyerkord, executive director of AIDS Project of the Ozarks

• Jeff Houghton, copywriter and variety show host

• Rick McLain, president of REDICO, LLC electrical contractor

• Gary Whitaker, owner and publisher of 417 Magazine

• Ginger Holczer, self-employed clinical psychologist

• Pam Sailors, philosophy professor and associate dean at Missouri State University

• Sarah Smith, freshman student at Missouri State University

• Steve Gardner, retired instructional designer and pastoral assistant at South Street Christian Church Disciples of Christ

• Cindy Lear, co-owner of Nixa-based interpreting service Associates in Sign Language (non-voting alternate)

• Angela Filbeck, administrative assistant at Trust Company of the Ozarks (non-voting alternate).

PROMO applauds and thanks the Springfield City Council for holding up their commitment to the LGBT community and this task force. The task force is an impressive group of individuals. We are looking forward to the eventual recommendations, and we are especially looking forward to the discussion and education that could come out of the task force meetings.

This is an opportunity for Springfield to learn not just about the need for this ordinance, but also about the vibrancy, the excellence, and the strength within our LGBT and ally community. It is a chance for us all to have this discussion together. This is an opportunity for us all to learn about our community as a whole.