Number
180339
Version
SUBSTITUTE 2
Reference
54-715, 001699, 010631, 011376
Sponsor
ALD. BAUMAN
Title
Substitute resolution relating to designation of a new official City flag.
Analysis
This resolution directs the Arts Board to establish and implement a process for the consideration, review, and possible recommendation of one or more designs for a new official City flag, if the Arts Board determines that a new flag is necessary.
Body
Whereas, In 1950, the Art Commission (now the Arts Board) voted to hold a citywide design competition for an official City flag; and
Whereas, The Art Commission approved a design submitted by Ald. Fred Steffan, which was the incorporation of the best elements from several of the winning designs of the flag design competition, and which is the current official City flag; and
Whereas, The current City flag was formally presented to and accepted by the Common Council on behalf of the City of Milwaukee on January 25, 1955; and
Whereas, The Common Council has determined that the collage of imagery used to symbolize the City of Milwaukee in the 1955 design are no longer appropriate or reflective of Milwaukee today; and
Whereas, Design alterations to the City flag fall under the jurisdiction of the Arts Board; and
Whereas, Section 320-12-4-a of the Milwaukee Code states that “before any municipal building, bridge, approach or other structure, project or public arts project is constructed, installed or altered by the city, its design shall be submitted to the board for examination and report before final working drawings have been started or any contract has been let”; and
Whereas, Common Council Resolution File Number 001699, adopted August 2, 2001, established a flag design competition with specific procedures set froth for a city-wide design contest; and
Whereas, The resolution was later amended on September 5, 2001, by Common Council Resolution File Number 010631, which provided for a statewide competition instead of limiting the design competition to City residents; and
Whereas, Common Council Resolution File Number 011376, which was placed on file December 19, 2003, stated that the Common Council would select the new City flag from among the top five entries submitted; and
Whereas, No winning design was selected from among the entries in that competition; and
Whereas, In 2016, an unofficial flag design competition was organized by a local nonprofit, Greater Together, and the People’s Flag of Milwaukee Design Initiative; and
Whereas, More than 1,000 entries were submitted by the public, the entries were narrowed down to five finalists by a panel of judges, including historian John Gurda, the finalists were unveiled at City Hall by Mayor Tom Barrett and Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton, and the public had the opportunity to rate each final design on a scale of 1-10 to determine a winning entry; and
Whereas, Any process to design and adopt a new flag must include input from the entire community through an open, transparent, and inclusive process that includes public hearings open to all segments of the community; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Arts Board shall develop a process to determine whether a new flag is necessary; and, be it
Further Resolved, That if the Arts Board determines a new flag is necessary, the Arts Board is directed to establish and implement a process for the consideration, review, and possible recommendation of one or more designs for a new official City flag; and, be it
Further Resolved, That if the Arts Board determines a new flag is necessary, it shall develop estimates of the cost to fully implement the adoption of a new flag; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Arts Board shall submit a report of its findings and recommendation to the Common Council by December 31, 2018.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB171302-4
Teodros W. Medhin
Tea B. Norfolk
7/19/2018