S.D. Panel Censures Scouts Over Ban on Gays : Rights: Human Relations Commission urges the city to end accords with Scouting groups on use of city land.

The San Diego Human Relations Commission issued a harsh censure of the Boy Scouts of America on Wednesday by calling for the city to terminate its lease agreements with the local Scout council because it discriminates against gay members and troop leaders.

The action came a day after San Diego Police Chief Bob Burgreen severed his department’s ties with the Boy Scouts of America because the group had suspended an El Cajon police officer who served as an adviser to the Explorer Scouts after the officer disclosed publicly that he is gay.

The California Highway Patrol announced Wednesday that it also is reviewing its affiliation with the Boy Scouts, in light of the El Cajon officer’s suspension, CHP Commissioner Maury Hannigan said.

Blake Lewis, a national spokesman for the Boy Scouts of America, was quoted by a news wire service Wednesday saying that despite mounting criticism of the National Boy Scouts of America’s gay exclusion policy it is unlikely that the organization will change its 82-year-old membership standards.

“Frankly we do not believe a homosexual person provides a role model that’s consistent with what parents expect of our program,” Lewis said.

A spokesman for the San Diego Boy Scouts Council declined to comment Wednesday.

The Human Relations Commission also urged the United Way to cease its funding of the local Scout group. United Way chapters in Northern California have threatened to cease Scout funding over the anti-gay policy.

The commission is an advisory body to the City Council and city manager’s office, and has no policy setting authority. The resolution is expected to be presented today to City Manager Jack McGrory, and will likely be reviewed by the City Council.

The San Diego Police Department is the first law enforcement agency in the county to break with the Boy Scouts over the issue of gay participation. The Explorer program with the Sheriff’s Department in Santa Clara and school Scouting programs in San Francisco and San Jose have been also been canceled.

The El Cajon Police Department has been supportive of Chuck Merino, the gay officer who was suspended by the Boy Scouts, Merino said at the Commissioner’s meeting Wednesday. He said he was grateful for the Burgreen’s actions Tuesday, but regretted that youths will be unable to participate in the Explorer program.

“What I would like to see the Boy Scouts do is ultimately change their national policy,” Merino said. “If the pressure from the city gets that across, so be it.”

Merino, who is also an assistant football coach at Grossmont High School, said he was, as late as Sunday, still meeting with the El Cajon department’s Explorers.

Although the city manager has authority to terminate leases issued by the city, when sensitive issues arise, the council generally provides advisement, said Deputy City Atty. Sharon Marshall.

On Tuesday, Marshall issued an opinion on the legality of the Scouts action which states that the Boy Scouts of America “may have violated” San Diego’s Human Dignity Ordinance and state civil rights laws protecting against discrimination. If so, the report from the city attorney’s states, the city may request the Boy Scouts to “cure the violation” or be in breech of lease agreements made with the city.

For the local headquarters, the Scouts leased a 5-acre parcel in Balboa Park for $1 a year. The Scouts also operate a $2.5-million aquatic center on city-owned Fiesta Island in Mission Bay Park, without any payment to the city.

The Highway Patrol’s 15 Explorer Scout programs throughout the state include 217 members who process accident reports, ride with patrol officers and assist in other ways. Completion of the Patrol’s review is to be announced, Hannigan said.

According to city officials, Ron Brundage, president of the San Diego Boy Scouts Council, declined to attend the public hearing Wednesday where the commission discussed its resolution.

Brundage also declined an offer by the commission to participate in mediation talks with the Merino.