Ogden • For close to two hours, people filed to the microphone to speak for or against anti-bias ordinances that the City Council has been working on for nearly a year.

Council members heard arguments on both sides that were passionate and heartfelt, most centering on whether a religious exemption should be included in the two statutes.

After three hours of discussion and debate, the council, in a 4-3 vote, passed the ordinances that Mayor Matthew Godfrey pledged to veto as part of his constitutional duty. In order to be veto-proof, the council vote would need to be 5-2. It's possible that a council member will shift sides to override the mayor's veto.

Both the housing and employment ordinances were approved after language protecting religious expression was stripped away, along with the city's exemption, which had been billed as a way to cap legal fees by blocking private lawsuits against it.

The housing ordinance was also amended to limit the ability of landlords to choose tenants only in situations in which those tenants would share bedrooms.

Dave Mallinak, the pastor of Ogden's Berean Baptist Church, viewed the issue as black and white.

"Its important for government to not call good evil and evil good — that's not your role," Mallinak said as he urged council members to support the rights of Christians to speak out against homosexuality.

Ogden business owner Charles Redwen argued that the proposed statutes weren't about whether being gay is right or wrong.

"What matters is whether discrimination is right or wrong," Redwen said.

Tuesday's council vote places Ogden as the 12th Utah city or county to adopt such protections for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

However, that victory is certain to be short-lived, with Godfrey promising to utilize his veto power.

"People have the right to express religious views without being fined by the government," Godfrey said. The new statutes will impose a $500 fine on landlords and employers who are proven to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

"But under the cloak of religion, you don't have the right to discriminate or harass," Godfrey added.

For Godfrey, including the religious-expression verbiage — which others argued already exists in the federal Constitution — and the city's exemption from the two ordinances were deal-breakers.

Ogden resident Ron Ferris expressed mixed emotions after so many months of work.

"Everyone wants to pass these ordinances," Ferris said, questioning the three no votes that gave Godfrey the room to exercise his veto. "I feel we just witnessed a systems failure."

Those voting in favor of the amended ordinances were council Chairwoman Caitlin Gochnour and council members Amy Wicks, Susan Van Hooser and Bart Blair. Those voting against were Councilmen Brandon Stephenson, Doug Stephens and Neil Garner.

cmckitrick@sltrib.com