ROCKINGHAM-After months of discussion starting this past January, the Rockingham Selectboard voted 4–1 at its July 22 meeting to ratify the final draft of a town flag policy without changes.
The complete flag policy is available on the town of Rockingham website. It is based on an already established policy created by the city of Montpelier.
The policy was discussed and modified at the Board's June 10 meeting, where it passed 4–0. At the July 22 meeting, after some discussion but with no support for attempts to alter the wording, the selectboard ratified the final policy approved at the June meeting with no changes.
The policy defines flags as: "For the purposes of this Policy, the meaning of the word 'flag' includes banners, pennants and painted or printed replicas of flags on a different medium."
Section 3A of the policy simply states in part that "no flags may be flown on Town flag poles, Town Hall or other properties except U.S. and Vermont flags."
The policy states specifically that it "is for expression of governmental speech and was not created, nor intended to create a public forum for private expression."
Other flags, pennants, etc. can be flown from other town properties only if a member of the Selectboard brings a request to the board for a vote, and the board approves it. Requests made by the public or other nongovernmental groups will not be considered.
This includes flags of governments recognized by the U.S. and flags displayed in conjunction with official town events or ceremonies, as well as during officially recognized holidays and declared periods of commemoration.
A "commemorative flag" refers to a flag or banner "that identifies with a specific holiday, event, cause, theme, nation, person or group of people that the Selectboard chooses to honor, recognize, or commemorate consistent with the Town's official policies, priorities, resolutions, or sentiments."
Examples include events such as Labor Day, and commemorative flags such as for Black History Month, Indigenous Peoples Day, Veterans Day, Pride Month, Earth Day, and POW/MIA flags.
Flags and banners will also be considered for community events, such as plays and local school reunions and graduations, when requested by a board member.
There is a 31-day limit on all such Selectboard-approved displays.
Any such request must meet at least one of these six criteria:
1. Whether the United States or the state of Vermont has recognized the flag through statute or proclamation.
2. Whether the flag represents an organization dedicated to the public good for the citizens of the town of Rockingham.
3. Whether the flag represents a national, state, or town interest.
4. Whether the flag is an historic American flag that has or continues to have a primary positive message of American history and unity.
5. Whether the flag promotes unity and community with another city, state, country, or other jurisdiction.
6. Whether the flag represents a positive interest.
After some discussion of the policy, which had been modified several times over the previous months, Board member John Dunbar moved that the Board ratify the flag policy "as written." The motion was approved, seconded by Chair Rick Cowan and passed 4–1.
Selectman Elijah Zimmer, who had prompted the creation of the policy months earlier by requesting a Pride flag display in town and the painting of a rainbow sidewalk, was the only vote opposing. Zimmer stated during the meeting that he was not in favor of the section that placed restrictions on town flag poles.
Dunbar said that during the months spent discussing the policy, a few residents spoke out strongly against allowing any other flags or banners to be displayed. Black Lives Matter and Pride flags were often targeted.
But as the discussion progressed, he said that more citizens spoke up in favor of the town supporting minorities and disenfranchised groups. He noted that "at the last meeting there was a lot of support" for the inclusive policy.
Now that the flag policy has been ratified, it can also be amended if needed.
The policy does not cover the banners often flown over the Village Square. These banners have represented everything from town events and alumni celebrations to Pride Month and American flags for the Fourth of July.
That banner is attached to privately owned buildings and use of it is approved by the Village Trustees.
The flag policy also does not cover sidewalk painting.
This News item by Robert F. Smith was written for The Commons.