Framingham property, real and personal, shall only be dedicated or named by majority vote of the full Council upon a recommendation of the Mayor, except in the case of school property which shall only be dedicated or named by majority vote of the full School Committee with the approval of the Mayor. Officers, committees, boards or commissions may make recommendations from time to time to the Mayor regarding the naming of property within the control of said officer, committee, board, or commission's control.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Framingham as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 1-5-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-006 as Art. II, Sec. 31, of the General Ordinances]
[Adopted 9-5-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-053]
The purpose of this article is to establish guidelines for the display by the City of Framingham of flags of governments recognized by the federal government and other flags on municipal property.
Outdoor flags will be flown at City facilities in the following order of precedence: first, the United States flag; second, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts flag; and third, the City of Framingham flag.
A.
Flags at the Memorial Building shall be displayed in accordance with the above standards. However, the Mayor may order flags to be lowered to half-staff, including but not limited to flags of the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in honor of the death of a President of the United States, Governor of the commonwealth, local leader, or City employee killed in the line of duty or in observance of a specific event or circumstance.
B.
Pursuant to proclamation of the Mayor and Council, other flags may be flown by the City in place of the City of Framingham flag.
A.
The City's flagpoles are not intended to serve as a forum for free expression by the public. The following flags may be displayed by the City as an expression of the City's official sentiments:
(1)
Flags of governments recognized by the United States. Flags of governments recognized by the United States may be displayed upon the proclamation of the Mayor and Council.
(2)
Flags displayed in conjunction with official events or ceremonies. By proclamation of the Mayor and Council, other flags may be displayed at official City events or ceremonies.
(3)
POW MIA. The prisoner of war (POW) or missing in action (MIA) flag.
(4)
Pride flag or progress pride. The rainbow pride flag was designed by Gilbert Baker for the 1978 San Francisco Gay Freedom Day celebration. The flag was designed as a "symbol of hope" and liberation. The flag does not depict an actual rainbow.
(5)
Juneteenth Flag.
B.
Ownership of other flags. The City shall acquire ownership of all flags that it flies in place of the City of Framingham flag.