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Council weighs waiving $100 fee for hometown hero banners while clarifying eligibility
Summary
Council discussed history and costs of the hometown hero banner program, the program's expansion to nonresident VFW members, and a council proposal to waive the $100 new-banner fee for veterans; staff noted capacity and cost tradeoffs and will follow up with the VFW and provide a final submission deadline.
Councilors reviewed the hometown hero banner program during the March 2 work session and debated whether the city should waive the $100 application/printing fee for veterans.
Staff recounted the program history: the city initially reserved 75 banner poles and the first-year cost to the city was roughly $8,200 for printed banners; as the program expanded to 88 banners the city assessed charges when demand exceeded the initially committed 75. Staff said there is no charge to re-up an existing banner in good condition but new banners are $100, a figure driven by printing and shipping costs.
A council member proposed waiving the fee for veteran honorees, arguing that charging veterans to be honored is inappropriate. Other council members raised concerns about covering costs for nonresident applicants and suggested the city discuss options with the VFW and consider donors or private sponsorships to offset costs while preserving consistent eligibility rules. Staff agreed to follow up with VFW leadership, confirm deadlines for submissions, and return with a recommended policy or funding options for council consideration.
No final policy change or vote occurred at the meeting.
