(A) Any person claiming to be discriminated against in a manner prohibited by this chapter, and not otherwise prohibited by state or federal law, may, within 180 days of the alleged violation, file a signed, written complaint with the City Manager, specifying, in detail, the names, dates, known witnesses and other pertinent facts relevant to the alleged violation. For any complaint alleging a violation of state or federal law, the City Manager shall refer the complainant to the appropriate state or federal agency responsible for investigation and enforcement of such alleged violations.
(B) After receiving a complaint, the City Manager shall review the complaint and may, in his or her reasonable discretion, do any of the following:
(1) Undertake, or refer to city staff or the City Attorney to undertake an investigation of the alleged violation.
(2) Refer the matter to an authorized city official or the City Attorney to issue a municipal civil infraction citation and prosecute the violation as a municipal civil infraction.
(3) Refer the matter to the Isabella County Trial Court Alternative Program for Dispute Resolution, or other organization for conciliation or facilitative mediation services. A complainant or respondent failing to appear for a scheduled conciliation or mediation shall pay any costs resulting from such failure to appear. If a conciliation or mediation agreement is entered into under this section, the parties shall be bound to its terms. A breach of such an agreement by the respondent shall be considered a violation of this chapter.
(4) Notify the complainant that no city action will be taken related to the complaint. Such a determination shall not be evidence of non-violation should the complainant choose to initiate a private civil action against the alleged violator as provided in this section.
(C) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit a person’s right to initiate a private civil action for an alleged violation as provided in § 39.09 of this chapter.
(Ord. 973, passed 7-9-12)