JUNE 24, 2025 — Watertown, New York, has officially adopted a new city flag, finalizing a process that drew minimal public attention but some criticism over transparency and design choices, says NNY360.
The flag, which features a modified version of the city’s official seal, was quietly raised last fall at City Hall and the city’s ice arena without public announcement. On Monday, the Watertown City Council voted unanimously to formally adopt the design, following months of it flying unofficially.
The flag was produced by Victory Promotion, a company contracted to modify the City Seal into a flag format. City Manager Eric Wagenaar explained that the design was inspired by and reflective of the seal, with some adjustments made to enhance its color scheme. “The finished flag brings out some colors from the City Seal,” he said.
Despite the council’s unanimous vote, the process faced criticism from at least one former official.
“Let the public vote on their favorite from a number of options that you choose,” a City Councilman suggested, proposing a student competition as a more inclusive alternative.
He also raised aesthetic concerns, noting that seals are generally considered poor design elements for flags. “Aesthetically, it’s not a great looking flag,” he wrote.
City officials maintained that the process had been transparent within council and staff discussions, with Wagenaar stating he delayed formal adoption until receiving feedback from the public, which he described as “uniformly positive.”
However, council members admitted they were unsure why the flag’s earlier display hadn’t been better publicized, with the city manager assuming the council was handling outreach.
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