Three groups so far have sought — and gained permission — to fly a flag  for seven days at the Manteca Civic Center.

They are the Christian flag, the Pride flag, and a flag supporting law enforcement.

The ability to display a different flag each week at the request of Manteca-based groups is designed to underscore the city’s diversity and acknowledge the community fabric is strengthened when people are brought together.

The foundation of Manteca’s flag policy and the hope that it will highlight the wide array of people, beliefs, passions, and such within the city is based on Boston’s flag raising program.

The New England city’s flag-raising program was aimed at promoting diversity and tolerance among Boston’s different communities.

The Pride flag will again appear on a flagpole in front of the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St., June 4-10. It has flown for a seven-day period at city hall during the past two years.

The flying of the Pride flag for the first time in 2022 spurred the establishment of a municipal flag policy when some citizens raised objections.

The Pride flag, before the policy was adopted by the City Council, was not the only flag besides the United States and California state flags to be flown at city hall.

Among the others have been the 1776 flag during the bicentennial, periodically the Tree USA flag the city receives for meeting criteria of being a “Tree City” each year by the National Arbor Day Association, and the POW/MIA flag.

Provisions of the flag policy are as follows:

* “Commemorative Flag” shall mean any flag which identifies with a specific date, historical event, cause, nation or group of people, whereby the City honors or commemorates the date, event, cause, nation or people by flying the flag.

*The City’s flagpoles are not intended to serve as a forum for free expression by or for the public.

*Commemorative Flags may be displayed on the flagpole(s) outside of the City Administration Building under the California State Flag, if one is flown.

* Only one Commemorative Flag will be flown at a time.

*Commemorative Flags will not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement, except when all-weather flags are used.

*If a Commemorative Flag is displayed with the United States Flag or the State of California Flag, it shall not be larger in size than the United States Flag or the State of California Flag.

*The United States Flag and the California State Flag shall be the only flags displayed behind the dais in the City Council Chambers.  

To  contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com