The majority of town leaders last week strongly defended their controversial decision to remove elective abortions from Apex’s employee insurance coverage. The public was also allowed to weigh in on the issue nearly a full month after council’s unanimous vote.

Councilman Bill Jensen revived the issue after reflecting on the matter for several weeks. He expressed his displeasure with Mayor Keith Weatherly for originally adding the issue to the Jan. 19 meeting agenda without warning. The issue wasn’t added until the meeting had already begun.

Jensen said he would have preferred additional information on the matter and more time to think about it and now regretted voting so hastily. He also said the town needed to do a better job informing the public on when important issues were going to be discussed.

“This was brought up after the mayor researched it two months earlier,” said Jensen. “Then he sprang it on us.”

Jensen said he also believed the original intent of removing elective abortions was a financial decision but was upset that it was now being touted as a moral vote.

Noting that only three abortions had been paid for by the town’s insurance coverage during the past seven years, Jensen said it had cost each taxpayer about six cents per year. Such a small monetary sum, concluded Jensen, meant the issue was not financial.

Jensen added that he was troubled by council making such broad moral decisions.

“Is the next step that we require men to grow beards and women to wear burqas?” asked Jensen.

Council listened to comments from 10 local residents, whose viewpoints were split evenly on the subject of elective abortion insurance coverage.

Pointing out that a council void of any women was making such a decision, Apex resident Dolly Sickles told town leaders she found their decision “unfair, highly discriminatory and insulting.”

Paul Meade said every person is entitled to their opinions and that he would never try to force his beliefs on someone else. But he noted that abortion is legal nationwide, including Apex.

“If you don’t like abortions then don’t get one,” said Meade. “But don’t tell your employees what they should do.”

Other speakers criticized the decision as being politically motivated and “not representative of forward-looking Apex.”

A representative of Planned Parenthood in Raleigh and a lawyer from the American Civil Liberties Union also criticized the decision.

Other speakers congratulated council for making a courageous moral decision. They also stressed that they did not want their tax money being spent on abortions.

Tom Herner said he attempts to convince pregnant women that abortions are a mistake and called the procedures a money-making business.

“Most women are confused and don’t know what to do,” said Herner.

New resident Lynn Smith said she supported council’s moral decision and “loves” living in Apex because so many people have strong conservative views.

“I think you will find most citizens of Apex feel like I do,” said Smith.

Another speaker told council “God bless you all for what you have done.”

Jensen requested that council ask the state attorney general to give a clear legal interpretation of the town’s right to make such a decision. But the motion quickly faded when no other councilman seconded it.

Councilman Gene Schulze expressed anger that Jensen had “put a price on human life” when he told council how much the procedures cost taxpayers. He also said the decision wasn’t courageous but was, in fact, easy because he feels so strongly about it.

“I’ve voted and I’ll be damned if I’m going to reverse it,” said Schulze.

Weatherly said he didn’t care what the attorney general thought about the matter.

“This council spoke forcefully that it is not an appropriate use of taxpayer money,” said Weatherly.

Saying he was “ashamed” for not knowing sooner that the town’s insurance covered elective abortions, Weatherly said he now hoped other communities would take similar action with their policies.

Weatherly also pointed out that the federal government made a similar decision for federal employees about a decade ago and that the Obama administration supports it.

“We are actually behind the game,” said Weatherly. “The federal government is way ahead of us.” Jensen vowed he would strongly object if Weatherly ever attempted to add another important item to the agenda the same day of the meeting.

Councilman Bryan Gossage agreed that appropriate notice should be given for important items. If such an item was added to the agenda, said Gossage, “I give my pledge that it won’t be handled at that meeting.” But he also made it clear that he fully supported council’s decision to eliminate elective abortions. “I couldn’t be more proud of the decision that council has made,” said Gossage.