FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Springfield City Clerk has certified a referendum petition opposing the Oct. 13 decision to amend the City’s nondiscrimination ordinance. The issue now goes back to City Council, likely at the Nov. 24 meeting, where City Council has three options: repeal the ordinance, send it to voters, or take no action. If no action is taken within 30 days of the petition being certified, City Charter dictates it automatically goes to the voters. If it goes to the voters, the amendment would be put on hold until the next general municipal election in April 2015. Citizens have the right through the referendum process to approve or reject at the polls any ordinance passed by the Council. In this case, petitioners are seeking to repeal the Oct. 13 amendment to the nondiscrimination ordinance, which provides protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. The number of required signatures for a successful referendum petition is 10% of the total number of votes cast in the most recent municipal election. In this case, that was 11,444 in April 2013. Copies of the certified petitions are available in the City Clerk's office. # # # For more information, contact Cora Scott, Director of Public Information & Civic Engagement, 417-864-1009 (office) | 417-380-3352 (cell), [email protected]