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North Branch city leaders voted last week to reject the newly-adopted Minnesota flag and emblem (state seal). If you notice the “old’ state flag still hoisted on poles in public spaces, it’s not because the city is being slow on ordering new flags— it is the result of three people deciding North Branch will not display the symbol of the state.  

The new blue on blue field with an eight-point white star design legally became the official flag when flown over the Capitol on Statehood Day last May 11.  A design commission recommended the graphics for the flag and seal,  based on input from citizens from all corners of the state,  in a process developed by the state legislature.  After hundreds of graphic combinations were submitted and a public feedback period expired, the design for the state flag and seal were implemented.

The rejection action was brought to the city council in an agenda item introduced by Council member Peter Schaps.  

He declared there “is quite a controversy” on the revisions made to the flag and seal.  In the resolution adopted,  rejecting the new flag,  the public reaction is described as “overwhelmingly negative.” (There is no footnote or attribution to support this declaration.)

Schaps added he could find no law precluding North Branch from continuing to display the obsolete  design.  The only legal reference Schaps says he could identify is a law that provides guidance to fly the old design until “inventory (of the old items) is exhausted.”  The law he cited is direction to state agencies and departments, however.

The vote was 3-1 with Kelly Neider absent and Council member Travis Miles opposed.    He asked what authority the city has to just “override” what the redesign process developed, “...just because we don’t like it, may not like the choice?”

Miles continued by saying the old Minnesota flag design “missed most” of  the generally accepted graphic elements for a well-designed flag. He asked, for instance, if any council members are able to explain what the three different dates printed on the old flag mean. 

The new design is simple and follows guidelines, its symbol (north star) can be identified from a distance.

Mayor Kevin Scheiber explained that he rejects the new flag because the input was ‘inferior” and didn’t include Minnesotans (Mall of America display was viewed by tourists) and the process was flawed.

Council member Robert Canada remarked the new design is “offensive to me” but did not go into detail, adding “history” in the prior flag is being lost.  

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