ACTION:
____________________________
Clerk/Secretary
Department: City Clerk Item No: C3
Prepared by: Kathy Valdez, City Clerk Meeting Date: May 23, 2023 Approved by: John Conley, City Manager Agenda Location: Consent Calendar SUBJECT: LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER AND QUEER (LGBTQ) PROGRESSIVE
PRIDE FLAG
RECOMMENDATION: Adopt City Council Resolution No. 2023- , directing staff to fly the Progressive Pride Flag at the Civic Center during the month of June 2023.
CORRELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS: Routine operational item not directly corresponding to a specific City Council goal.
PRIOR ACTION: On June 14, 2022, discussed and approved the authorization to display the LGBTQ Progressive Pride Flag during the month of June 2022 (Vote: 5-0).
On June 14, 2022, proclaimed June 2022 as “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month” in the City of Vista (No Vote).
A complete list of prior actions is included as Exhibit 2.
STATEMENT ON THE SUBJECT:
Each June, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is observed across the nation to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan, which are seen as the start of the LGBTQ rights movement in the United States. The purpose of Pride Month is to celebrate the LGBTQ community and honor its impact on history. The display of the Progressive Pride Flag throughout the month is a recognition of the diverse community of Vista and the City’s commitment to inclusivity.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with staff’s recommendation.
EXHIBITS:
1.City Council Resolution No. 2023- , directing staff to fly the Progressive Pride Flag at the Civic Center during the month of June 2023.
2.Prior Actions
AGENDA
REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
SUCCESSOR AGENCY
BUENA SANITATION DISTRICT
JOINT POWERS FINANCING AUTHORITY
05/23/2023 C3 1 of 3
Approved above recommendation, adopted City Council Resolution No. 2023-75.
Vote: 5-0
RESOLUTION NO. 2023-
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF
VISTA, CALIFORNIA, DIRECTING STAFF TO FLY THE PROGRESSIVE PRIDE FLAG AT THE CIVIC CENTER DURING THE MONTH OF JUNE 2023 The City Council the City of Vista does resolve as follows:
1. Findings. The City Council hereby finds and declares the following:
A. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is celebrated nationally each June.
B. The City Council has a history of recognizing Pride Month through the presentation of a proclamation and the flying of the Pride Flag.
2. Action.
A. The City Council desires for the Progressive Pride Flag to be displayed at the Civic Center throughout the month of June 2023 in recognition of Pride Month.
3. Adoption. PASSED AND ADOPTED at a meeting of the City Council of the City of Vista held on May 23, 2023, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
WALTER CHUNG, CITY ATTORNEY
By:
JOHN FRANKLIN, MAYOR
ATTEST:
KATHY VALDEZ, CITY CLERK
By:
APPROVED
Walter C. Chung
20230509095313
05/23/2023 C3 2 of 3
EXHIBIT 1
PRIOR ACTIONS
On June 14, 2022, discussed and approved the authorization to display the LGBTQ Progressive Pride Flag during the month of June 2022 (Vote: 5-0).
On June 14, 2022, proclaimed June 2022 as “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month” in the City of Vista (No Vote).
On June 8, 2021, proclaimed June 2021 as “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month” in the City of Vista (No Vote).
On June 9, 2020, proclaimed June 2020 as “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month” in the City of Vista (No Vote).
On June 11, 2019, adopted City Council Resolution No. 2019-79, proclaiming June 2019 as “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month” in the City of Vista (Vote: 5-0). 05/23/2023 C3 3 of 3
EXHIBIT 2
From:
To:Public Comments
Subject:May 23 Agenda, Item C3, PRIDE FLAG comment
Date:Monday, May 22, 2023 2:04:13 PM
5/22/2023
Dear Mayor Franklin and City Council members,
As a 45 year resident of this city where I still reside since I was a child, where I attended school, had my own family and purchased my own home, I would like to state for the record that I am adamantly opposed to having the rainbow pride flag flown at City Hall for the month of June. I could list many reasons for this opinion but will only give the main one which is that the rainbow is a symbol given to us by GOD and was never intended to be one which represents sexual choice, gender confusion, or the ideology of an activist group and we all know that is what it is being used to represent.
It’s been said that, when local governments fly third-party flags, they generally do so with the conscious intent of conveying a government message. This body here is to represent the people and I believe that if you asked every person who lives in Vista and not just those who happen to attend a meeting or participate in school related activism, or listen to the television that the consensus would be NOT to fly this flag.
This is not an organic movement within society. This is pushed onto the people by Corporations who own legislative people all across our country, designed to destabilize, demoralize, and to divide our country which is exactly the result it’s been having this past several years. People feeling the need or desire to do so can fly their own flags in their own yards and put stickers on their own cars and wear their own shirts wherever they choose. Why are the beliefs of the rest of us being infringed upon in the very towns in which we live? Doing so divides the community of its long term common beliefs, family values, and practices. We have a long standing mural in Vista near the Avo theater which shows the history of what our city was and still is and the photos depicted there include EVERYONE and the need to point out one;s gender, their desires and/or preferences wasn’t necessary ‘back then’ and shouldn’t be necessary now. The groups in favor don’t need their flag flown for the rest of us to prove that they are welcomed and included. They ALWAYS were.
To explain this further, my personal preference and that of my family would be a Jesus flag waving in the sky for all to see or one that represents a particular church in town, or a particular type of food, or a particular establishment, or a particular country, but I’m not asking for that nor am I offended that it likely wouldn’t be considered. Are the people who enjoy marijuana expecting you to fly a marijuana symbol flag for all to see? I will end by mentioning that by choosing NOT to fly this particular flag you’re doing NO harm to anyone or any group you’re simply remaining neutral on the subject which seems to be what a group elected by the people would choose to do in a case such as this where a large group of people will likely be offended. Abstaining from flying a special flag which favors
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any particular group is fair to all and equally in the best interest of ALL PEOPLE in Vista and leaves no particular type of people feeling uncomfortable.
Those who cherish the rainbow flag should be of the same conscientiousness towards others the same as the rest of us customarily are towards them. I believe that abstaining from flying the rainbow simply denotes neutrality which in itself is a form of freedom of expression which in turn is fair for everyone equally.
Thank you for the opportunity to be heard,
Deborah Kramer, resident of Vista
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Trans:
er are stork
To:
Public rnen6
Subject:
Agenda item © for todays maOng
Date:
Tuesday, May 23, 20D 6:55:10 AM
Dear members of City Council,
As a Vista resident and lover of all people, I send this e-mail in opposition to the flying of the progressive pride flag at Civic Center in June.
I am not against the cause, but I am against the division of our community. Flying a flag representing a specific people group, discriminates and divides against anyone that does not identify with this cause.
If we fly this flag, we will, in fairness, need to fly the flag of every people group represented in the City Of Vista.
Instead, I propose dut we continue to fly the City Of Vista flag. This encompasses us as a community and all of the people groups represented.
Thank you,
Brette Stork
Vista Ambassador Class, Fat 2019
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