Staff Report
PREPARED BY: HOLLY ZAPPALA
Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, and Town Attorney
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 09/04/2018
ITEM NO: 5
DATE: AUGUST 22, 2018
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: APPROVE MODIFICATIONS TO TOWN COUNCIL POLICY 5-02: FLAG POLICY
AS RECOMMENDED BY THE COUNCIL POLICY COMMITTEE TO INCLUDE
GUIDELINES FOR THE OFFICIAL APPEARANCE OF THE TOWN FLAG AND
SEAL AND ESTABLISH GUIDELINES FOR GIFTING OR TRADING THE TOWN
FLAG
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve modifications to Town Council Policy 5-02: Flag Policy as recommended by the Council
Policy Committee to include guidelines for the official appearance and colors of the Town flag
and Town seal as well as guidelines for gifting or trading the Town flag.
BACKGROUND:
On October 19, 2016, the Council adopted a Flag Policy which provides direction for when to
lower flags to half-staff and to raise flags flown on Town properties (see Attachment 1).
Based on research conducted by former Library Director Peggy Conaway, there has never been
a Town policy or official adoption for guidelines regarding the appearance and colors of the
Town flag or the Town seal, or for gifting or trading the Town flag (see Attachment 2). The
current Town flag on a golden-yellow background and current Town seal have been in use since
the 1960s according to Ms. Conaway’s research. It is believed that the current depiction of cats
on the flag is modeled after the cat sculptures at the entrance to “The Cats” estate. The
sculptures were sculpted from cement in 1922 by Robert Trent Paine.
PAGE 2 OF 2
SUBJECT: PROPOSED MODIFICATION TO FLAG POLICY
September 4, 2018
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2018\9-4-18\05 Flag Policy Update\05 Staff Report Flag Policy FINAL.docx
DISCUSSION:
Staff presented this item to the Policy Committee on August 16, 2018. Staff recommended that
the Flag Policy be amended to include official guidelines for the appearance and colors of the
Town seal and flag (see Attachment 3). In addition, to facilitate flag maintenance, staff
proposed that the flag background be changed from golden-yellow to white. While there are
revisions to the Flag Policy under consideration, staff also recommended the establishment of
guidelines for when/how gifting or trading the Town flag may occur. Staff recommended that
the Town flag may be gifted or traded upon approval from Town Council.
The Policy Committee agreed with staff’s recommendation to amend the Flag Policy to include
official guidelines for the appearance and colors of the Town flag and seal and to change the
background color of the flag to white. The Policy Committee also agreed with staff’s
recommendation to include guidelines for gifting and trading the flag; however, the Committee
recommended that the Town Manager’s discretion be used for determining when to gift or
trade the flag with other jurisdictions or organizations. This change has been reflected in the
attached Proposed Revision to the Flag Policy (Attachment 3).
It is timely for the Mayor and Town Council to consider this matter because the Town of Los
Gatos flags currently flown on Main Street (in front of the Civic Center and at Plaza Park) have
faded and need to be replaced. Prior to investing in new flags, it became clear that policy
guidance was needed from the Policy Committee and Town Council on the flag itself. The
Council Policy Committee recommended that the Town Council approve the proposed revisions
to the Flag Policy.
Attachments:
1. Flag Policy
2. Excerpt from “Flags of the World” website regarding the history of the Los Gatos Town flag
3. Proposed Revision to the Flag Policy