A tattered American flag atop the North Augusta Municipal Building has drawn criticism from residents on social media and at a recent meeting, and North Augusta officials are working on a plan to have the flag removed. But it’s not as easy as it might seem.
City Administrator Jim Clifford updated councilmembers during the March 21 meeting about steps being taken to replace the flag.
“I’m aware that we have some tattered flags in view on the top of the building,” he said. “Currently, we are now working to find another contractor to remove those flags.”
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Angela Burns, who lives near the intersection of W. Main Street and West Avenue, had requested time to speak during the meeting about the condition of the flag. She said it is the first thing she and her son see each morning.
“When my son asked me ‘Mother, was that flag like that,’ I could not wait another minute,” she said. “And all I could tell my son was ‘Well, I think they’re trying to work on it. The building was not designed properly.’”
Longtime City Attorney Kelly Zier stepped in to provide the history of how the flag was placed on the roof of the municipal building.
“The design was not to have a flag on the roof. When the iron workers finished the work on this building, and as their tradition, placed a United States flag on the top of the building, there was a citizen push at that time calling for a flagpole to be put on the roof. And that’s how it got changed from out front of the building here, to up there. And we’ve struggled with and all these years,” he said.
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Clifford said the current location of the flag has required finding someone with special skills and climbing equipment to contract with the city to replace the flag.
“It’s my intention, unless given different guidance and direction from the council, to put no more flags on top of the building. And to pursue some options that would involve installing a flagpole at ground level for us to be able to operate,” he said
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Clifford pointed to the Aiken County government complex, a building which is designed similarly to the North Augusta municipal building. He said flagpoles there are at ground level.
Clifford will come back to council with a recommendation on the appropriate person to hire to remove the tattered flag. He will also provide a recommendation on how to pay for removing the flag and installing flagpoles at ground level.
He expects to have the work completed in the current fiscal year either by using capital projects funds or money from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a general assignment reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
