Policies

Disclaimers

1. The City of Northampton uses external social media as a public service. The City of Northampton disclaims liability for advertising, videos, promoted content, or comments accessible from any external web page. Any inclusion of external content or comments does not imply endorsement by the City of Northampton.
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Terms of Use:

1. External individuals or entities posting to the city’s social media pages are solely responsible for their comments. By using City of Northampton social media or City of Northampton hosted pages you are agreeing to our terms of use.
2. The City of Northampton reserves the right to remove in its sole discretion comments not topically related to the particular topic being commented upon; profane language or content; discourteous communication including personal attacks on an individual’s character or appearance; content that promotes, fosters or perpetuates discrimination based on any protected class; sexual content or links to sexual content; solicitations of commerce; conduct or encouragement of illegal activity; information that may tend to compromise the safety or security of the public or public systems; content that violates legal ownership interests of another party; or false or misleading information regarding city services.

FLAG POLICY OF THE CITY OF NORTHAMPTON

Flag Policy of the City of Northampton - Adopted March 29, 2024 (PDF)

PURPOSE

To establish guidelines for: (1) the exhibition of the flag of the United States of America, the flag of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the flag of the City of Northampton from City buildings and flagpoles located on City-owned or controlled property, and (2) the display of flags or banners that in, on or above public ways, (3) the display of ceremonial flags, (4) banners attached to poles within the public way and, (5) such other flags or banners as the Mayor, in the Mayor’s sole discretion, shall be displayed in order to convey the official message of the government of the City (collectively “Flags” or “Flag Locations”)

POLICY

Flags shall, to the extent applicable, be displayed in accordance with Federal and State statutes and regulations, including but not limited to: United States Code, Title 4, Chapter 1 and 36 U.S. Code § 902; the Federal “Our Flag” publication of the Congress, House Document No. 96-144; Chapter 2, Sections 6 and 6A of the Massachusetts General Laws; Chapter 264, Section 5 of the Massachusetts General Laws; 950 CMR 34.00 et seq.; and this Policy.

In adopting this policy, the City of Northampton, by and through its Mayor, declares that Flag Locations are not intended to and do not serve as a forum for free expression by the public, but rather as a nonpublic forum for the display of governmental and nongovernmental Flags authorized by the Mayor, either as required by law or as an expression of the official governmental speech and policy sentiments of the City of Northampton.

STANDARDS

A. Federal, State, and City Flags

1. Flags shall be flown in the following order of precedence: First, the United States flag; second, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts flag; third, the flag of the City of Northampton, and fourth the POW/MIA flag or other commemorative flag approved by the Mayor in the Mayor’s sole discretion. 
2. Flags shall be flown on Flag Locations on such federal, state, or local holidays as the Mayor, in the Mayor’s sole discretion, deems advisable. 
3. The Mayor may order Flags to be lowered to half-staff on such occasions as the Mayor, in the Mayor’s sole discretion, may determine.