Photo by Alec Berry Wheeling 5th Ward Councilman Ty Thorngate listens to discussion during Tuesday’s council meeting.

WHEELING — Mayor Glenn Elliott said he’s encouraged by the Wheeling Human Rights Commission’s Tuesday approval of a resolution urging city council to adopt protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents.

Council recorded the commission’s minutes Tuesday, hours after the commission passed the resolution in a 5-1 vote, with Ben Byrum, Rita Gupta, Loma Nevels, Chairman Steve Novotney and Anthony Sunseri in favor. The Rev. Don Marsh cast the only dissenting vote.

The resolution urges council to recognize the LGBT community as one lacking equal protection under the law and rectify this at the city level. Mayor Glenn Elliott said he’s pleased by this step, but understands a long and detailed process will be required to finalize an actual ordinance.

“I think it’s a sign of moving in the right direction,” Elliott said. “There’s been some concerns raised about the enforceability of it. That’s obviously a concern, but I’m of the firm mindset we can get it done in a way which is meaningful and not just in name only.”

The LGBT community isn’t an officially protected class at the state level, so municipalities may face complications enforcing anti-discrimination standards. At a prior human rights commission meeting, City Solicitor Rosemary Humway-Warmuth said council could establish dependable jurisdiction under home rule — a state program providing some municipalities increased authority.

Elliott said Novotney has already approached him to schedule a joint work session between council and the human rights commission to discuss how the city may craft the actual legislation.

In other business, during the city’s finance committee meeting City Manager Robert Herron offered several proposals to council regarding a nearly $1.3 million cash carryover from the city’s 2015-16 fiscal year budget, which ended June 30. His proposals included $100,000 for city beautification projects, $250,000 for playground upgrades, $50,000 for a new city website and $300,000 for additional paving projects.

He said the city could plan additional paving this fall, or hold the money and combine it with additional infrastructure funds from sales tax collections for a more substantial project next spring. Herron proposed $576,841 of the carryover go in the city’s contingency fund.

He also proposed a 3-percent pay raise for city workers that would come out of money already in the contingency fund, which currently contains $402,000. Herron said the pay increases would cost almost $390,000 for the year.

The committee opted to take more time to consider options for the cash carryover and discuss it more during its next meeting.

During council’s regular meeting, Herron reported asbestos abatement has begun at several properties slated for demolition to clear the future site of The Health Plan’s headquarters downtown. He expects actual demolition in the weeks ahead.

Herron also appointed Assistant Fire Chief Ed Geisel Sr. as acting fire chief while Larry Helms recovers from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident over the weekend. Helms and his wife, who was a passenger on the motorcycle, are in stable condition.

City police and fire department spokesman Philip Stahl said Tuesday Helms wants to express his gratitude and appreciation to the residents of Wheeling and the the entire Ohio Valley for their support.