Supporters of the People's Flag once again gathered at City Hall in big numbers Thursday for a Common Council committee meeting about their flag, and once again they left without the news they wanted. Rather than adopting the People's Flag as the official flag, the council indicated (with the usual indecision that has come to define its posture on this issue) that it may follow the recommendations of the Milwaukee Arts Board, which could launch its own process to replace the current flag.

If the council does defer to the arts board, that's bad news for People's Flag supporters, since in their report members of that board intimated that adopting the People's Flag is not an option “given the issues with the design, process, outreach and inclusivity of the process.” But lovers of Milwaukee's current flag are out of luck, too, since the board also indicated reworking that flag “is not an option given the need for a fresh start."

Instead, the board is recommending a request for proposal (RFP).

Here are the relevant details from that report:

Members of the full Arts Board identified the following elements as important to the process: The RFQ/RFP process could involve the following: Include community input and town hall meetings, and community outreach conducted by Council members. RFQ/RFP requirements set for holding town hall meetings/listening sessions in aldermanic districts. After the RFP is created, additional funds set aside for implementing the RFP. Several iterations of the RFP process, including designs for the public to vote on. A general call for entries would be starting all over with a lot of publicity and community outreach/input. Previous submissions from the People’s Flag process would automatically be included with the general call for new entries. The Council should provide funding for the process and the town hall meetings run by a consultant and attended by the designer(s). Adopting a new official city flag is essentially a political process and not an aesthetic one, and Council members should be involved. At its December 3, 2018, meeting the Subcommittee made the following additional recommendations regarding an RFP process: One RFP resulting in one team is best, as opposed to an RFP for community engagement and another for flag design. The RFP should not be limited to entities based in the City of Milwaukee, and any travel costs should be included in the proposed budget. Cost of the design process will be determined after reviewing responses to the RFP. Alternatively, the Common Council could set a budget. The RFP should stress that inclusivity is very important to the process and ask respondents to demonstrate how they will meet that goal. No minimum qualifications were recommended, however the RFP should request that respondents demonstrate past experience in carrying out both community engagement initiatives and similar design projects. The design team should work closely with Common Council members to determine the best ways to reach constituents in each council district. Design criteria should be left open. The designer should submit at least three flag designs for consideration. A public comment period should follow. The final designs should be submitted to the Common Council for a final vote.

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The report also shined some light on how much it would cost to replace the current flag. And it's... too much. We can all agree this is too much, right?

On September 25, 2018, the Legislative Reference Bureau presented its research to the subcommittee regarding flags and vexillology, how other cities have selected new flags, flag designs from other cities, and a cost estimate for Milwaukee to replace its flag. City departments estimate there are approximately 100 flags throughout City locations. Other than Department of Public Works (DPW), the departments do not use the City flag in printed material, signage, business cards, etc. The Police Department flies flags at approximately 12 locations, and estimates that at $85 per 3’ x 5’ flag, the replacement cost would be approximately $1,000. An estimate from the City Clerk’s Office for flags purchased from Flag Center in Wauwatosa prices a 3’ x 5’ flag at $19.95 per flag and a 4’ x 6’ flag at $25.95 per flag, plus a small shipping charge. Given the relatively few number of flags in the City’s possession, replacement of the largest flag at a quantity of 100 would cost $2,595. DPW estimates a lower cost at $1,000. Based on an estimated number of 2,650 pieces of City equipment with current DPW seals on them (two per unit), and approximately 45 minutes to remove the old decals, prep the surfaces and install new decals, the cost would be as follows: Labor only: $63.25 for each piece of equipment x 2,650 = $167,612 Decal costs: Estimated at $16 each x 5,300 (2 per unit) = $ 84,800 Total cost to retrofit new decals onto existing vehicles and equipment = $252,412

Ironically the second half of today's committee meeting was spent discussing something most rational people would agree is a far more urgent use of that $250,000: the lead crisis.

Since the council keeps repeating itself, we'll repeat ourselves, too: Please don't do this. Don't subject the city to yet another design process that seems almost purposefully conceived to make all vested parties unhappy.