Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the State Flag topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge Detroit Lakes to fly Minnesota state flag; council held to compromise
Summary
Multiple residents told the council to fly Minnesota’s redesigned state flag, citing community pride and recent state funding; others urged neutrality, and the council’s compromise to fly neither flag remained in place after public comment.
At a recent Detroit Lakes City Council meeting, several residents urged the council to fly the redesigned Minnesota state flag, while others asked the council to remain neutral.
Pam Whmer Benedict, who said she owns property on West Lake Drive, told the council, "I am advocating for hanging the flag," arguing the new design is more visible and symbolic. "Pride and gratitude are those reasons," she said. Jeff Scodmo said he found the decision not to fly the state flag "rather embarrassing," asking what message the council is sending to students and tourists.
Longtime resident Janine Schneider, a member of the library board, recounted community pride and listed recent state funding to the city — including local government aid and grants for a water treatment plant, airport runway extension and library roof — and asked the council to call a new vote to fly the new flag. Don Johnson defended the redesign and said the new flag "contains no racist overtones and simply represents the beauty of Minnesota." In contrast, Brian Alstein urged the council to keep a neutral stance so the issue can be resolved at the ballot box and not turn the city into a partisan battleground.
One public commenter, Gary Cosen, made a legal allegation about the legislature’s authority to change the flag; the council did not take evidence or a legal ruling at the meeting. Council discussion later in the session referenced a prior compromise to fly neither the old nor the new state flag; Council member Aaron said defending the compromise, "It's a fair compromise by not flying either flag."
Why it matters: The flag debate attracted many public commenters and surfaced tensions over state symbolism, local identity and how municipal bodies should respond to statewide policy changes. Residents connected the issue to civic pride and recent state investments in city projects.
Outlook: The meeting did not include a council re-vote on flying the state flag. Council members and staff reiterated that public input was heard; any formal change would require an agenda item and a council vote at a future meeting.
