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Honorable Mayor Cohen and Council Members,
During your budget deliberations, what would you think about adding funds to cover the cost of creating a Community Flag for Menlo Park?
A Menlo Park flag has the potential of helping to foster community pride, it may provide civic identity and it could follow a long tradition by all levels of government, including national, state, county and cities. When I consider a flag for Menlo Park, it seems like the right thing to do. Your thoughts welcome.
Last year this topic was covered in the Almanac Town Square Forum. Below are selected comments by me and members of the public, for your information. The cost could be minimal and the benefits monumental.
Respectfully, Jim Lewis
Waiving The Flag of Freedom
Menlo Park, posted by James Lewis, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown
neighborhood, on Oct 7, 2007 at 11:58 am
What would you think about the creation of a flag for the City of Menlo
Park? As far as I know, we don't have one.
Many, many cities throughout the Bay Area, the State of California and
across the Country proudly display a MUNICIPAL flag. Over many centuries, the flag
has represented many things to citizens across their lands.
Is it time for the City of Menlo Park to consider a "flag"? Could a contest
be established for citizens and others to SUBMIT their ideas, recommendations
and suggestions? Is the time now and the place here?
I shall defer this important decision to the citizens of Menlo Park along
with the City Council's collective good judgement. However, please keep in mind
while making this decision, that a flag may go a long ways in building CIVIC
PRIDE and fostering a dynamic, viable COMMUNITY. Flags can make a
difference. The question is, will a flag in Menlo Park make a difference for you and
for your fellow citizens?
It may seem appropriate at this time to restate some thoughts about BETSY
ROSS, as follows:
"While Americans recognize and celebrate collective achievements such as the
writing of the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, victory in the REVOLUTIONAL WAR,
or the landing of a man ON THE MOON, it is the individual accomplishments
that is cherished by many people. The "stars" of the aforementioned events,
such as THOMAS JEFFERSON, GEORGE WASHINGTON AND NEIL ARMSTRONG -- outshine the
collective constellation. One person's contribution C A N define the course
and meaning of history.
Betsy Ross sewed the first American Flag. When we view the flag, we think of
LIBERTY, FREEDOM, PRIDE AND BETSY ROSS. The American flag flies proudly on
the MOON, sits atop MOUNT EVEREST, and is hurtling out in SPACE. The flag is
how America signs her NAME.
It is no surprise that Betsy Ross has become one of the most cherished
figures of AMERICAN HISTORY."
Food for thought......
Respectfully,
James Lewis, a Palo Alto resident, but nearly a
37 year CITIZEN OF MENLO PARK.
I do not think now is the time for Menlo Park to be having a flag contest
because we have more important issues we need to focus on. A flag contest would
take up a lot of staff, public and city council time (making sure the
contest is fair, legal, getting judges, etc...)
It is a nice idea, but we have a new City Manager and a surplus of funds and
it would be best to let him prioritize on critical issues:
* recruiting and retaining police officers (the city can afford to pay the
same as Redwood City does for starting and line level police officers)
* infrastructure, traffic, health, safety and mass transit issues
* social services for people in need, especially children
A flag contest in this day and time would probably create more problems and
distractions for people who need to concentrate on urgent issues.
Maybe in the future when the City is in better shape the time for a flag
contest will present itself.
regards,
Roxie
Posted by Roxie, a resident of the Menlo Park: University Heights
neighborhood, on Oct 8, 2007 at 2:12 pm
I live my life by the principal "why put off until tomorrow that which you
can do today". After all, there is no time like the present.
The time to select a pattern for a flag ought to be minimal. Common sense
tells you the "benefit" is more than worth the "cost". Sure, everything takes
some time and money, but think of the PRIDE, think of the LOYALTY, think of
the historic BENEFITS of a flag dating back 100's of years.
Providing a flag for Menlo Park is long overdue. One may say, the TIME is
now and the PLACE is here. It certainly is true for many of Menlo Park
neighbors,who have long had a flag flying PROUDLY for years.
The email above sounds like it is written by a Council member. If so, I have
no doubt your plate is full if not overflowing. There are big problems in
this town and equally big challenges. However, the City Council can be a POLICY
MAKER in this case, leaving the details to staff, one of the important
COMMISSIONS, or an ad hoc group.
Let's RECONSIDER having a flag for Menlo Park -- for today's citizens and
for GENERATIONS to come.Posted by Saluting The Flag, a resident of another
community, on Oct 13, 2007 at 9:43 pm
My "common sense" thoroughly rejects "Saluting" idea of creating a flag as some sort of statement of (or to manufacture?) pride and loyalty. No, the benefit -- which hasn't even been coherently defined -- would not be worth the cost in time and energy, particularly when very busy people need to spend their time and energy on things that matter. A flag? I don't think so.Posted by Let's Be Serious, a resident of the Menlo Park: Felton Gables neighborhood, on Oct 14, 2007 at 10:02 am
Menlo Park already has a logo, a stylized tree. I haven't heard any complaints about it. We'll silkscreen the logo onto a rectangular piece of fabric, and there's your flag. Happy now? Can we move on to more important issues.Posted by I'll waive that flag, a resident of the Menlo Park: Park Forest neighborhood, on Oct 14, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Hi Saluting the Flag,
No, I'm not a Council member. I do watch and sometimes attend Council
meetings. The City Manager has to spend hours at these meetings regardless of
whether the issues being discussed that night are critical or pressing. When I
read in the paper about the problems our police force is having, see the effects
of having no traffic patrol, see the city falling behind in planning for
mass transit, and so many other problems I feel that we do not have the luxury
of spending time on designing a flag. It is not because I am some kind of
procrastinator who does not have any principals regarding doing what can be done
today. I think I just differ with you on your opinion of what can and should
be done today.
A flag contest, or whatever you would call it, in this town could turn into
a real fiasco, deciding what should be on a flag that will last a hundred
years into the future does not seem so simple. I don't think the city staff
should spend their time trying to create flags.
I think "I'll waive that flag" idea of putting the Menlo Park Tree logo on a
white background is a good one. You could probably have this flag made up
for yourself and others with an interest. If the flag became popular over time
it might be easy to adopt as some sort of city flag.
Posted by Roxie, a resident of the Menlo Park: University Heights
neighborhood, on Oct 14, 2007 at 4:10 pm
I think that your idea of simply placing the long established and well
respected City of Menlo Park's name and logo consisting of a very attractive OAK
TREE on a flag along with the words "City of Menlo Park" is an EXCELLENT IDEA.
Initially, it wouldn't have to be officially sanctioned by overworked city
council and city staff members; instead, it could be used in day-to-day common
practice.
If it is liked, no doubt more copies will be made. If it is not, well, "back
to the drawing boards".
Perhaps some Downtown MERCHANT will order a 1,000 of them and widely
distribute them to interested parties. After all, I think the FOUNDING FATHERS
intended the government to be BY THE PEOPLE, OF THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE.
No need to complicate the process with judges, staff time, meetings,
consulting studies and so forth, perhaps a PUBLIC SPIRITED individual can create the
flag and WAIVING THE FLAG OF FREEDOM will be born in Menlo Park.Posted by
James Lewis, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Oct 18,
2007 at 5:42 pm
Find this topic at:
http://www.almanacnews.com/square/index.php?i=3&t=946
**************It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms, and advice on AOL Money & Finance. (http://money.aol.com/tax?NCID=aolprf00030000000001) Received on Fri Mar 7 18:09:46 2008
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