MONTVALE, N.J.—A proposed flag flying policy originally initated by a request to fly the Gay Pride Flag outside Borough Hall will get its first public airing Sept. 16, 6 to 7 p.m. at a “mini town hall” to be held by Mayor Michael Ghassali.
Ghassali told Pascack Press that the town hall meeting at Borough Hall will give residents an opportunity to be heard on the issue, which has been popping up lately all over Bergen County as more towns celebrate Gay Pride Month in June.
Residents will get a chance to voice opinions Sept. 16 about the proposed flag flying measure before Ghassali and at least a couple council members—or more—at the event. The council is scheduled to discuss it at a regular public meeting Sept. 24.
Ghassali defined a “mini town hall” as a meeting that does not have a quorum, or majority, of council members present.
“We’re just listening right now,” said Ghasssali of the informal public forum.
“This is if we even decide to have a policy. The American flag is inclusive of all the flags,” noted the mayor, a Syrian-American who said Montvale’s diversity includes representatives of 44 nations as residents.
Ghassali said a draft policy on municipal flag-flying has been posted on the borough’s website and he has heard from a couple dozen residents in person and more via email and phone expressing opinions.
Borough Attorney Joseph Voytus drafted the policy following a reguest from a resident to fly the Pride Flag outside town hall next year during June, which is Gay Pride Month.
“In adopting this policy, the Borough Council declares that the Borough’s flagpoles are not intended to serve as a public forum for free expression of the public, but rather for the display of federal, state and municipal flags and the POW-MIA flag, and any commemorative flags as may be authorized by resolution of the Borough Council as an expression of the Borough’s official sentiments,” states the draft policy.
U.S. Flag ‘inclusive’
Ghasssali said Aug. 26 that he believes flying the American flag covers all flag bases.
“I’d rather just have one [American] flag that is inclusive of all,” repeated the mayor to Pascack Press.
He said he had been asked by a pro-life group to fly to the pro-life flag and not to fly the Gay Pride flag.
“That’s where the complications come in,” said Ghassali. Ghassali said after hearing from the public on Sept. 16, and on Sept. 24, the council will make a decision that night on its draft flag policy.
According to the policy, the council would have to approve a resolution for each separate commemorative flag before it is flown outside of Borough Hall.
On July 30, resident Jarrett Schumacher requested that discussion of a draft flag policy be televised and in public.
He said there was “a perception” that such discussion was not public but Ghassali noted there would be further discussion, including possible coverage by residents on Facebook Live, in Pascack Press, at upcoming meetings, and maybe on Montvale’s public access channel.
“There’s going to be a lot of comments about it. And in some ways I think that it’s a great idea and in some ways,” maybe not, said Councilwoman Annmarie Russo-Vogelsgang.
She wondered, “where do you draw the line on it[?]… I don’t think that we should fly a flag a week.”
Vogelsgang said municipal flag-flying “should cover at least the most major things” and she said that’s what needs to be discussed and clarified in order to be “all-inclusive.”
“I think the mayor and council would probably agree with me: We want everyone in town to know that whatever you are and whoever you are, we support you. But now how do you translate that into a flag,” she said.
Vogelsgang said the council “will come up with a plan that’s as good for everybody and as best we can get…making it better as we go.”
At the late July meeting, two students from Pascack Hills High School’s Gay-Straight Alliance spoke in favor of flying the Pride Flag. Vogelsgang said she supported “the kids of this town” who want to feel included.
Throughout Bergen County, flying and display of the Pride Flag on municipal property continues to be a contentious issue.
While towns such as Westwood, Tenafly and Englewood have led the way in flying the Pride Flag at town hall, others such as Wyckoff declined to fly the flag and instead fastened “rainbow ribbons” around light poles near town hall. One Essex County town, Maplewood, painted crosswalks in rainbow colors during Pride Month in 2018.
Many towns have not flown the Pride flag, fearing dissent from residents wanting to fly other flags that may leave residents upset or be inappropriate.
In 2018, after flying the Pride Flag for two years, Westwood was asked to fly the “Respect Life” flag by an anti-abortion activist and resident.
He made the point that since Westwood flew the Pride Flag, they also needed to fly the pro-life flag.
Westwood Mayor John Birkner Jr. said the LGBTQ flag, or Pride flag, was flown by decision of the mayor and council, not a citizen’s request. The “Respect Life” flag would not be flown, Birkner said.
Last June, Birkner told Pascack Press that he believed Westwood’s flying the Pride Flag at borough hall was the first time such a flag had been flown on a municipal building.
“Although I recognized that people have different views on this issue, I knew in my heart that this building is where the flag needs to be,” he said.
Birkner said though he expected “some backlash” he received hundreds of expressions of gratitude and only three letters opposed to the Pride Flag’s display. He said he responded to all three letter writers “explaining why it was important that it be done.”
Responding last year to local opposition to the Pride flag’s display, a spokesman for Garden State Equality, a gay-rights organization, said the flag “represents compassion, diversity and inclusion. I think it speaks volumes about the values of the few community members who find that to be a divisive message,” he told a news site.