Adam Medrano
Dallas City Councilman Adam Medrano will chair the city’s LGBT Task Force, according to committee appointments announced by Mayor Mike Rawlings on Monday.
Former Councilwoman Delia Jasso chaired the Task Force since its creation in 2009. Its members then started looking for a replacement after Jasso lost her District 1 seat to Scott Griggs after redistricting placed them in the same district.
Last month, Task Force members discussed the application and interview process for selecting a new chair. At the time, Task Force members said they were not bothered by the possibility that Medrano is closeted. Medrano has declined to answer questions about his sexual orientation — despite widespread rumors that he’s gay as well as an arrest in 2000 in connection with homosexual sex in a public bathroom.
Medrano, who represents a heavily LGBT district that includes much of Oak Lawn, did not respond to requests for comment on Monday.
Task Force member Pam Gerber said the group in the process of distributing applications for a new chair when the mayor’s office contacted them about making it a priority of Rawlings’.
“They reached out to us,” she said.
Gerber said the group was assured it would continue to operate autonomously as it has in the past four years and people who work for the city, such as police and fire LGBT liaisons, would still be able to attend meetings.
“We’re really excited about the direction it’s taken and we’re really thrilled to have Adam as our chair and liaison,” Gerber said.