Merriam Flags for freedom: Ask city council to poll the community

When city council voted to remove the thin blue line flags from the Flags For Freedom event they did so without reaching out to their constituents, the residents of Merriam. They have resources available to easily poll the community, including an electronic polling system that they didn’t utilize. They told concerned residents they “didn’t have the time”. There was a volunteer committee that initially made the recommendation to council with a vote of 4 to 2 in favor of removing the flags, however at the council meeting one volunteer stepped forward and requested to change her recommendation (which would result in a 3:3 split decision) after listening to over 3 hours of community statements asking council to keep the flags flying they proceeded to vote to remove the flags,  even after the mayor himself said he hoped the flags would remain. They had this vote during national police week which Merriam doesn’t currently recognize or celebrate.
This petition is to ask the council to do their job and make the effort to poll the community so they can make a decision representing what Merriam residents want.
Regardless of your personal thoughts on the flags please consider signing this petition so the community has a voice.

Take a minute to look up Healing Fields which was started in 2006 to honor those who died in the 911 attack and has grown into the Flags For Freedom that honor local officers who died protecting their community. Blue line flags were added starting in 2018 as a memorial for fallen officers and flew for 6 years with not a single complaint; the issue was first brought up by council member Jason Silvers due to his personal concern about how some may be offended by the flags.