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Resident seeks council approval for Hagerstown–Hagerstown, Ind. sister-city flag design
Summary
Michael Keeper presented a student-designed flag to represent the sister-city relationship between Hagerstown, Maryland, and Hagerstown, Indiana, and asked the council to consider adopting the design at a regular session.
HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Michael Keeper told the Mayor and Council on Feb. 11 that he wants the city to adopt a sister-city flag to represent Hagerstown’s formal relationship with Hagerstown, Indiana, and asked the council to place an adoption vote on a forthcoming regular-session agenda.
Keeper said the sister-city link began in February 2013. He described a student-led design process with Barbara Ingram School for the Arts and said he selected a winning design by student Brielle Thayer; Keeper said he plans to award the student $100. He asked the council to include the design in the agenda for a regular-session vote at the end of the month and said he will hold off on producing commercial flags until the council takes formal action.
Why it matters: Sister-city flags are ceremonial symbols intended to recognize civic ties and support cultural and educational exchanges. Keeper suggested the flag could anchor exchanges such as student collaborations, scholarships and visits between the two communities.
Council reaction and next steps: Several councilmembers expressed support for the idea and suggested a formal vote at a regular session. Keeper said he plans to travel to the Indiana sister city in late May and invited council members to join.
Ending: No formal council vote was taken at the work session; Keeper asked the council to include the design on a regular-session agenda for formal action.
