When Pride Month rolls around in 2023, the Manteca City Council may be doing what the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors are doing this Tuesday.
The supervisors will decide when they meet Tuesday whether to approve the flying of the commemorative Pride Flag for five consecutive days at the county administration building in downtown Stockton.
If the measure garners a four-fifths vote, the rainbow LGBTQ+ flag will go up on Monday, June 27. It will be displayed for five days.
On Tuesday, the Manteca City Council will meet at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center to consider establishing a flag policy similar to what San Joaquin County adopted in 2022 and what the City of Stockton passed in 2019.
The decision by Interim City Manager Toni Lundgren to honor a request made by city employees among the 350 plus member municipal workforce to display the Pride Flag triggered a dustup in the community.
Most expressing opposition believed no flags other than the American and State of California flags should be displayed. A few specifically objected to the Pride Flag.
In absence of an established flag policy, Lundgren acted based on the authority conferred onto the city manager’s office to oversee the city’s offices and other municipal facilities.
In order to display the Pride Flag, the California state flag that flies to the east of the council chambers complex had to be replaced given the flagpole did not have an additional bracket needed to fly a second flag.
Lundgren said brackets are being ordered to allow a second flag to be flown below the state flag.
The American flag is on the western side of the council chambers building.
City Attorney David Nefouse reviewed the Stockton and county polices before drafting what the Manteca City Council will consider adopting.
Nefouse, in a staff report, indicated the policy is consistent with the latest United States Supreme Court decision, as well as federal and state laws.
The proposed policy limits commemorative flags to the flagpole outside of the City Administration Building and limits the time it may be displayed to no more than seven consecutive days.
The policy also requires a member of the City Council to bring the request to the council at a public meeting and the request must be approved by a four-fifths vote of the City Council.
Other provisions of the proposed flag police include:
*The policy is to provide procedural guidance for the displays of national, state, and other flags. In adopting this policy, the City Council declares that City of Manteca flagpoles, which include flagpoles located at City-owned buildings and facilities, are not intended to serve as a forum for free expression of or by the public.
*The United States Flag and the State of California Flag shall be displayed in accordance with Federal and State law, including Title 4 and Title 36 of the United States Code and Sections 430 through 439 of the California Government Code.
*The City of Manteca Flag, if displayed on a City flagpole with the United States Flag and California State Flag, shall be placed in the third position of honor below the United States Flag and California State Flag. * “Commemorative Flag” shall mean any flag which identifies with a specific date, historical event, cause, nation or group of people, whereby the City honors or commemorates the date, event, cause, nation or people by flying the flag.
*The City shall display Commemorative Flags only if authorized by the City Council as an expression of the city’s official speech in accordance with the procedures outlined in this policy.
*The City’s flagpoles are not intended to serve as a forum for free expression by or for the public.
*City flagpoles will only display flags that may be safely accommodated on the respective pole.
*Commemorative Flags may be displayed on the flagpole(s) outside of the City Administration Building under the California State Flag, if one is flown.
* Only one Commemorative Flag will be flown at a time.
*Commemorative Flags shall be displayed for a period of time that is reasonable or customary for the subject that is to be commemorated, but no longer than seven continuous days.
*Commemorative Flags will not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement, except when all-weather flags are used.
*If a Commemorative Flag is displayed with the United States Flag or the State of California Flag, it shall not be larger in size than the United States Flag or the State of California Flag.
*The City Council shall only consider a request to display a Commemorative Flag if the request is made by a member of the Manteca City Council. Requests to display Commemorative Flags may be placed on the City Council’s meeting agenda in accordance with City Council rules of procedure, thus requiring a consensus of the City Council.
*The City will not display a Commemorative Flag based on a request from a third party or outside entity/individual.
*The City Manager shall maintain a policy to provide uniform guidelines for flying flags at half-staff. This half-staff policy will be consistent with Federal laws. (
*Flags inside the City Hall Lobby: The United States Flag, California State Flag or any Sister City Flags (which the City Council finds are not commemorative flags) may be displayed in the lobby area of Manteca City Hall.
*The United States Flag and the California State Flag shall be the only flags displayed behind the dais in the City Council Chambers.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
