HOULTON, Maine — For many years, downtown Houlton and its surrounding streets in the business district have been adorned with American flags from Memorial Day throughout the summer.
But this year, the flags have not been unfurled, leaving many to wonder why that was the case.
The issue of the town’s flags first arose at a June 13 council meeting when councilor Edward Lake said he was concerned about how the banners had not been properly maintained in previous years.
HOULTON, Maine — June 27, 2022 — Jerry Riley, a member of the Chester L. Briggs Post No. 47 in Houlton, speaks to the Houlton Town Council Monday evening on the issue of flags. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
Members of the American Legion responded to that criticism at a Monday, June 27, council meeting during public comments, although the issue was not on the agenda.
Jerry Riley, a 16-year member of the Legion who serves as the group’s bugler, said the organization was unaware that the topic was being discussed at the June 13 meeting, and only found out about it by reading the article after the fact in the Houlton Pioneer Times.
“It is good that we are now having a discussion,” Riley said. “It is too bad we didn’t have it way before this meeting.”
Historically, the American Legion Chester L. Briggs Post No. 47 has erected American flags in Houlton, with Legion members volunteering their time and service for that purpose. Riley said the number of people who volunteer to help place the flags has dwindled from about nine people 16 years ago, to only two or three people in recent years.
Riley said that during his 16 years, not many other groups have come forward to offer their assistance.
“I can’t recall a whole lot of help from the town or anyone in putting up the flags,” he said. “There is no organization that feels more strongly about the right protocol of displaying the United States flag.”
Placing the flags on utility poles throughout the town is not an easy, or safe, task, Riley said. The volunteers do not have a bucket truck to reach the spots on the poles. Therefore, the volunteers place a smaller ladder on the back of a pickup truck in order to reach the mounting brackets on each pole.
Unfortunately, getting the flags erected prior to the town’s Fourth of July festivities was unlikely to happen this year.
“We understand that some of the flags become distressed,” he said. “That is because of the wind and weather. My firm opinion is that we have tried to address the distressed flags as quickly as possible.”
At the June 13 meeting, councilor Lake offered the services of the United States Marine Corps League — of which he is a member — to assist with hanging the flags. Lake reiterated that pledge during Monday night’s council meeting.
“I would like to see our two groups get together and make a plan to do this and do it correctly,” Lake said.
“It’s an expensive deal to purchase these flags,” Riley said. “It’s very time consuming to get them up and even more difficult to maintain them. It is our honor and privilege to have this responsibility, but we need help.”
