Barre City voters approved several Charter Changes on Town Meeting Day 2021, including a Charter Change to allow the City of Barre to fly only the American, Vermont, City of Barre, and the POW/MIA flags on city-owned flagpoles on a 927-549 vote.

Charter changes require legislative approval, so the changes approved by Barre City voters were introduced as House Bill H.444. The House Government Operations Committee, with the support of Barre City Rep. Peter Anthony, rejected the flag restriction and struck it from H.444 before it was presented to the full House of Representatives for a vote.

The Vermont House of Representatives passed H.444 without including the flag restriction approved by Barre City voters. H.444 has been sent to the Vermont Senate for consideration.

We, the undersigned, call upon Washington County Senators Ann Cummings, Anthony Pollina, and Andrew Perchlik to take action to restore to H.444 the flag restriction language approved by Barre City voters. We also call upon the members of the Barre City Council to pledge to honor the vote of Barre City and refrain from the flying of any flags on city owned flag poles other than the American, Vermont, City of Barre, and POW/MIA flags.