Following a robust conversation, Rocky Mountain House town council has adopted a new flag-flying policy.
The bylaw reads:
- The Town of Rocky Mountain House flag will be flown at all properties and facilities owned and operated by the Town, where there are sufficient flagpoles.
- It is not to be removed from display except to make room for the flag of a higher order of government.
The town maintains three official flag-flying locations: at town office, the Lou Soppit Community Centre, and the fire hall.
Acting Mayor Len Phillips suggested an amendment to fly a special flag on a pole in the lobby of town office for one week. Deputy Mayor Dale Shippelt was in favor, while Councillor Tina Hutchinson opposed, citing the lobby’s poor visibility for flags.
Councillor Ken Moesker proposed that the special flags in the lobby be those of organizations officially recognized as charitable service clubs in the community, to avoid the perception that council makes “judgment calls” about which flags are flown.
However, the policy was adopted as originally presented.
Now that the policy has been adopted, CAO Dean Krause noted that any organization requesting their flag to be flown will be informed that the town only flies flags listed in the policy’s order of precedence.
To avoid conflict, council also debated The Proclamation Policy (Bylaw 009/2021), which addresses flying an organization’s flag as part of an official town proclamation.
After some debate about public perception and the role of council in deciding what special flags are flown, council unanimously rescinded the policy.
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