Four flags at City Hall on the evening of June 1: U.S. and Oregon on the pole, POW-MIA in the window, and Pride in the window and, in chalk, on the ground.
An evening bike ride took me past Albany City Hall on Thursday, June 1, and I saw the results of action the city council took on May 24 in the matter of flags on display.
In the words of the May 24 council summary put together by the city clerk: “Action: Motion to direct staff to create a flag policy passed 6-0. Motion to fly the Pride flag in the city hall window for the month of June 2023 passed 5-0 with Councilor Novak leaving the meeting to avoid registering a vote.”
At the May 24 meeting, the council had been shown a staff-prepared rendering of the Pride flag high up in the window of the two-story City Hall atrium. This was offered as an alternative to hoisting it below the U.S. and Oregon flags on the pole in front, which four council members had said on May 10 they wanted done.
The council accepted the alternative. As it turned out, though, the Pride flag was hung lower in the window, slightly below the POW-MIA flag to its right. This way, the flags on the pole outside would be still be higher than the window flags in case there is an occasion during June when the federal and state flags are ordered lowered to half-staff.
The flag meant to honor service members lost as prisoners of war or missing in action is supposed to be flown under the American and Oregon flags on the pole, but the pole is not tall enough for three flags without the lowest one getting snagged on a corner of the building.
On Wednesday evening, on the pavement of the plaza outside, people had used colored chalk to create a rainbow flag in preparation for a Pride event on June 24. With no rain in the long-range forecast, it may still be there for the event.
Meanwhile, as Councilwoman Marilyn Smith has pointed out, the city staff is developing a policy on flying — or presumably displaying in the window — non-governmental flags at City Hall.
A flag policy should be helpful as the city now likely will face requests to fly or display other flags.
For example, the Los Angeles Times reported today that while the LA County Board of Supervisors hoisted a Pride Flag for the first time at a county building, the city council in Redlands, Calif., had just voted 3-2 against doing the same based on its policy regarding flags. (hh)
I would think flags supporting our military and first responders would be more appropriate than an alphabet soup flag.
I moved from Corvallis because it is being run by commies. Now Albany has stooped this low also. Time to move again
Might I suggest Maupin?
I can guarantee Maupin doesn’t want you to even visit. You really should move to Portland as they will love your opinions while the city totally goes down the tubes.
Here we go with another insulting comment that Hasso approves. Remember that post Hasso had a while back about the need for civility? Neither does Hasso.
Try Idaho. Let me know if you need help packing.
Time to be real. It looks like rainbow politics and capitalism have infected Albany.
Citizens should not be naïve about what is going on here. Acceptance and welcoming are not the objectives.
Corporations want more paying customers. Politicians want votes and public idolization. And exploitation is the name of the game.
When you hijack a movement’s symbols, language, and norms and use them for profit and political gain, that is nothing more than marketing in its most ugly form.
This is simply a symbol of someone’s sexual orientation! Great! Celebrate it! But stop rubbing our faces in it! There are far deeper realities that affect us to focus on instead!
Time to create a banner honoring the potholes in Albany streets!
…..On Wednesday evening, on the pavement of the plaza outside, people had used colored chalk to create a rainbow flag …..
I guess the city is now promoting an open canvas? Grab your chalk and place your own political statement on CITY PROPERTY. It’s obviously condoned by the CITY!
I dont think Albany city hall needs to fly the Pride flag at all,everybody knows or has somebody thats gay in theyre family,they dont need to force it on everybody ,it is still a free country and we dont have to like anything!!