Petrelis Files

Drudge Link:
Battle Over SF Rainbow Flag

The controversy over the enormous rainbow flag at San Francisco's Harvey Milk Plaza continues to cause headaches for Castro civic organizations and the district's member on the Board of Supervisors.

Last night, the Castro Benefits District board of directors, after a potential violation of sunshine laws when they abruptly changed their agenda without proper notice, didn't approve sending a letter to the city requesting a public meeting about the public plaza. Oh, well, while that's a disappointment it's hardly the end of this issue.

The Drudge Report today links to an excellent and comprehensive story by Sasha Lekach for the Bay City News wire, all about who controls the plaza and gay flag in the middle of it, bringing more attention to the controversy:

Concern over who controls the flag came to a head in March when community members requested that the flag operators, the Merchants of Upper Market and Castro, lower the flag to mark the death of gay icon and actress Elizabeth Taylor, Castro Benefit District executive director Andrea Aiello said.

MUMC denied the request, the group’s president Steve Adams said. ...

The flagpole is on city land, but the merchants’ association funds the insurance and upkeep of the rainbow flag in a “public-private partnership,” which Adams considers of benefit to the city’s Department of Public Works. ...

“There’s been no public discussion about how MUMC managed to get control of city property that is important to the gay community around the world,” Petrelis said. ...

“I don’t think it would be such a burden to have the flag lowered,” he said. ...

Aiello with the CBD says tonight’s 6 p.m. meeting would include discussion on establishing a protocol for community input on all things flag-related.

“We understand MUMC owns it, but we want to have more community input,” Aiello said. ...

Nice quote from Aiello, but too bad her organization failed to pass a motion and send a letter to the city to begin the process of allow for real community input, instead of allowing the city to sell the rainbow flag and pole to a private group, MUMC, that is not committed to transparency and community engagement.

The group is not subject to sunshine laws, does not have to allow member of the public to attend meetings, and public comment is not required and subject to the whims of the president. Can you find the invitation for non-MUMC to show up and speak at their meetings? From their site:

All current and renewing MUMC Members are encouraged to attend the Meeting. Busines [sic] owners and managers in The Castro who are considering MUMC Membership are invited to attend one Meeting as our guest, to observe and to become more familiar with MUMC. Others, please contact MUMC in advance regarding attendance. ...

This controversy is not over and will continue until there is genuine community control of the public plaza and rainbow flag.