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Owasso council adopts official city flag after split vote and questions about participation
Summary
The Owasso City Council voted to adopt a proposed city flag after staff-led research and public engagement; council debate focused on limited written input (23 responses) and concerns about use of tribal imagery before a 3-2 roll call approval.
The Owasso City Council voted to adopt Resolution 2026-04, making the proposed design the city’s official flag after a council discussion that divided members.
JJ Dossett, who led the staff presentation, said the flag process began in June 2025 after resident Holden Foyle raised the idea. Dossett described staff research with the Owasso Historical Museum, collaboration with local artist Keith Whitfield, and a public display at City Hall that yielded 23 written responses and some emailed submissions. “The proposed design was displayed at city hall and we invited residents to share feedback,” Dossett said.
Local artist Keith Whitfield, who worked on the design concepts, urged the council to move forward and asked the council to “back up a little bit and maybe see if we can run at this thing again” only if necessary; he said he was “hopeful” the council would adopt the flag.
Several councilors said they appreciated the work but expressed reservations about enthusiasm and inclusiveness. One councilor questioned whether the outreach—primarily a City Hall display—reached a broad cross-section of residents. Another raised concerns about tribal imagery incorporated in the seal motif and said the design had provoked mixed feedback, including from someone identified as having tribal affiliation. Mayor Alvin Fruge and other supporters argued that the seal is a long-standing city brand dating to 1972 and that a simple, recognizable design that connects past and future is appropriate.
After discussion, Mayor Alvin Fruge moved to approve the resolution and the council adopted it on a roll-call vote (Yes: Councilor Chad Balthrop, Councilor Jamie Dunn, Councilor Preuget; No: Vice Mayor Paul Loving, Councilor Cody Walter). The resolution, if approved, will establish the design as a unifying civic symbol. Staff and presenters noted the design preserves the existing city seal as the flag’s centerpiece rather than changing the seal itself.
The council debate highlighted two recurring themes: the desire for a simple, recognizable flag that reflects Owasso’s history and the question of whether the engagement process produced sufficient community buy-in. City staff said physical displays, comment forms and a March work session informed the proposal.
With the resolution passed, the adopted design will become the official City of Owasso flag; staff said they would follow through on implementation and promotion steps outlined during the presentation.
