Green Bay mayor casts tie-breaking vote on flagpole policy, ending attempt to limit flags flown at City Hall
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GREEN BAY - Supporters of flying the gay pride flag lobbied Tuesday for support from City Council to continue flying the rainbow-colored banner on the flagpole outside City Hall as a message that Green Bay citizens welcome various groups of people.
A flagpole policy proposal would have limited the flags flown at City Hall to the U.S., state and city flags.
Mayor Eric Genrich broke a 6-6 tie vote to receive the policy proposal and place it on file, instead of approving the proposed policy, ending the flagpole debate and leaving the decision to the discretion of the mayor.
Voting to receive and place the proposal on file were City Council members William Galvin, Jim Hutchison, Brian Johnson, Randy Scannell, Mark Steuer and Craig Stevens. Voting against it were Jesse Brunette, Steven Campbell, Melinda Eck, Jennifer Grant, William Morgan and Chris Wery.
Displaying the flag outside the building at Jefferson and East Walnut streets helps the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) community feel welcome, supporters said, in a city where members of those groups have not always been welcomed.
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"We're all still members of the Green Bay community," Natalie Hoffman of Chicago Street told the 10 men and two women on the council Tuesday night, and the crowd who filled council chambers. "Including some of the most vulnerable members of the (Green Bay) community."
Another speaker said that saying publicly that she is gay "put my life at risk." At least five other people spoke in support of continuing to fly the pride flag; no opponents spoke.
The question of whether the city should fly the pride flag was contentious in August, after some council members argued that choosing the pride flag over other banners discriminated against groups who were represented by other flags. City Council member Chris Wery said the city might show support for LGBTQ+ people — it's ultimately the mayor's decision about which flags to fly at City Hall — but reject the flying of a flag promoting the right-to-life cause.
"Unborn children," said Wery, who represents District 8, "are the most silent group."
He said Green Bay remains "an open place" when it comes to acceptance of various viewpoints. But he and some others on the council have previously said the city should limit flags to the American, Wisconsin and Prisoner-of-War flags.
City Council member Randy Scannell of District 7, however, accused Wery of giving voice to "bigotry in motion."
"Arguments I have heard in the past are (that flying the pride flag) is 'against my religion,'" Scannell said, mentioning that the "religion" argument had been used in the past to support slavery. "I know everybody here supports freedom. Well, that's what the LGBTQ community wants."
Email Doug Schneider at DSchneid@Gannett.com, call him at (920) 265-2070 and follow him on Twitter @PGDougSchneider
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay mayor casts tie-breaking vote on City Hall flagpole policy
