Couples Register In Eureka Springs
Last updated Friday, June 22, 2007 3:25 PM CDT in News
By John Henley Jr.
THE MORNING NEWS
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EUREKA SPRINGS - "God is on our side," Trella Laughlin said Friday as she and her partner of 39 years, Marie Howard, added their names to a domestic partner registry.
Friday was the first day registration was available.
Mayor Dani Wilson said she was nervous Thursday as she waited to see if the Rev. Philip Wilson would come through with the petitions that could have delayed opening the registry.
"I wasn't here at City Hall, so I was calling like every 10 minutes," Mayor Wilson said. Philip Wilson is pastor of First Christian Church of Eureka Springs and has led the opposition against the registry.
Rev. Wilson took out ads in the Carroll County News and the Lovely County Citizen stating his opposition. He spoke in front of the council opposing the registry. And since the council approved the ordinance on May 14, Wilson has twice turned in to City Clerk Mary Jean "MJ" Sell petitions with the required 144 signatures needed to force a referendum on the issue.
However, both sets of signatures were declined — the second set was declined late Thursday afternoon — because of deficiencies in the petition, Sell said. The deadline for the signatures and petitions was 5 p.m. Thursday, according to a city ordinance.
Rev. Wilson said early Thursday he was hopeful his second petition and signatures would be accepted. The reverend did not immediately return phone messages late Thursday or Friday.
A domestic partnership is a legal or personal relationship between individuals who live together and share a common domestic life, but are not joined in a traditional marriage or civil union. Many companies recognize registered partners for purposes of health benefits. The partnership has no legal standing.
AT&T was including the news about Eureka Springs' domestic registry in their corporate newsletter, telling employees they could register there and their partners could then receive company benefits, Mayor Wilson said.
The registry came about after Mary Short and Frank Gilbert, both in the 80s, approached the mayor about their dilemma, Mayor Wilson said. Neither could afford to marry because they would lose a substantial portion of their income from Social Security and pension benefits, said Bryan Manire, Short's son.
Gilbert died about a month ago, before the registry was approved.
Manire and "Super" Jim Frederick, his partner of 25 years, registered their partnership on Friday.
"We wanted to do it together, all four of us," Manire said. "I wish my mother could be here to witness this, but it's too soon. It's only been a month."
Debra Thompson and Robert McGrew have been a couple for about a year. They could have gotten married, but chose instead to register their relationship on the domestic registry Friday.
"We felt if we lent our presence it would help show people that this is not just a gay issue," McGrew said. The couple was the third couple — and the first heterosexual one — to register Friday. Kim and Jan Ridenour were the first couple to register. Alvin Byrd and Charlie Thomas were second.
Byrd and Thomas own Byrd's Eye View and did not register their relationship for insurance, pensions or medical benefits. Friday was simply a symbolic day for the couple because they were able to put their commitment to one another on paper, Byrd said.
Mayor Wilson and some council members have maintained that the domestic registry was not a gay issue.
"People that need it can now get the medical care they need," the mayor said.
Some opponents have said the registry would hurt tourism, but the mayor said it may bring even more people than usual to Eureka Springs. People will come to register their relationship and discover other things in the mountain town, she said.
Who?
Some Fortune 500 companies in Arkansas that recognize domestic partnerships are: Cargill Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Clear Channel Communications Inc., Cox Communications Inc. and Kraft Foods Inc. Wal-Mart does not offer domestic partnership benefits except in states that require companies to do so, like Massachusetts.
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Reader Comments (4 comment(s))
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Chris wrote on Jun 24, 2007 12:32 AM:
Not already registered?
Michael Walsh wrote on Jun 22, 2007 3:21 PM: