Wolcott council adopts flag ordinance limiting displays on town property

The Wolcott Town Council voted July 21 to adopt a new flag ordinance that restricts which flags may be flown on town-owned property and declares town flagpoles a nonpublic forum for government speech.

Under the ordinance the only flags that may be flown on town properties are the United States flag, the State of Connecticut flag, the POW/MIA flag and the Town of Wolcott flag. The ordinance lists narrow discretionary exceptions: the mayor or the council may authorize official service flags of the armed forces or an official unit flag to recognize service; chiefs of public-safety departments may authorize departmental or unit flags for their facilities; and the school superintendent may authorize official school flags and, indoors, the display of foreign country flags for educational purposes with Board of Education approval.

The ordinance explicitly states that "flagpoles owned or maintained by the Town are not intended to serve as a forum for free expression by the public, but rather as a nonpublic forum for the display of the flags authorized herein, as government speech." That language frames the town's legal position on public-expression claims and limits public requests to use town poles as a public forum.

Council action: the ordinance was approved on a roll-call vote, 7-yes, 1-no, after a brief discussion. The clerk's packet included two emailed expressions in favor of the Flag Ordinance filed the day of the meeting.

What comes next: the ordinance takes effect as adopted; implementation requires town staff to follow the ordinance's permit and approval pathways for any discretionary flag displays and to comply with the U.S. Flag Code where applicable. The council did not direct any immediate policy changes beyond formal adoption.

Votes at a glance - Motion: Approve the Flag Ordinance (mover: Rachel Wisler; second: Cory Lagasse). Vote: 7-yes, 1-no.