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Resident urges Freeborn County to stop flying old Minnesota flag, calls seal imagery 'dehumanizing'
Summary
During public comment a resident said Freeborn County still flies the pre‑2024 Minnesota flag and argued the old seal’s imagery is dehumanizing; she asked whether the county had purchased old flags since the state adopted a new flag on May 11, 2024. No board action was taken at the meeting.
Jennifer Vogt Erickson told the Freeborn County Board of Commissioners that the county continues to fly Minnesota’s old flag and urged officials to consider replacing it with the new state flag adopted on May 11, 2024.
Vogt Erickson said she had asked county staff two follow-up questions: how many old flags remain in county inventory and whether the county had purchased additional flags of the old design since May 11, 2024. She framed the issue as both symbolic and practical, arguing the imagery in the old seal depicts “the ethnic cleansing of indigenous people from Minnesota” and that continuing to fly that image sends the wrong message to prospective residents. "The seal on the old flag depicts the ethnic cleansing of indigenous people from Minnesota..." she said.
The board did not take immediate action during the meeting; staff and commissioners acknowledged the question and said they would review inventory and past purchases. The matter was not listed as an agenda item and no resolution to change flag policy was introduced during the session.
Why it matters: Vogt Erickson linked the flag question to broader community concerns about inclusivity and attracting new residents, noting county population decline and school consolidations in the region. She asked that the county clarify its inventory and purchasing practices so residents can understand whether retaining the old flag is a policy choice or an inventory/stock issue.
Next step: No formal board action was taken at the meeting; staff were asked to follow up on inventory and purchases and the topic may be brought back if the board seeks a policy change or replacement.
