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North Branch city council members will be discussing a city flag design contest, possibly to be done in conjunction with the schools, as a way to address concerns about flying the state flag.  

North Branch opted to not fly the state flag that was adopted in 2024.  The issue has grown and spread and multiple Minnesota cities are putting a spotlight on the flag debate.  

There is no mandate for cities to display the state flag but North Branch specifically ruled out flying the new design.

The North Branch council consensus last week was to schedule a city survey or discussion when other priorities have settled down. At this moment there are land sales that are nearing completion, code revisions being tackled and the budget development process gets underway soon for next year. 

Staff will  be asked to work on a community program inviting designs and developing a city flag as a matter of “civic pride” and council will review recommendations for coordinating a flag design. One council member noted this summer is the North Branch MidSummer celebration 100th anniversary. It may be good timing to work the city flag process with this. 

In other matters the council agreed to finalize the use of Flock automated license plate readers at the next meeting.

Action decisions to appropriate funds and contract with the equipment company were tabled to May 13.

Chief of Police Dan Meyer seeks seven camera locations on key routes leading into and out of the city.  The devices are to be made available in a three year contract. Flock integrates the cameras with a list of wanted license plate numbers and as vehicles pass by the rear of the vehicle is caught on camera and the number logged and compared to data.  The plates are wanted for being involved in crime, ranging from stolen vehicle to revoked or suspended driver, to Amber Alerts for kidnapping.

This council action was already delayed from the meeting two weeks prior.

The license plate data use policy was gone through word-for-word and funding sources were reviewed.  North Branch still has some of the state surplus public safety monies that were distributed a few years ago and the chief explained how the automated license plate readers have shown themselves to enhance efficiencies of enforcement.

In public comment some people questioned the malfunctions of seasonal weather siren tests and council said there will be follow-up on siren sites that people claimed they could not hear.

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