Kansas City, Mo. ? The Kansas City Council has taken the first step toward providing benefits to gay, lesbian and unmarried domestic partners of city employees.

The council voted unanimously Thursday to direct City Manager Wayne Cauthen to implement a domestic-partner benefit program by May 1, 2004. The resolution directs Cauthen to provide, within 45 days, a plan discussing the logistics and costs involved in providing the benefits.

The council introduced and passed the resolution with little discussion. About 50 members of the gay and lesbian community applauded the vote.

Mayor Kay Barnes said she had been working with members of the gay and lesbian community to explore how the city could offer such benefits, which also would be offered to unmarried heterosexual couples.

“It’s an equity issue,” she said. “I’m encouraging the administrative side to move as rapidly as they can.”

The resolution also calls for the city to create a Domestic Partner Registry. The registries give couples some rights that married couples enjoy, such as the ability to make decisions on a partner’s medical treatment in emergencies.

Calvin Williford, vice president of the Kansas City Pride Democratic Club, said the details of the city’s benefits program — and who qualifies for the registry — remain to be worked out. The council and the public will have ample time to review and debate Cauthen’s plan, he said.