Community Government
Proposed policy would govern what flags fly in what months at city’s Civic Center
The Gig Harbor City Council will discuss revisions to the city’s flag display policy during a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11. Council members and city staff want to know what city residents think of the proposed policy.
The policy states that the Pride flag will be flown outside the Civic Center on Grandview Street during June, which is Pride Month. Many people, both city residents and those outside city limits, submitted comments pertaining to the Pride flag.
The policy also governs the display the Washington state and POW/MIA flags. An Aug. 11 memo to the council from City Administrator Katrina Knutson indicates that city staff learned that state law mandates that those flags are to be flown in front of the Civic Center on specific dates.
Those include April 9, former Prisoners of War Recognition Day; March 30, Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day; the third Saturday in May, Armed Forces Day; the last Monday in May, Memorial Day; June 14, Flag Day; July 4; July 27, National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day; the third Friday in September, National POW/MIA Recognition Day; Nov. 11, Veterans Day; and Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Day.
Staff recommended that the state flag be flown every day, below the U. S. flag.
According to the Aug. 11 memo, the city has funding to install a second flag pole in front of the Civic Center. This additional pole could be used to display non-governmental and commemorative flags.
Flags displayed in council chambers
The U.S. flag is permanently displayed in council chambers during city meetings. The Pride flag is also displayed in the room in June; the Puyallup Tribe flag goes up in October and November.
A separate state law covers flags displayed in courtrooms. Since the council chambers are also used by the city’s municipal court, the city’s municipal court judge decided what flags will be displayed when court is in session.
The proposed flag policy is the only action item on the council’s Sept. 11 agenda, except for the consent agenda. Comments can be given in person at the meeting, online via zoom, or by email to [email protected]. The city set a limit of two minutes per commenter. The council meets at the Civic Center, 3510 Grandview St.