San Joaquin County Supervisors ran a proposed flag policy change up the proverbial flagpole Tuesday.

The change would allow the POW/MIA flag to be flown six times a year.

It would carve out an exception to the existing policy that allows only for the United States, State of California, and county flags to be flown at county controlled facilities. No other flags would be allowed to be flown.

The board originally was supposed to discuss Supervisor Steve Ding’s proposal and decide if they wanted the amendment.

Instead, they decided to bring it back for more discussion at a later date.

The county delay on a flag policy change came the same day the Manteca City Council delayed acting on changing its own policy to roughly mirror the county’s existing policy.

Currently, categories of community-based groups that meet general guidelines established by the United States Supreme Court can request that the city manager fly their flag for five days over the Civic Center.

The current county flag policy 100 percent mirrors the  original proposal Councilwoman Regina Lackey made to change the city’s policy. The only semi-difference was it included a city flag that doesn’t yet exist instead of a county flag.

The policy change would apply to all city facilities including fire stations and those on property leased to outside organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Big League Dreams, and the Boys & Girls Club.

In discussing the policy change, council members were concerned the VFW would not be allowed to fly the VFW flag, the POW/MIA flag, and those of the various military branches.

It is why the proposal, with Lackey’s agreement, to have the city attorney advance the basic change she proposed with an exception for city-owned sites such as the VFW that would allow the flying of flags appropriate to their particular organization.

Since then, there had been some internal city debate whether such a carve out would pass a court test and whether it would subject the city to a lawsuit.

Gay veteran asks: Does the

Family City include her family?

The proverbial waters were further muddied Tuesday when a Manteca resident, who happened to be a gay and served in the U.S. military, expressed concerns the council retreating from its current flag policy was triggered specifically by a desire not to fly the Pride flag.

Lackey earlier this month said that was not the case and the timing of her request with Pride month was incidental.

The speaker, who said she was formerly from Tennessee and has made Manteca her home for years, said she felt comfortable here given it was much more accepting.

At the end of even-keeled comments, she stated, “This is the Family City and I hope it includes my family too.”

Earlier in the day, Supervisor Ding shared with his fellow board members that the 1998 Defense Authorization Act  for Congress specified that the POW/MIA flag be flown in six national days of observance.

It is definitely done as a reminder there are servicemen who have never been accounted for during the war.

The dates designated:

*Armed Forced Day, the third Saturday in May.

*Memorial Day, the last Monday in May.

*Flag Day, June 14.

*Independence Day, July 4.

*National POW/MIA Recognition Act, the Friday in September.

*Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com