Rainbow Pride Flag Might Fly In Dublin After All

DUBLIN, CA — After a lengthy discussion, a letter from the mayor, and a petition launched by a citizen that has garnered hundreds of signatures, Dublin City Council will hold a special June 4 meeting to address whether to fly the Pride rainbow flag at city hall. During its regularly scheduled meeting on that same date, council will also consider putting in place an outdoor flag policy for city-owned facilities.

The news comes on the heels of a nearly two-hour long discussion on May 21, when Dublin City Council wrestled with whether a rainbow Pride flag should be raised on city hall's flagpole. After hearing from 13 community members—10 of whom spoke against the idea—council members voted down the initiative, 3-2. Mayor David Haubert, Vice Mayor Melissa Hernandez, and Councilmember Arun Goel cast the nay votes. All three expressed concerns over the lack of a flag policy for city facilities.

Hernandez, along with councilmembers Jean Josey and Shawn Kumagai, wanted to bring up the issue of a flag policy at a future council meeting, but Haubert and Goel were not in support. The issue seemed to die there.

But since then there has been continued chatter on social media about Dublin's decision to not fly the rainbow flag during June, which was unanimously proclaimed Pride month by council members. Haubert also penned a letter to the editor, which Patch published, and a petition was launched on Change.org demanding the Pride flag fly in the city.

Although the June 4 city council meeting agenda has not yet been published, Patch confirmed with Dublin spokeswoman Shari Jackman that both a flag policy and the Pride flag will be discussed at the meeting. According to Jackman, the special meeting about the Pride flag will run concurrent with the regularly scheduled meeting that begins at 7 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend.

Once the meeting agenda is available, it will be found here. Video of the May 21 council meeting can be found here.