PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Presque Isle aims to create a diversity, equity and inclusion committee that would, in part, review flag and other ceremonial requests.
During a Wednesday workshop on a proposed flag display and ceremonial ordinance, leaders took no formal action but discussed ways to ensure multiple views can be represented.
A preliminary draft of the Key to the City, Flag Display and Ceremonial Guidelines Ordinance indicated that City Manager Tyler Brown and the city council would review requests, and a diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator would handle historical research and make sure flags of opposing groups aren’t flown at the same time.
Leaders at the workshop favored a diversity committee to vet the flag requests, rather than involving the council.
“The concern originally was, if a request comes in and there is not a council meeting scheduled, how do we honor them and ensure that their display makes it to the flagpole,” Brown said. “[This would] take it out of the onus of the council towards a diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator, which would be a collateral duty of someone.”
The thought wasn’t to create a new position but to have a staff member take on diversity duties as needed, he said.
The group discussed forming a city council committee dedicated to inclusion, which could be added to the council’s normal committee selections in January.
Councilor Hank King suggested having the city manager, one councilor and an at-large community member in the group.
“That then becomes public involvement, and they get a say in what’s going on,” he said.
Having a committee take that role would make things more equitable than having it fall on a single person, said Jake Flewelling, representing city attorney Richard Currier.
Diversity is receiving increasing emphasis around the state, as well, City Council Chair Kevin Freeman said. The addition of a dedicated group would put Presque Isle at the forefront of that movement.
“Now that we’re doing that a little bit on the city level for the first time, we’re in lockstep with that, so I think that’s a positive thing,” he said.
Sections of the ordinance will be amended to replace city council oversight with that of a diversity committee, Freeman said. The reworked draft will be sent to Currier’s office for legal approval and presented for a vote at next week’s city council meeting.
Public discussion has been divided on the flag ordinance, following presentations at city council meetings and a public hearing. The city proposed following Maine guidelines of displaying only the U.S., state, city and POW/MIA flags on city property, as those include everyone and put no group above another. Some residents agreed, while others said the city could better practice inclusion by allowing all groups to fly flags.
Earlier this year, the city dedicated a Riverside Park flagpole to community recognitions.
The draft ordinance, among other points, says: special flags or banners are to be flown on the dedicated Riverside Park flagpole; a particular flag can be flown no more than twice a year; up to three flags can be flown at a time; flags must be tied to a specific day or event; and flags must carry a positive message.
The city council will meet next at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7, at city hall.
