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Bedford Heights council amends Juneteenth flag language to require display at municipal locations
Summary
Council amended proposed language to direct that Juneteenth flags fly from June 1 through the next business day after Juneteenth each year and to require display at all municipal locations rather than leave display to mayoral discretion; council moved the amendment by motion and approved it in the meeting.
The Bedford Heights City Council debated and amended proposed language governing display of Juneteenth flags, ultimately instructing that the flag be flown from June 1 through the next business day after the Juneteenth holiday annually and that the flags be displayed at all municipal locations.
Discussion focused on two principal points: (1) the precise date range for display (several members asked to extend the end date to the next business day if Juneteenth falls on a weekend), and (2) whether the mayor should retain discretion to determine other locations where the flag could be flown. Council members and staff agreed to amend the ordinance to remove the mayor’s discretion and to make display mandatory at municipal facilities. One council member suggested adding “annually” to the language so the measure would apply going forward.
Staff advised that, because the holiday and display date were imminent, the council could adopt the amendment at the meeting to allow flags to be flown immediately if desired. A motion to amend the ordinance to specify dates (June 1 through the next business day after Juneteenth, annually) and to require display at all municipal locations was made, seconded and carried by roll call in the transcript.
The council instructed staff and the law director to prepare the clean ordinance language and to forward the amendment into the code of law; the matter will be codified accordingly.
