FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
AGENDA ITEM #5
MEETING DATE: July 12, 2023
PREPARED FOR: Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY: Heather Abrams, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Display of American Flags and/or Depictions of Veterans during the Month of November 2023; authorize use of staff time to place flags
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Display of American Flags and or Depictions of Veterans during the Month of November 2023; authorize use of staff time to place flags.
DISCUSSION
In June 2023 Mayor Cutrano requested that the Town acknowledge Veteran’s Day in the month of November 2023 by installing of American flags and or depictions of veterans on the lamp posts in the downtown corridor. The flags would recognize veterans within the Fairfax community. Staff proposes to provide newsletter articles, a news post on the Town website, and the Age-Friendly newsletter to solicit specific image size photos and information about veterans with connections to Fairfax and then create the flags in time for display during the month of November.
Historically, the Town of Fairfax has displayed the United States flag and the California state flag on the flagpole that stands in front of Town Hall. That flagpole is managed by the Ross Valley Fire Department which raises, lowers, and flies at half-staff the American flag based on federal guidelines. On May 4, 2022 the Council adopted a flag policy. The policy ensures that the Town retains control of its flagpoles to fly commemorative flags that express the Town’s official sentiments. The policy prohibits third-party requests for commemorative flag displays, only allowing for the display of commemorative flags when the request is brought forth by a Town Council member and then authorized by the Town Council as an expression of the Town’s official sentiments.
There are 30 flag posts in the downtown corridor which straddles Bolinas Road and Broadway as well as Center Blvd. Flag posts have been used in previous years to display Fairfax Festival flags and Pride flags. 2 FISCAL IMPACT
There are 30 flag posts available in downtown Fairfax. It requires two Public Works crew members a total of four hours each to hang all the flags. The fully loaded salary and benefit rate is $81.58 for employee #1 and $64.91 for employee #2. The cost of the Public Works crew to hang 30 flags on the lamp post in the downtown corridor will be $538.00. The cost of the banners is $112.00 per banner, totaling $3,360 for 30 banners.
ATTACHMENT
Resolution
RESOLUTION 23-___
A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF FAIRFAX
AUTHORIZING THE DISPLAY OF AMERICAN FLAGS AND/OR DEPICTIONS OF VETERANS DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023; AUTHORIZE USE OF STAFF
TIME TO PLACE FLAGS
WHEREAS, Mayor Cutrano requested the display of American flags and or depictions of veterans during the month of November 2023; and
WHEREAS, Council authorizes the use of Town staff time and funding for this project; and
WHEREAS, to honor veterans with a connection to Fairfax California; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town Council of the Town of Fairfax hereby authorizes the display of American flags, Veterans’ Day inspired flags, and/or depictions of veterans during the month of November 2023 and authorizes the use of staff time to place flags.
The foregoing resolution was duly passed and adopted at a special meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Fairfax on the 12th day of July 2023 by the following vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
____________________________
Chance Cutrano, Mayor
Attest: __________________________
Michele Gardner, Town Clerk