When the Fargo Human Relations Commission took a position in July against the state's proposed gay marriage ban, the taxpayer-funded group overstepped its authority, City Commissioner John Cosgriff said Monday.

Cheryl Bergian, a member of the human relations panel, raised the issue at the City Commission meeting Monday night. Bergian said she was told Cosgriff had concerns about the board's stance because it relies on public funding.

The Human Relations Commission requested $5,000 from next year's city budget to pay for various programs and educational activities aimed at supporting diversity, according to Dan Mahli, an assistant city planner and staff liaison to the board.

Monday night was the public hearing session for the 2005 city budget.

Bergian asked that the Human Relations Commission not have its funding taken away just because it took a stand on a controversial issue.

"We were created to tackle issues that are controversial," she said.

But Cosgriff was quick to defend his position.

"I'm not trying to make a statement for or against it (gay marriage)" Cosgriff said. "The issues is: Do we have a situation where we're using tax dollars in support of an elected matter?"

Cosgriff also blasted Bergian and a handful of Fargo citizens who earlier e-mailed him and attacked his purported proposal.

"I would challenge anyone: What is my plan?" Cosgriff said, noting he doesn't intend to strip the board of its funding or banish the group.

"What we had was a run-away rumor mill fueled by prejudice," he said, addressing about 15 Human Relations Commission supporters who Bergian had earlier asked to stand in support of the panel's position.

Cosgriff said the 10 or so people who sent him e-mails were judging him and "his plan" before knowing what it was.

One e-mailer called him a bigot and called for him to resign from office.

Cosgriff said he had simply asked a member of the Fargo Planning Department last week if the human relations group had taken a position on the gay marriage issue.

At Monday's meeting, Mayor Bruce Furness asked Bergian to reveal her sources of information. When the conversation began to move in another direction, Cosgriff interjected, insisting Bergian reveal her informants.

Before Bergian could do that, Commissioner Linda Coates stepped in to say she had given Bergian the heads up after talking with a member of the city's planning staff. Coates said her intentions were simply to let Bergian know she might want to attend the Monday meeting in case the funding issue came up.

Coates handles the Planning Department portfolio in her role as a city commissioner.

"I did not generate the e-mail or suggest the e-mail campaign," Coates said in her own defense.

Cosgriff, visibly annoyed, added that the effort certainly seemed organized and wasn't appreciated.

Ultimately, he did not try to remove the $5,000 budgeted for the Human Relations Commission. Following the meeting, Cosgriff said he knew he didn't have the support of his fellow commissioners to remove the money, and it wasn't worth the fight.

He said he still believes, though, that if the Human Relations Commission takes a position on political issues and advocates certain votes, it should voluntarily step away from its tax dollars.

Cosgriff said it's similar to an issue the City Commission took up prior to the June 8 election, when the panel determined it couldn't by law use tax dollars to advocate a position to not publish its meeting minutes in The Forum.

That realization was prompted by an attorney general's opinion.

Cosgriff said it's now up to the Fargo Human Relations Commission to address the matter at a future meeting.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Mary Jo Almquist at (701) 241-5531