Flags are flown on Main Street too long

[Majortcs]

I am a very patriotic Veteran. In my town, Farmington Ct, like many towns in New England the flags are up and down Main Street. It used to be they went. Up and Down for the major holidays, Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day. Now they have been up continuously since early May. Some are tattered and torn. How can I ask the town to take them down after Labor Day?

[NAVA1974]

I am a very patriotic Veteran. In my town, Farmington Ct, like many towns in New England the flags are up and down Main Street. It used to be they went. Up and Down for the major holidays, Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day. Now they have been up continuously since early May. Some are tattered and torn. How can I ask the town to take them down after Labor Day?

Does the town have the money to pay people to take down the flags? If not, could you organize volunteers to remove them?

Regards,
Nick

[Robin Hickman]

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Hello, MajorCTS !

Welcome to the USA-Flag-Site Forums !



QUOTE : "How can I ask the town to take them down after Labor Day?"


ASK THEM !!!


Call the Mayor's Office and ask.
Call individual members of the Town Council and ask.
Attend the next Town Council meeting and ask?
Contact members of the Veterans' Memorial Committee and ask.
Contact the town's Public Works Dept. and ask.
Contact the local Chamber of Commerce and ask.

Not getting anywhere?

Write a letter to the editor of EVERY nearby newspaper and ask.
Call every local TV stations' news department and ask.
Call every local radio station and ask.

Nobody listening to your "lone voice in the wilderness"?

GET MORE HELP !!!

Call local V.F.W. Posts and ask.
Call local American Legion Posta and ask.
Call local Elks Lodges and ask.
Call local Moose Lodges and ask.
Call local Eagles Lodges and ask.


Thank You for bringing your Flag-related question to our Forums !!!


Robin Hickman
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[coasterville]

That's a good point, the reason may be real simple.

Either
A: The town in question believes lining main street year round with the flag presents a patriotic image.
B: The town in question simply does not have the funds/manpower to post/strike the flags every flag holiday.


If you can find the right person to ask, you may find out which it is. If it' B, then maybe you can be the one to volunteer for that civic duty. I think Robin can speak better to that, as I believe that's why they either own or are the steward of hundreds of flags, that they organize the set up and take down on the key dates.

I know the town I pass through on the way to work has a simple but effective means. They have a guy that stands on the back of a flat bed truck that drives real slow down the main street and from the height of the truck bed they can easily reach the holders to set up or take down the flags. They have a bin sitting next to them on the truck bed to hold the flags.

[Robin Hickman]

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Hey, Coasterville !


MajorCTS hasn't been back since his/her initial posting here. I'm "almost" tempted to a link to this page to someone in an "official" capacity in Farmington, CT.

Don't know if it would be of any use or do any good, but it sure is tempting!


I can not speak for every city and town here in Oregon (or elsewhere) that has some kind of "holiday" flag flying service. In all of the locations I do know about, the Flags are tended to by civic, community, private, or non-profit types of organizations. In other words, NON-governmental entities.


It is only a guess on my part, but I'd like to think that in most cases of "Flag Neglect" it's more or less people not recognizing that there's a "problem". They are so used to seeing a Flag (or Flags) in a location that no matter what condition it's in they are no longer "conscious" of its existence. It kind of "disappears" because it "blends into" the background scenery. I'd also like to think that when it's brought to their attention, they'd fix it as soon as possible.


Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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[Robin Hickman]

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Here's a "draft" copy of the e-mail I'd like to send to the Farmington, CT. Town Manager, Asst. Town Manager, Town Clerk, and ALL the members of the Town Council.

==================================================

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN :

Hello!

My name is Robin Hickman and I'm a member of the Forums at USA-Flag-Site.org.

A few days ago, a resident of Farmington started a thread in one of our Forums titled, "Flags are flown on Main Street too long". He/She stated what the "problem" was and asked for some advice on how to deal with it. Some of us have replied, but the original poster has not been back to read the replies or to respond to them.

Even though I'm not a resident of Farmington (I live in Eugene, Oregon) I'd thought it was important enough to send you folks a link to the thread so that you could read it.

http://www.usa-flag-site.org/forum/flags-flown-main-street-too-long-8349.html#post27287


Thank You!

Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA

================================================== =

So..... What do you think ???

Robin
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[Robin Hickman]

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Hmmmm..... No comments or suggestions about my "draft" e-mail. So I guess I'll go ahead and send it to the "Powers That Be" in Farmington, Connecticut.


Robin
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[Robin Hickman]

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GREETINGS !!!


As of this morning I have received two (2) replies from the good folks in Farmington, CT. The first one was from the town Council Chairman and the second from the Town Manager.

Below is a copy of the actual e-mail that I sent yesterday (updated draft copy), followed by the two responses.


If there is actually a "problem" with the Town's Flags, or if there isn't, I hope they'll get back to us and let us know about it. ESPECIALLY if they can "fix it"!!!


Robin

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[11/18/2010 1:42:44 P.M. Pacific Standard Time]

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN :

Hello!

My name is Robin Hickman and I'm a member of the Forums at USA-Flag-Site.org.

A few days ago, a resident of Farmington started a thread in one of our Forums titled, "Flags are flown on Main Street too long". He/She stated what the "problem" was, expressed concern, and asked for some advice on how to deal with it. Some of us have replied, but the original poster has not been back to read the replies or to respond to them.

Even though I'm not a resident of Farmington (I live in Eugene, Oregon) I'd thought it was important enough to send you folks a link to the thread so that you could read it.

http://www.usa-flag-site.org/forum/flags-flown-main-street-too-long-8349.html#post27287


Thank You!

Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA

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[11/18/2010 5:47:36 P.M. Pacific Standard Time]

Thanks Robin. As Chairman of the Town Council we appreciate your efforts from 3000 miles away. We'll take a look into the problem.

Thanks for your thoughtfulness!

Mike Clark
Town Council Chairman

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[11/19/2010 6:20:41 A.M. Pacific Standard Time]

Thank you Robin for bringing this to my attention. I will contact the appropriate people to take a look at the problem.

Thank you.

Kathy Eagen
Town Manager