A Montgomery County borough passed an ordinance May 17 establishing a human relations commission that recognizes 13 protected classes, including sexual orientation and gender identity.
Ambler Borough Council adopted the ordinance by a unanimous vote.
People clapped after the vote, according to Jason Landau Goodman, founding executive director of the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, who attended the meeting.
Ambler is one of at least 35 municipalities in the state to protect LGBT people from discrimination in employment, housing, commercial property and public accommodation.
“Ambler has taken the concrete step of protecting real people within its jurisdiction,” Sam Gehler, field director for Pennsylvania Competes and organizing director for Equality Pennsylvania, wrote in an email to PGN, adding the borough “is ready to attract the best and brightest workers and businesses.”
According to the ordinance, the Ambler Human Relations Commission would include five volunteer committee members. Each appointee, either a resident or business owner in the borough, would serve a three-year term.
The ordinance says one committee person will receive the complaint and conduct an intake meeting. The remaining four members will facilitate further mediation and vote on complaints.
Those interested in joining the commission should contact Ambler Borough offices at 215-646-1000.