Town of Holliston Flag Policy Prohibits the Pride Flag from Town Hall
TOWN OF HOLLISTON FLAG POLICY
Purpose: This policy provides guidelines for the Town’s flying or displaying, on Town of Holliston-owned properties, the flag of the United States of America, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as any other flags deemed appropriate by the Town for parades, holidays, and other events and celebrations.
The choice, by the Town, of which flag to raise on Town-owned properties is hereby declared to be government speech, communicating a message to the public, to which the strictures of the First Amendment do not apply.
The Town presently does not, nor does it intend to designate the flying of flags on Town-owned properties as a public forum by permitting a non-governmental party to raise a particular flag.
Accordingly, it is the Town’s choice, acting by and through the Select Board, of whether to raise, or decline to raise, a flag on Town-owned properties. The manner in which such a decision is made, and the adoption of this policy, shall not be interpreted as designating any Town-owned properties as a public forum for flying of flags. This policy does not apply to the Holliston Public Schools or the properties that are controlled thereby.
Policy:
- The Select Board or the Town Administrator as its designee shall ensure the proper execution of this policy, as it may be amended in the future by the Select Board in its sole discretion.
- The flying or presentation of flags other than the ones stated above, such as ceremonial flags, are not intended to create, or serve as, a forum for free expression by the public as stated above.
- Nothing in this policy shall be constructed to restrict or in any way limit the display of flags displayed on privately held cemetery plots consistent with cemetery regulations.
All Town-owned flag poles and buildings are restricted to the United States, POW/MIA, State and Town flags, with the exception of the flag pole located at Blair Square (Corner of Central Street and Railroad Street, specifically) for which the Select Board may publish an annual calendar with a proposed schedule for the flying of flags. Any flag to be flown with the approval of the Board will be under the policy above.
Town-owned properties:
| • | Town Hall | 703 Washington Street |
| • | Pinecrest Municipal Golf Course | 212 Prentice Street |
| • | Blair Square | Corner of Central Street and Railroad Street |
| • | Blair Square | Front Street at Iraq & Afghanistan War Memorial |
| • | Holliston Public Library | 752 Washington Street |
| • | Senior Center | 150 Goulding Street |
| • | 1750 Washington St. | 1750 Washington Street |
| • | DPW Highway & Grounds | 63 Arch Street |
| • | DPW Water | 269 Central Street |
| • | Holliston Police Department | 550 Washington Street |
| • | Holliston Fire Department | 59 Central Street & Other Various Locations |
I,for one, absolutely support the town’s stance on the proper flying of flags on public property.