June is LGBTQ Pride Month.
And the City Council will decide when they meet May 16 whether they will acknowledge it as such with a proclamation and flying the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer Pride Flag at the Civic Center.
Planning Commissioner Judith Blumhorst asked just that Tuesday during the council meeting’s citizens comment section.
Before adjourning less than an hour later, Mayor Gary Singh asked and secured a council consensus to place it on the next agenda for consideration.
It is the first use of the flag policy the council adopted last June after a staff decision to fly the Pride Flag sparked controversy in the community about whether it was an appropriate decision.
The Pride Flag may again fly over Manteca’s city hall — as well as the POW-MIA, Black Lives Matter or the Thin Blue Line Flag among others — only if four-fifths of the council concurs.
The question can only be put to a vote if a council member first seeks authorizing for a third flag to join the United States and California flags to fly at the Civic Center complex at 1001 W. Center St.
And if the council vote meets the four-fifths threshold on May 16, the flag policy limits the display of any additional flags — including the Pride Flag — to seven consecutive days.
The policy was put in place nearly 10 months ago on a 3-2 vote with Dave Breitenbucher and Charlie Halford dissenting.
“It would simplify our lives if we just said no other flags,” Halford said at the time.
By that Halford said it meant they would not be creating a controversy every time a different flag is raised.
Singh took a different tact.
While he noted back in June 2022 that “the world we live in today is different”, he added that having a policy in place would restrict who decided what flags could be flown to the City Council as opposed to an administrative decision.
Several people in letters, emails, and on social media in 2022 criticized Interim City Manager Toni Lundgren for honoring a request by city employees that the LGBTQ+ flag be flown in front of city hall during Pride Month.
Lundgren acted on the authority granted the city manager’s office for overseeing city facilities when there is no existing policy or ordinance in place that determines procedures.
While those objecting to a third flag being flown stressed only the United States and California flags be flown, other flags besides the Pride Flag have been hoisted on flagpoles in front of the Civic Center over the years.
Among them were the 1776 flag during the bicentennial, periodically the Tree USA flag the city receives for meeting criteria of being a “Tree City” each year by the National Arbor Day Association, and the POW/MIA flag.
Among other provisions of the flag policy are as follows:
* “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’s flagpoles are not intended to serve as a forum for free expression by or for the public.
*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 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 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.
*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@mantecabullertin.com
