12-03-2019 Display 3rd Party FlagsCity’s Budget Update
Display of 3rd Party Flags
December 3, 2019 City Council Meeting
State Law Requirements
State law requires that cities display the U.S. flag, the Washington State flag, and the POW/MIA flag on:
April 9 (Former Prisoners of War Day)
March 30 (Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day)
Third Saturday in May (Armed Forces Day)
Last Monday in May (Memorial Day)
June 14 (Flag Day)
July 4 (Independence Day)
July 27 (Korean War Veterans Armistice Day)
Third Friday in September (POW/MIA Recognition Day)
November 11 (Veterans’ Day)
December 7 (Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day)
Proposed Flag Policy
By implementing a flag policy, the City makes it clear that the flag poles of the city are not public forums available to the public for expressing their views.
The proposed policy reserves the flying of flags as governmental speech. 3rd party flags will only be flown as a statement of support from the City government as expressed by City Council
Proclamation.
The proposed policy excludes sports flags, which are generally apolitical and will be displayed on City property at the direction of the Mayor.
Proposed Flag Policy, cont.
Expands on the existing procedure currently used to issue City Council Proclamations.
Council Rule 2.2(c)(i) reads in part:
“….City Council Proclamations are defined as those non-controversial events that have a major citywide impact. City Council Proclamations shall be publicly read at a City Council meeting
and presented to a representative of the event during the Council meeting.”
Appropriate topics for proclamations are approved by the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor, and one Committee Chair at Agenda Setting. Topics that will not have the universal support of all Councilmembers
have historically been avoided.
Proclamations are usually signed by the Mayor and Council and before the meeting, and formal Council Action is usually not taken during the meeting beyond a presentation.
Proposed Flag Policy, cont.
Resolution presented establishes:
When directed by Council Proclamation, flags would be flown for 7 consecutive days at City Hall – excluding days where flags are lowered to half-mast. 3rd party flags would be removed
when flags are at half-mast.
Groups seeking recognition with a flag display will lend the City a flag for the purpose.
Many flags that are widely-marketed commercially are relatively inexpensive ($10-40), but custom flags routinely cost several hundred dollars and may be difficult to procure.
Departures from these default rules would require Council Action (likely in the form of a resolution).
Options Considered
Approve the resolution as proposed;
Approve a modified resolution; or
Decline to take action and give direction to staff
Questions?