CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — This Cleveland suburb has become the first city in Ohio to extend health benefits to same-sex couples.

        City Council voted on the ordinance Monday night after listening to a divided crowd of more than 200 speak for about 3 1/2 hours.

        Some people closed their eyes, kneeled and folded their hands in prayer and quoted the Bible. Others revealed their homosexuality to their neighbors.

        Residents opposed to the plan covering city employees have organized a group called Families First. They are petitioning for a citywide vote on the ordinance.

        “I consider this ordinance an affront on marriage,” said Tracie Moore, a 24-year resident who heads the group. “A man cannot be a woman and a woman cannot be a man. What is your legal justification for redefining marriage?”

        The Rev. Donald F. King of Hope Lutheran Church supports the ordinance. He said it's about justice.

        “We have to have a lot more faith in heterosexuality. Those benefits will not bring people into homosexuality,” he said.

        Russell Baron, a 50-year resident who has a gay son and supports the ordinance, told council that residents have different beliefs.

        “This is not a city based on the Ten Commandments,” he said. “This is a community of mixed values.”

        Jimmie Hicks was the only council member to vote against the ordinance. He said he opposed it because it fails to offer benefits to people who are taking care of relatives' children or elderly parents.

        Mayor Ed Kelley said recently that he thinks no more than five same-sex couples will sign up for benefits, which would cost the city about $5,000 a couple.

        Hicks called the legislation a political payback to the Cleveland Stonewall Democrats, a gay political organization that endorsed Kelley and councilwoman Bonnie Caplan in elections last fall. Kelley denied the accusation and said he supported the legislation because it is the right thing to do.

        “Any allegation that a pre- or post-election deal was cut is completely false,” said Patrick Shepherd, president of the Stonewall Democrats. “This legislation is about fairness. It is becoming a substantial business practice.”

        Across the country, 128 local governments offer health benefits to same-sex couples, according to Human Rights Campaign, a Washington, D.C., gay political organization.

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