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Dozens of residents urge Butte‑Silver Bow to adopt or fly pride flag; council took no vote
Summary
During public comment, multiple residents and advocacy groups asked the Council of Commissioners to adopt or fly a pride flag for the City‑County. Speakers included representatives from the Butte Pride Foundation, Catalyst Montana and the ACLU of Montana; no formal council action was taken at the June 11 meeting.
Dozens of residents used the public‑comment period at the June 11 Council of Commissioners meeting to urge Butte‑Silver Bow to adopt the pride flag or to fly a municipal pride flag during June.
Speakers representing community groups and residents framed the request as a matter of inclusion and public visibility. Heidi Doxey, president‑elect of the Butte Pride Foundation, told the council: "The pride flag is a symbol of inclusion, support, and love." Doxey asked the county to adopt the historic pride flag and its variations as official flags to fly over Butte‑Silver Bow.
Other speakers echoed that appeal. Henry Seton of the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana said the ACLU supports the action and that, in his view, the city would be legally protected if it chose to raise the flag: "It’s our opinion as an organization that the city of Butte is well within its right legally to raise this flag and to show LGBT residents that they're welcome here." Several speakers described personal or family connections to the LGBTQ+ community; Zoe Axholm, a U.S. Army veteran and registered nurse, quoted Maya Angelou to underline the point: "The truth is no one of us can be free until everyone is free."
Why it matters: Adopting or flying the pride flag is a symbolic action that residents say signals municipal support for inclusion and safety for LGBTQ+ residents and visitors. Several speakers referenced similar actions in other Montana cities and urged Butte to follow suit.
Speakers who addressed the council included representatives and residents from a range of organizations: Heidi Doxey (Butte Pride Foundation, president‑elect), Paisley Wanamaker (Walkerville resident), Haley Nielsen (resident and District 10 constituent), Connie Thompson (resident and Montana Tech alum), Jenny Ellis (District 9 resident), Han Pate (Catalyst Montana community organizer), Julie Crowley (resident), Henry Seton (ACLU of Montana), and Zoe Axholm (registered nurse and veteran). The speakers requested adoption or designated flying of the flag, but no formal motion or vote was scheduled during the meeting.
Ending: Council members did not act on the requests during the meeting; speakers said they would continue outreach to the council. The public comment record will remain part of the meeting minutes for commissioners to consider at a future agenda item.
