With the city of Merriam’s new flag display policy in place, two additional flags will be flown on city property next summer.
The Merriam City Council last week unanimously voted to approve requests by a councilmember to fly the LGBTQ/Pride flag as well as the Juneteenth flag at the base of a flag pole display area in front of city hall, 9001 W. 62nd St. These flags will fly on four separate poles at the base of the three flag poles already at city hall.
This comes a few months after the city council unanimously voted to adopt a new flag display policy, a move prompted by the city council’s decision to exclude “thin blue line” flags from the city’s Flags 4 Freedom event.
Flags for Pride Month and Juneteenth will fly
- The city’s new policy stipulates that beyond national, state, county, city and POW/MIA flags, only local sports team flags or the national responder flag (on National Responder Day) can be flown on city-owned poles.
- Still, requests can be made by councilmembers to approve additional flag displays for one-time exceptions as they arise.
- Councilmember Jacob Laha requested that the city display the LGBTQ flag on the flag display outside city hall during the entire month of June for Pride Month.
- Laha also requested that the city display the Juneteenth flag from June 12 to 26 in honor of the national holiday, which falls on June 19.
- In approving Laha’s request, the city agreed to pay $400 for the cost of new flags. Assistant City Administrator Caitlin Gard told the Post on Monday that that cost will change based on how many new flags the city needs to purchase each year, but the city will keep all of its flags in storage to use in future years.
- These were the only flags requested for display in 2025. Because the deadline at the end of August has passed, this also means the flag display area in front of Merriam City Hall is booked for 2025.
‘Thin blue line’ flags for city event led to new policy
- Over the summer, the city council opted to display only the U.S. flag during the city’s Flags 4 Freedom event, which occurs annually during the week of Independence Day.
- This was the first year that Merriam itself sponsored the event, which was previously overseen by a volunteer group. A councilmember previously raised concerns over displaying some “thin blue line” flags, which the volunteer group began displaying in recent years.
- First created in 2014 by a college student, the flag is intended to show solidarity with law enforcement but has also been used as a symbol of opposition to the ongoing racial justice movement and appears frequently at conservative political events.
- In May, more than two dozen speakers asked the city council to keep the “thin blue line” flags as part of the event.
- Later that same month, the city council decided in a 6-2 vote to exclude “thin blue line” flags from the event and also asked city staff to work on a citywide flag policy.
Only councilmembers can make requests
- Mayor Bob Pape said that if any residents want a specific flag flown in front of city hall, then they are to contact a councilmember directly.
- Pape said any requests need to come from a councilmember, but residents can ask a representative to request something specific.
- Any incoming requests would be for the 2026 calendar year, though, because requests for 2025 are now closed.
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