Erie council narrows flag policy, removes university awareness list from banner options

The Erie Town Council adopted a narrower town flag and street-decor policy on Tuesday, choosing an option that limits flags flown on municipal poles while adding a formal banner/street-decor authorization.

Town Manager Malcolm Fleming told the council that the town’s previous administrative practice — established in 2021 after attorney review — allowed flag displays tied to presidential or gubernatorial proclamations and had been extended in practice to include Juneteenth and, earlier this year, Pride-related displays. The council had requested staff and counsel produce alternatives after disagreement this summer about when and which flags should fly.

The council considered three options: keep the current approach, allow local proclamations adopted by council (a broader approach supporters said would preserve Pride and Juneteenth displays), or narrow allowable flags to the U.S., Colorado, the town flag (if adopted), and POW/MIA while adding explicit street-banner rules. Council also discussed whether to include a University of Colorado monthly-awareness calendar as an administrative list for banner requests.

Supporters of the wider approach, including several public commenters and Councilmember Baer, argued that flying Pride and Juneteenth flags on municipal poles offers visibility and communicates that marginalized residents belong. Those speakers emphasized inclusion and pointed to other municipalities that fly visibility flags without litigation.

Opponents, including Mayor Pro Tem Bell and Mayor Moore, said the town must avoid making flagpoles a public forum that could invite legal risk or create perceptions that the town government is picking political or cultural sides. They said returning to a narrowly defined set of flags would preserve equity by keeping municipal flagpoles reserved for official government expression.

After extended debate and multiple citizen comments — both for and against flying inclusivity flags — the council voted to adopt option 3 but specifically directed staff to remove the University of Colorado monthly-awareness calendar from banner authorization. The vote was taken by roll call and recorded in the council minutes.

The town manager and town attorney said the new policy will add an explicit banners/street-decor section to clarify how the town may authorize displays on town-owned streetlights and other fixtures. Staff also said the policy change clarifies administrative procedures and reduces ambiguity about when flags may be flown.

What’s next: staff will update the administrative policy document and bring the redlined language to council and the public; the council and town attorney said they will provide additional clarity about the process for proclamations and any future requests for banners.