Okaloosa County begins process of updating the county flag and writing rules for its use

Collin Bestor, Northwest Florida Daily News
·2 min read

SHALIMAR - Did you know Okaloosa County has a flag?

After 22 years, the Okaloosa County Commission voted to begin the process of updating the flag design, as well as formulating new rules and regulations for its future use.

Here's what we know.

How was this brought up as an issue?

Recently, Chairman Trey Goodwin visited a local school during a career day event. After he spoke to the kids about his job, he wanted to present the school with a county flag to reinforce local government. The only problem was that there was no protocol for doing that.

"It seemed like it would be okay, and then it was like there's no rules. What is the county flag? There's nothing on the protocol. Nobody knew what to do," Goodwin said. "It might not be a bad idea to have some protocol."

Recap of the meeting

In 2001, the commission held a design contest for an official Okaloosa County flag. In December 2001, the board selected a winner and approved the design. However, no resolution was adopted to designate the official county flag and its protocols.

The proposed update to the flag would see the removal of the dolphins and add the words "In God We Trust" in the ribbon head where "Board of County Commissioners" currently sits.
The proposed update to the flag would see the removal of the dolphins and add the words "In God We Trust" in the ribbon head where "Board of County Commissioners" currently sits.

In the original design, two dolphins surround the county seal. After deliberation by the current County Commission, a new design removes the dolphins, with Commissioner Mel Ponder adding the idea of using the words "In God We Trust" in the ribbon head.

Commissioner Paul Mixon wanted the county seal moved to the flag's center. Mixon also noted the possibility of a future design contest using ideas that residents in the community come up with.

Commissioners Carolyn Ketchel and Nathan Boyles both favored removing the sunset on the seal, which looks like a "fried egg," to a design that gives a traditional sunset look.

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One issue the board ran into is that, if changes are made to the seal, the county would have to update it wherever it can be found across the county. The commissioners thought of the idea that if changes were made, they could be done in incremental stages during the design process as a cost-saving method.

What's Next?

There will be deliberation at some point in the future on what an updated design could be for the county flag. County staff will now be in the process of writing the rules and regulations on how the flag will be used in the future.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Okaloosa County flag will get an update after a 22 year wait