As many towns in Franklin, Hampshire, Worcester County and beyond prepare for Annual Town Meeting votes on resolutions of support for H.2776 / S.1877 – the legislation to establish a special commission and invite Native leaders of the Commonwealth to sit with state legislators, representatives of statewide arts organizations, the secretary of state, and others to design a new state flag and seal – we are cheered by the news this morning that the City Council of Greenfield – the County seat of Franklin County – voted unanimously yesterday, April 17th – to change the Massachusetts Flag and Seal.
Our thanks go out to Senator Joanne Comerford (D – Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester), who co-authored the legislation, for appearing in person at the Greenfield City Council to urge the councilors to vote for the resolution. She told them: “It is time to change the Massachusetts flag and seal!”
To date, nine cities and towns have held votes to change the white supremacist flag and seal of Massachusetts. We have won every single vote so far. Greenfield now joins with Amherst, Gill, Lincoln, New Salem, Northampton, Orange, Provincetown and Wendell in calling for the change.
If you would like to help get a resolution of support on the town meeting warrant or city council agenda of your community, please call: 413-863-9296 or email: daviddetmold@gmail.com
Many spring town meeting warrants have closed; some towns have held their annual meetings already – so we are beginning to organize for the next round of town meetings, which will take place in the fall. Only 10 signatures of registered votes are needed from any town in Massachusetts to place a resolution of support on a town meeting warrant. City Councils can take up a resolution at any time, with the support of a few councilors.
We apologize for not updating the map of towns and cities that will be holding votes, or have already voted on support resolutions, on our website’s Town Meeting Campaign page lately. We are seeking funds to pay a new website administrator; or a volunteer to help us with more complex updates to the website.
But in the meantime, we will keep you updated with email updates such as this one, which we encourage you to share among your networks, as the movement to change the Massachusetts Flag and Seals grows. Together, we will change the Massachusetts Flag and Seal!