New Milwaukee flag; Common Council votes to delay
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Common Council will continue the debate over changing Milwaukee's city flag after some council members called the possible replacement, "The People's Flag," does not represent all the people in the city.
That flag, also known as "Sunrise Over the Lake," has been around since 2016. The current city flag was adopted in the 1950s. The current flag has been said to be outdated, offensive and not representative of Milwaukee today.
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"If we want to make something official, we can't half-ass this," Alderman Mark Chambers, Jr. said oin Tuesday morning’s council meeting.
So the city's 1950s-era city flag will continue to fly, as efforts to replace it with The People's Flag stalled in the Common Council.
"We all represent some people that love it and some people that hate it," Alderwoman Milele Coggs said.
Those opposed say the replacement doesn't clearly represent Black or Latino residents.
The legislation also did not follow the city's typical equity process, or come with a fiscal impact note.
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"Do we want the symbol of our city to continue to look backward, or look forward?" Alderman Peter Burgelis asked. "And that we see opportunity and possibility on the horizon."
Burgelis sponsored the resolution. The People's Flag was selected as part of a design contest back in 2016 and can be seen throughout the city.
The current flag features the now-gone Milwaukee County Stadium and a Native American headdress.
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"It needs to be replaced," Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa said.
Alderman Bob Bauman had submitted a modified version of The People’s Flag, with Milwaukee City Hall featured. It was shot down.
"This alternative at least satisfies one of my concerns, and that was the generic nature of the original proposal," he said.
He said the design and selection of a new flag must be equitable, diverse, inclusive and unanimous.
"That's not The People's Flag if it passes by one vote," he said.
After a series of procedural processes, motions and more debate, the council held the item for a later date.
Chambers said he hopes the resolution dies, as "The People’s Flag" lacked input from more Black Milwaukeeans.
"We are here to work. We are here to do what's right for the people," he said. "Not some, but for all."
So now, all sides will keep their flags firmly planted, at least until the Common Council’s budget session set for next month. First on the agenda will be the flag resolution.
"I think my colleagues are still concerned about the process that happened eight years ago and that's totally legitimate," Burgelis said.
Between now and then, Burgelis hopes to have a better idea of what type of costs the city may have if it were to move forward with changing its flag.