Photo Mike Blessum speaks to the Minot City Council from the podium as a large audience fills the council chambers Monday night.

Minot residents filled city council chambers Monday night, only to again see a controversial human relations committee ordinance tabled.

The absence of two council members prompted another delay, although the council indicated it likely will be the last.

“We’ve drug this out long enough. We’ve asked people to come to many meetings. It’s causing more division,” council member Lisa Olson said.

Council member Mark Jantzer agreed that the issue needs to move forward at the next meeting regardless of who is present at the council table.

“The more I sit here and listen to what is said by one side of the room or the other, the less confidence I have that this is something that we can solve with a committee,” Jantzer said, urging the two sides to talk to each other. “I think that’s where it starts.”

Although the council didn’t make a decision, it did allow public comment, which at this meeting was dominated by people preferring either no committee or the existing committee in its current ordinance form. Established in 1976, the committee has been inactive for a number of years.

The council had amended the human relations committee ordinance on first reading to list specific groups that should not be discriminated against. Receiving public feedback, on second reading, Olson forwarded a motion to stay with the original ordinance. Much of the negative feedback came over LGBTQ+ concerns.

“I congratulate you on your desire to be ethical and theological,” said Matthew Richard, a minister. “However, I remind you that you’re the state and not the Christian church. I admonish you to stay in your lane.”

This new ordinance version will do nothing to address the perceived grievances in the community, resident Mike Blessum said.

“Real discrimination cases need to be brought to the proper legal authorities under federal and state laws, not hashed out by an appointed committee,” he said. “The purpose of this ordinance is to force people at the point of a virtual bayonet to accept and promote points of view that they may disagree with. It is designed to be divisive.”

Greg Demme, a pastor and a Republican district chairman, told council members they were elected to represent, not rule.

“As pastors, not only will we not comply when you implement unjust or immoral legislation and not only do we train our congregations to do the same, we also train them that it is our and their civic responsibility as citizens, using only lawful means, to remove from office any elected official who is ineffective or who tries to enforce immoral or unjust legislation among the citizens,” he said.

Others spoke against the labeling associated with the list of identified categories of discrimination.

“Not only is this proposal unnecessary and a form of government overreach, but it holds the potential for exclusion and divisiveness. It is not what is best for Minot,” resident Marlys Fisher said.

Tiffany Fettig of Minot questioned whether there is a problem requiring the committee.

“If our discrimination laws and practices are broken or outdated, they should be fixed at the state or federal level,” she said.

“My concern is this may be a rush to find a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist,” resident Jeffrey Case added.

Deb Hoffarth, who spoke for the ordinance, raised concern that discrimination could lead to young people leaving the city.

“The narrative being pushed here is just a sad reflection of people’s hatred. It’s not a reflection of caring for all people in your community,” she said.

Council members who were absent were Paul Pitner, who was vacationing with family, and Carrie Evans. Evans’ absence was questioned by some in the audience because she had arrived at the meeting and left.

Contacted afterwards, Evans did not indicate what prompted her to leave but said it was unexpected. She noted she makes every effort to arrange her schedule to be present at meetings, having missed only three meetings in her three years on the council.