The county’s bare flagpole

Observer photo/Mike Lange  EMPTY FLAGPOLE — The Piscataquis County courthouse flagpole has been bare for a number of years.

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

 At last week’s Piscataquis County commissioners’ meeting, an old tradition was revived.

 The meeting started with the Pledge of Allegiance.

 Before the conclusion of the session, the subject of Old Glory was brought up once again.

 Call it the Saga of the Bare Flagpole.

 Most people probably don’t notice it, but the Piscataquis County courthouse is probably one of the few judicial buildings in the state that doesn’t have an American flag flying somewhere on the structure.

 However, it does have a flagpole.

 During a recent discussion over restoring the cupola on top of the building, the subject of the flagpole came up a few times with commissioners wondering how long it’s been since a flag has adorned it.

 To date, no one seems to know for sure. So that brings up the question of whether the county should spend money for an all-weather American flag, the hardware to install it and a light to illuminate it after dusk.

 While it doesn’t sound like a big deal, the position of the flagpole is another part of the mystery. It sits on a ledge outside a second-story window. If there ever was a pulley on the pole, it’s gone now.

 So they’ll need a bucket truck or cherry-picker to install a new one and that will cost some big bucks.

 If you’re going to go that far, it also makes sense to illuminate the flag, since I doubt anyone wants to lean out the window to hoist and lower it every day.

 So the commissioners are mulling a decision, based on whether or not the cost is worth it. Does the general public care if there’s a flag on the building or not?

 I live in Somerset County and there may be a flag flying on our courthouse in Skowhegan. But I couldn’t say for sure. The last time I was in the courthouse was for jury duty about 10 years ago.

 But I do know that Piscataquis County is staunchly conservative. Residents have a longstanding tradition of supporting the military and patriotic organizations.

 So the commissioners would like some guidance. Should they spend the time and money — which could be a few thousand dollars — to put an American flag back on its courthouse?

 Drop me an email at mlange@observer-me.com or post a message on our Facebook page with your thoughts and I’ll pass them along to the commissioners. Or, as the old saying goes, “Let’s run this idea up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes it.”

 Mike Lange is a staff writer with the Piscataquis Observer. His opinions are his own and don’t necessarily reflect those of this newspaper.