The Mount Vernon City Council unanimously decided to add the Jewish American Flag to the flagpole outside city hall during the month of May to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month.
Council member Mark Andresen had brought the request for the flag to be added to the pole at the end of last May, leading to a split vote of the city council at the time. Mayor Tom Wieseler vetoed the measure, wanting a full year of the flag policy to have been completed before taking any requests to add new flags to the pole.
Citizen Keith Huebner voiced displeasure with the flag policy once again at the January 20 meeting, asking the council to stop flying flags that create division in the community.
Assistant city administrator Lori Boren said that with May now having three flags to be flown, she wanted council guidance on how to address the policy.
In May, the Asian American and Native Hawiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness flags are the two flags currently flown, with the Jewish American Heritage Month to be added.
Council member Craig Engel recommended flying the Asian American and Native Hawiian/ Pacific Islander flag for half of the month and the Jewish American flag for the other half of the month, with the Mental Health Awareness Month flag flying for the entirety of the month.
“Whichever flag started flying the first of the year this year, swap the other flag to fly first next year,” Engel said.
This was the only flag request that a council member had brought to be added to the flag pole for an addition or change from the community.
Only city council members can make requests to change the flags flown on the pole moving forward.
The city currently flies flags for: Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Arab American Heritage Month, Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, Pride Month, Juneteenth, Hispanic Heritage Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Native American Heritage Month, and National Veterans and Military Families months.