This story was updated at 10 am Dec. 30, 2021, to clarify that the county paid for the flags and upgrade.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is in response to a reader-submitted question through Open Source, a platform where readers can submit questions to the staff.
MOUNT VERNON — Many residents have noticed the additional flags outside the Knox County Service Center at 117 E. High St.
One Knox Pages reader wondered where the money came from for the new flags and also questioned the cost.
“One flag pole wasn’t enough? Seems very frivolous with taxpayers monies,” the reader wrote.
Previously, only the American flag was at the East High Street entrance. Now there is an American flag on either side of the steps, flanked by Ohio and county flags.
According to Knox County Commissioner Thom Collier, a township trustee commented on the flags at a Regional Planning Commission meeting. The trustee noted the size and condition of the flags and questioned why no Ohio flag flew.
“We did an assessment and found the flags needed to be a better fit,” Collier said. “The company noted the small size of the flags compared to the poles and found one pole was bent. So we just had them fix the pole and add the county and Ohio flag.
“It is far more fitting for the building. I think the previous flags were cotton and didn’t last.”
In addition to upsizing the flags to fit the poles outside of the service center, Memorial Building, and the county courthouse, the county added a smaller flag at the back entrance to the service center.
“Because of the number of county buildings we have, instead of putting a state and county flag at every building, we anchored them at the service center,” Collier said.
The four poles in the front of the service center cost $18,630. In addition, it cost $1,800 to remove and dispose of the bent pole and concrete and $4,500 for the hydro excavation and pouring of new concrete.
“This was necessary to dig the holes and pour concrete without heavy equipment being driven over the sidewalks and front grass,” County Administrator Jason Booth explained. “We did purchase larger nylon American flags for the courthouse, Memorial Building, and the service center. We are hopeful the Veterans Services Office will be able to supply those to us at no cost in the future as replacements are needed.”
The upgrade, which the county paid for, also included lighting.
“Our flags are at half-staff quite a lot now, and we didn’t have proper lighting,” Booth said. “We got lighting so that when flags are at half- or full-staff they are properly illuminated.”
Regarding the cost, Commissioner Teresa Bemiller said, “I don’t think being patriotic is a waste of taxpayers’ money.”
“This is the focal point of the city and the county, and it should be displayed properly,” Collier said. “The pole had to be replaced anyway, and we added a flag to the back of the service center building.
“We do have thousands of visitors every year on this block, whether it’s our building, the courthouse, or the Memorial Building,” he continued. “It’s a focal point for them and how they remember our community.”
“We restored the poles at the Memorial Building and the courthouse that were bad,” Booth said. “The comments I have gotten overall have been overwhelmingly positive. They like to see the American flags displayed.”
“Especially with what’s going on in the country today,” Commissioner Bill Pursel added.
