Inver Grove Heights council debates going back to old state flag
Zumbrota City Council votes to hang old state flag
The Zumbrota City Council has voted to no longer hang the new Minnesota state flag but the old one. The state flag only flies in the City Council chambers and no where else in the city. FOX 9's Mike Manzoni has more.
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Inver Grove Heights City Council will consider a resolution on Monday to take down Minnesota's new flag and fly the old state flag.
Inver Grove Height flag resolution
What we know:
If approved, the resolution would direct city staff to replace the six state flags on city property with the 1983 version of the flag.
A memo included on the council agenda notes it will take four to eight weeks for deliver installation of the replacement flags at a cost of about $3,000.
What's next:
The council will consider the resolution at its meeting on Monday which starts at 6 p.m.
Local perspective:
The old state flag was retired in May 2024 because critics say it showed a Native American being replaced on Minnesota land by a white settler. The new flag was chosen after a selection process involving the review of 2,128 submitted designs.
The old Minnesota state flag. (FOX 9)
State flag controversy
The backstory:
Since the switch, some Minnesota cities have refused to fly the new flag. In recent months, some city councils have voted to revert to the old state flag. In February, the St. Francis City Council voted to go back. Nowthen debated a switch before opting to stick with the new flag.
In March, Zumbrota voted to use the old state flag. Last week, the Elk River City Council unanimously voted to go back to the old flag.
The final design for the new Minnesota state flag, as approved by the State Emblems Redesign Commission on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (State Emblems Redesign Commission)
What they're saying:
There have been a wide array of arguments for switching back to the old flag. Some have raised concerns about the process Minnesota went through in selecting the flag.
In its vote last week, Elk River noted "inadequate Greater Minnesota representation on the State Emblems Commission" and "poor marketing and implementation of a public process for statewide engagement."
In more fringe sentiment, some have also raised issue with similarities between the new flag and the Somali national flag – both blue flags with stars. The flag's designer, however, has made it clear he wasn't inspired by the Somali flag. The blue represents water – fitting for the Land of 10,000 lakes. The 8-point star, from an angle, creates the illusion of four letter Ms.