Boy Scouts Dissolve in Gulfport

More than 50 years of Boy Scouts history in Gulfport is ended, the city manager announced Tuesday.

"Pack 300 ceases to exist as of June 1," City Manager Jim O'Reilly told councilors during the June 4 city council meeting. 

The announcement stunned everyone in council chambers, initially, but soon led to councilors and resident Human Rights advocates pointing blame at one another for the troop's collapse.

"The collateral damage from the Scout Hall debate was four little boys. Sacrificial lambs, just children," Councilor Christine Brown said. 

She said the fight belonged at the national level.

"It should have never been in Gulfport," she said. 

Brown was referring to a months-long debate over whether or not Cub Scout Pack 300 was violating Gulfport's Human Rights Ordinance and whether the city was upholding its own law.

A group of nearly a dozen vocal Gulfport residents, spearheaded by a same-sex couple, came forward in October 2012 stating that the national Boy Scouts of America organization's anti-gay policy was a violation of the Human Rights Ordinance, which is meant to safeguard citizens from all forms of discrimination including sexual orientation, gender identity and marital status. The residents wanted to ban local Scout Troops from using a city-owned building to meet, or at the least, make sure the children's group was held accountable to the ordinance through an addendum in the lease. 

At the time, three to four boys, aged 10 and under, from Gulfport's Cub Scout Pack 300, Tiger/Wolf and Webelo, met weekly at Scout Hall free of charge.

O'Reilly informed councilors that Cub Scout Pack 300 did not renew its charter through its sponsors, the Gulfport Lions Club, Inc, for use of Scout Hall.

"Lack of participation was the reason given to us,” he said. 

Tuesday night, Gulfport's Human Rights proponents continued the debate from October, despite news that the local troop disbanded. 

While holding back tears, Denise Lowe, who spearheaded the movement, said this was "sad news" and asked the council to move forward and strengthen the Human Rights Ordinance.

“Please consider re-writing the Human Rights Ordinance to state that any organization or businesses whose policies, practices, or procedures do not prohibit discrimination in any form do not qualify under the aforementioned Section 3 for free rent.”

Lowe asked council to consider charging full market rent for organizations that include descrimatory language in their creed or policy.

Lowe's wife Jan also spoke up with a short, but powerful statement.

“The Boy Scouts got derailed and that’s your fault, your fault,” Jan Lowe said to council.

Several other residents shared their thoughts, including Margarete Tober.

"It was never about the Boy Scouts," she said. “It’s about Gulfport and what we believe in. We have an HRO that says we do not discriminate. You are violating your own Civil Rights law."

Tober said holes in the city's rental policies need to be fixed.

"I would ask that you address that," Tober said. "Just clean up the policies that support non-profit organizations with taxpayer money."

Following public comment, Councilor Jennifer Salmon asked if City Attorney Andrew Salzman could improve the ordinance so the city could take a more proactive approach.

"We have a responsibility to carry out the Human Rights Ordinance,” Salmon said.

The council unanimously agreed to have Salzman amend the language in the Human Rights Ordinance and bring it back for consideration.

“I think to blame the other parties is wrong and to blame city council is wrong,” Councilor Michael Fridovich said.

Related Articles:

• 'City Divided' by HRO Ordinance, Boy Scouts Lease, Banno Says

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