City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: FEBRUARY 27, 2024 FROM: GENERAL SERVICES WARDS: ALL SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF A DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH FLAG TO BE ADDED TO THE COMMEMORATIVE FLAG SCHEDULE ISSUES:
Consider the addition of the Disability Pride Month flag to be added to the commemorative flag schedule.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve the addition of Disability Pride Flag to the commemorative flag schedule for the upcoming year; and Direct staff to return to a subsequent City Council meeting with a resolution supporting the City’s display of the Disability Pride Flag during the month of July.
BACKGROUND:
On January 17, 2023, the City Council adopted a resolution establishing the City of Riverside Flag Policy (attachment 2), which provides a set of guidelines to ensure the uniform handling and display of flags at City facilities. In addition, the adopted Flag Policy sets forth guidelines for the display of commemorative flags. A commemorative flag under this policy means a flag that identifies a specific date, historical event, cause, or group of people, whereby the City honors or commemorates the date, event, cause, or people by flying the flag. At this same meeting, the City Council requested that staff solicit input from the Human Relations Commission regarding developing a schedule for display of commemorative flags at City facilities.
The flag policy adopted in January 2023, detailed how commemorative flags are selected, and specifically if a “third party” may request a flag, in which case the policy includes the following:
The City will not display a commemorative flag based on a request of a third party or to sponsor the expression from a third party.
In January of each year, the City Council will consider the display of commemorative flags for the upcoming year.
In addition to the annual consideration, a Council Member may, at any time during the year, suggest the display of additional flags meeting the criteria of this policy. Consideration would be by a two-step process where on an agenda the Council considers the request, and if supported by a motion approved by a majority of the Councilmembers, staff would return with a formal resolution authorizing display of a commemorative flag. A majority of the City Council must vote affirmatively for said resolution.
On June 6, 2023, by a majority vote the City Council adopted Resolution 23996 authorizing the display of commemorative flags at City Hall and where possible at other City facilities, as follows:
Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27 only)
Black History Month (February, entire month)
Women’s Suffrage Victory Flag (March, entire month)
LGBTQ Pride Month (June, entire month except for June 19) Juneteenth (June 19 only)
On January 16, 2024, by a majority vote the City Council approved the commemorative flag schedule for the upcoming year consisting of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Black History Month, Women’s Suffrage Victory Flag, LGBTQ Pride Month and Juneteenth. At this same meeting, staff were directed to return to City Council with a resolution supporting the City’s display of the flags chosen. The resolution is on the City Council consent calendar for February 27, 2024.
On January 23, 2024, Ward 4 Councilmember Conder requested an agenda item be brought forward for a commemorative flag for Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, in accordance with the process for consideration of new flags under the City’s flag policy.
On January 31, 2024, staff solicited input from the Human Relations Commission on how to recognize groups and causes which do not have established commemorative flags. This item will be agendized for the Governmental Processes Committee’s consideration on April 3, 2024.
DISCUSSION:
On January 31, 2024, the Human Relations Commission considered and expressed support for recognizing Developmental Disabilities Awareness Day or Month; however, there is not an established commemorative flag for this specific cause. There is an established commemorative flag recognizing persons with disabilities of all types, including cognitive and intellectual disabilities, which is the Disability Pride Month flag.
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, recognized in March seeks to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all facets of community life, as well as awareness of the barriers that people with disabilities still face in connecting to the communities in which they live. This month is associated with the color green. It differs from Disability Pride Month in that it focuses solely on developmental disabilities, while Disability Pride Month recognizes disabilities of all types: physical, cognitive, psychiatric, sensory, invisible and/or undiagnosed.
Disability Pride Month is recognized in July, and celebrates people with disabilities, their identities, their culture, and contributions to society. The Disability Pride Month flag’s parallel stripes stand for intracommunal solidarity. The colors on the flag symbolize various disability experiences. The black background mourns disabled people who have died due to negligence, suicide, illness, and eugenics. The stripes colors represent disability types:
Red: physical disabilities
Gold: cognitive and intellectual disabilities
White: non-visible and undiagnosed disabilities
Blue: psychiatric disabilities
Green: sensory disabilities
An image of the Disability Pride Flag is provided below.
Disability Pride Flag
If the Disability Pride Month flag is approved by a majority of the City Council for addition to the commemorative flag schedule for the upcoming year, staff will return to City Council with a resolution supporting the City’s display of the flag(s) chosen.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
Commemorative flags support Strategic Priority 5 – High Performing Government, and Goal 5.5, Foster a culture of safety, well-being, resilience, sustainability, diversity and inclusion across the City organization.
Commemorative flags align with EACH of the five Cross-Cutting Threads in the Envision Riverside 2025, as follows:
Community Trust – In accordance with the City of Riverside Flag Policy, which was reviewed publicly at three meetings of the Inclusiveness, Community Engagement & Governmental Processes Committee prior to being adopted by the City Council, the consideration on adding the Disability Pride Month flag to the commemorative flags schedule for the upcoming year is agendized for Council review, furthering public transparency.
Equity – Commemorative flags promote equity and representation for diverse groups of people and historical events, consistent with the City’s adopted vision, mission and strategic priorities.
Fiscal Responsibility – Any commemorative flags purchased as a result of Council action will be procured in accordance with City purchasing policy.
Innovation – Commemorative flags provide an innovative way to promote diversity and inclusion by recognizing specific groups or causes consistent with the City’s adopted vision, mission and strategic priorities.
Sustainability & Resiliency – Commemorative flags promote social sustainability, as an integral component of sustainability is the ability to embrace diverse communities.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Total fiscal impact is estimated to be under $100. If approved by the City Council, the General Services Department budget will absorb the costs to purchase the Disability Pride Month Flag.
Prepared by: Shari Call, Deputy General Services Director Approved by: Carl Carey, General Services Director
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Edward Enriquez, Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer/ Treasurer Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
Presentation
Flag Policy
Commemorative Flags ● Page 2