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Peapack and Gladstone council approves short display of historic 14‑star Middlebrook flag after debate
Summary
After debate about whether the historic Middlebrook 14‑star flag has been co‑opted by extremist groups, the Peapack and Gladstone Borough Council amended and approved a resolution to fly the flag on the municipal building from Flag Day until July 6, with funding not to come from borough coffers.
The Peapack and Gladstone Borough Council voted Tuesday to approve a limited display of the historic Middlebrook 14‑star American flag on borough property as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary observances, after an hour of debate over the flag’s symbolism and community reaction.
The council amended Resolution 93‑26 to limit the display to Flag Day through July 6 and to restrict the location to the front flagpole at the municipal building; members also said the flag purchase should be donated rather than paid from borough funds. The motion to adopt the amended resolution passed on a roll‑call vote.
The debate centered on whether the flag — which supporters said commemorates the first time a variant of the U.S. flag flew in Somerset County — has been appropriated by extremist groups. “My concern is … it seems like this flag, unfortunately, has been kind of co‑opted by some extremist groups and white supremacy groups,” a council member said during the discussion. Another council member responded that the flag “is a really great piece of history” tied to local Revolutionary War sites and argued it should be honored.
Council members also discussed the period of display. One member said the resolution originally proposed flying the flag from June 14 through the end of the year and urged shortening the timeframe to avoid offending residents; the council ultimately agreed on the Flag Day–to–July 6 window.
Council members asked that the borough clarify whether the flag would be purchased or donated and noted that congressional proclamations permit the historic flag to be flown in conjunction with the American flag but not on its own. The resolution directs the borough to publish the adoption as required.
The council did not adopt a policy to permit other groups to request flag displays beyond this limited historic commemoration. The amended resolution passed by roll call with the majority voting in favor.
