Since this summer, Milton City Council has contemplated, discussed and heard both sides of the highly controversial topic of the Confederate battle flag’s presence on both the city’s seal and at Heritage Plaza. However, Monday night’s unanimous vote to replace the controversial symbol with another Confederate flag, known as the Stars and Bars flag, has potentially put the issue to rest.
During this week’s executive committee meeting, Administration Committee Chair Marilyn Jones revived the previously tabled issue and recommended replacing the Confederate Battle flag with the First National flag of the Confederacy, commonly known as the Stars and Bars flag. This flag is already on display at the HeritagePlaza, according to city officials.
“I think this will be a nice compromise for a flag that will be okay,” Jones said during the meeting.
The motion had unanimous support from the council and the item will be part of next week’s consent agenda during the city’s regular council meeting.
Council Member Jimmy Messick said he and the other council members are relieved to put the highly-debated topic to rest and focus on other areas pertaining to the City of Milton.
Resident Al Brewton, a vocal proponent for removing the Confederate battle flag from the city’s imagery, was not expecting the council to address the issue during Monday’s meeting. However, he was more than pleased with the outcome of the council’s decision. Brewton even thanked the council for their due diligence in addressing the issue.
“It was the right thing to do and that (flag) should not be on a public government facility,” Brewton said. “I can understand history with the confederacy. I know it was part of the Civil War, but that Confederate battle flag is a sign of hate, suppression of the black race and we don’t feel that it should be on a government seal.”
Brewton said the topic was discussed amongst the council members during the November 14 workshop meeting, calling the discussion “a step in the right direction.”
“I appreciate the council moving forward,” Brewton said. “They are doing the right thing.”
During the meeting, Mayor Wesley Meiss said replacing the Confederate battle flag with the Star and Bars flag on the city’s seals may take time and city funding.
“There were some concerns about the cost of redoing the seal, but I don’t think you have to do it all at once,” Meiss said. “You can do it over time…but that is a good step for the City of Milton.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Milton City Council in unison on replacing Confederate flag