Jeb Bladine: Setting pride aside to focus on city leadership
McMinnville City Manager Jeff Towery’s resignation announcement sparked a flurry of community talk, news stories and commentary, all of which will continue with background of the semi-charged politics of this city. One insider even suggested the controversial Pride Month issue might develop into major conflict between Towery and the city council, but my sources tell me that’s not going to happen.
That doesn’t mean the subject should be taboo for comment.
Mayor Kim Morris decided this year to restrict reasons for city proclamations and related flying of special interest flags on city facilities. When that policy was extended to June Pride Month, recognized by McMinnville the past five years, it drew two recent citizen presentations to the city council with 1,200-plus signature petitions.
Shortly after submitting his 90-day notice of resignation this week, Towery had the Pride flag raised at city hall, apparently depending on past city policy that city department heads have authority over flying flags at their facilities.
Mayor Morris asked to see that policy, and at press time was awaiting a response. If it exists, the policy should receive formal consideration by the council; if it doesn’t — something that might have triggered administrative conflict under other circumstances — there should be polite head-shaking and the same commitment to a new council-approved policy.
The city manager responded to the controversy by saying he didn’t realize the mayor had made a statement, reported in the newspaper last week, about not flying the Pride flag this year. Some questioned that, but it actually isn’t a surprise to newspaper reporters who know from experience that many local public officials either don’t read or just choose to ignore newspaper reporting on local political issues.
That May 27 front page news story was headlined, “Citing policy, Mac won’t recognize Pride Month,” and quoted the mayor saying, “The city will also not fly the Pride flag.”
“I should have communicated more clearly with the mayor … I have already apologized to her,” said Towery this week. “It made it look like she and I weren’t in alignment.”
Truth be told, they weren’t.
But the city council, with more important things to do, will turn its full attention to the more pressing task of establishing interim city leadership while looking for a new city manager.
Meanwhile, someone might consult the “Guide to the Public Display of Flags on Government Buildings,” issued in 2021 and updated in 2023 by the League of Oregon Cities. Here’s one portion:
“When a city or other government entity chooses to fly a flag on city property, this is considered government speech … the city may choose to fly the non-governmental flags and commemorative flags of its choosing. It is recommended that the city council develop a policy regarding the types of flags the city will fly whether by request of a member of the public, city staff, or the council itself.”
That said, we would like to double-down on agreement with the messaging in today’s related N-R editorial.
Jeb Bladine can be reached at jbladine@newsregister.com or 503-687-1223.
Comments
Don Dix
Towery is lying. He lied about the whole replacing the fire dept. question - he lied about the $13 W & L fee being temporary - and he is most likely lying about his original plans when he was hired by the city.
Instead of '90 days', how about two weeks and he's gone (like most 'notices'). An empty chair will be as competent as Towery with less harm and controversy.