Speakers applaud city's Pride proclamation and urge visible steps like raising flags

The council read a proclamation recognizing June 2025 as LGBTQIA+ Month and several residents used the citizen-comment period to urge the city to follow the proclamation by raising flags and adopting visible markers of inclusion.

Why it matters: advocates said visible signage such as a Pride flag or a Juneteenth flag can improve safety and belonging for marginalized residents. The topic recurred in public comment and the council acknowledged the remarks.

Cassandra Schwartz, speaking on behalf of Penny Psalm of District 2, said: “Raising the pride flag is more than a gesture. It's a symbol of safety, visibility, and belonging.” Reverend Sarah Almanza of First Christian Church Puyallup described her congregation’s supportive services and called the proclamation “life-saving work.” Multiple speakers noted personal experiences in which visible signs of inclusion altered how safe they felt in the community.

What the council did: the council formally read and adopted the Pride proclamation during the proclamations portion of the agenda. No formal motion to change flag-raising policy or schedule flags during the meeting was introduced; speakers and council members characterized the citizen comments as requests that merit further administrative follow-up.

Ending: Council members thanked the speakers; staff and the mayor noted the proclamation and signaled that city processes (such as a flag-raising schedule or policy) would need to be handled through staff operations and future council discussion if formal policy changes were requested.