Texas town rethinking ordinance limiting flags on veterans' graves after outcry
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/04/texas-town-bans-flags-on-veterans-graves/?test=latestnews#ixzz1zkQatKGk
MINERAL WELLS, Texas – The City Council of a town in North Texas is rethinking a local ordinance limiting flags on veterans' graves after an outcry from local veterans and residents.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports the Mineral Wells City Council passed the ordinance on June 19 saying flags would only be allowed on graves in the Woodland Park Cemetery for a week before and after Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
The ordinance bans any mementos on graves that are not in an 'appropriate receptacle,' such as a vase. City Clerk Juanita Formby says this means the city is not completely banning flags, just regulating them.
"A person could probably place a flag 365 days a year if it was in an approved container, such as a vase," Formby said in a telephone interview with The Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Dennis Sinks, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2399 in Mineral Wells, tells The Fort Worth Star-Telegram the council should revoke the ordinance, noting his VFW branch often places flags on the graves of local veterans.
"They are disrespectful to all deceased veterans and all veterans who have served this country," he said.
Formby claims the ordinance was passed because there were too many mementos being left at graves, and they were becoming a hazard to the maintenance staff.
The city has agreed to revisit the ordinance in a special meeting on July 10 due to local outcry.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/04/texas-town-bans-flags-on-veterans-graves/?test=latestnews#ixzz1zkQHU8kT
Quoting janessa27:"hazard to the maintenance staff"- I wander how...mowing around them or something maybe? I guess if that were the case then people could put them in vases? I don't think they should not let them put things on graves though.
I would guess vandals can set them afire or they can get blown around in the wind. Maybe allow mini flagpoles and small flags instead of banning them altogether?
One of the graveyards in our town has rules about things being placed there. All the headstones have to be the in-ground ones (so they can mow over?) and they have set clean-up days where you have to have everything off the grave by so they can mow with nothing blocking their paths. However, you can place anything you want as long as you have it up by the clean-up days to allow for grounds maintenance.
When I worked in a cemetery we had rules like that, most of the memorial stones were flat brass plaques on a base with a removable vase for ease on maintenance, but still many mementos got through and there were some work arounds like staffs to hang things things on, trees, etc... It's important to work with the grieving families.
Sometimes people put things out and they blow around or just go to pieces and have to be removed.
It was part of my job to walk the grounds and I saw so many different items, one that sticks with me on quite a few were house keys, so much meaning there...
They did it in our town too. You are only allowed ONE flag, but the local VWF had out several and they made them take them down or would fine them $500/day. The city officials said that if they allow them to break the ordinances then they would have to allow others do break it.
That's what some cemetaries do by us too
Quoting VintageWife:One of the graveyards in our town has rules about things being placed there. All the headstones have to be the in-ground ones (so they can mow over?) and they have set clean-up days where you have to have everything off the grave by so they can mow with nothing blocking their paths. However, you can place anything you want as long as you have it up by the clean-up days to allow for grounds maintenance.
I agree.
Quoting StephanAndCoral:
They should allow flags.
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- gacgbaker
on Jul. 5, 2012 at 7:46 AM