ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - City Council members voted unanimously at their July 23 meeting to amend the city’s flag policy and include the Wilton Rancheria Tribal Flag among the list of flags flown at city-owned property.

An official flag raising ceremony will be held this November as part of the city’s Native American Heritage Month observations. The tribe’s flag will join a short list of other flags allowed by policy flown at city facilities that include the United States Flag, the California State Flag, the official flag of the City of Elk Grove and Prisoner of War and Military flags.

In remarks to council prior to the vote, Wilton Rancheria Chairman Jesus Tarango said the effort to include the tribe’s flag at City Hall and other city-owned properties wasn’t something that just came about overnight, but something that was a long time coming. He noted that its inclusion among the small group of flags flown daily at City Hall demonstrates that Elk Grove recognizes the tribe as equal partners.

“Raising our tribal flag at City Hall may seem like a small gesture, but for us, it’s an incredible, meaningful thing,” Tarango said. “This land is where our people have lived, walked and taken care of for thousands of years. It’s our home, and it always will be.”

In a presentation in support of the flag resolution, Elk Grove management analyst Femi Omotesho outlined several conditions for flying the Wilton Rancheria flag. The flag will be flown year-round at City Hall and displayed on a soon-to-be-installed 25-foot flagpole to the west of the current U.S. flagpole.

The Wilton Rancheria pole will be shorter than the U.S. pole and will be the same height as the Elk Grove flagpole. Omotesho said the purchase and installation costs of the new pole will be below $10,000 and will be worked into the city’s current fiscal budget.

“The Wilton Rancheria Tribe’s flag stands as a powerful emblem of their distinct tribal identify and rich heritage, fostering indigenous pride and serving as a vital visual representation of their people,” Omotesho said.

Tarango told council that flags represent a people’s identity and history and serve to help educate others about the group displaying their flag. As such, the Wilton Rancheria flag features three specific symbols: the acorn, the eagle and the salmon.

Tarango said the acorn “symbolizes nourishment and self-sustainability” of the Wilton Rancheria Tribe, with it serving as a main food source in the region for generations. The eagle “embodies vision, wisdom and the ability to see forward and to see through adversity and rise above challenges. It reminds us to lead with clarity and strength.”

Finally, Tarango said the salmon speaks to people’s connections to the area’s rivers, and to “adaptability and the long journey home.” This is reflected in the salmon’s ability to live in both fresh and saltwater and make their way upstream against all odds to spawn.

 

Elk Grove City Council voted unanimously to include flying the flag of the Wilton Rancheria Tribe at City Hall and all other city-owned facilities. Image courtesy of Wilton Rancheria Tribe.

 “They teach us about determination, change and the importance of caring for the earth,” Tarango said.

“We recognize your sovereignty and I proudly support your flag flying in the city,” Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen said. “It’s your land; it’s our land.”

Other councilmembers were similarly enthusiastic about the move.

“I see this as a great step forward and acknowledgement of what a great relationship the city of Elk Grove and the Wilton Rancheria Tribe have,” Councilmember Darren Suen said.

Councilman Rod Brewer noted the resolution signifies the brotherhood the city and its residents have with the Wilton Rancheria Tribe.

“It reaffirms who we are as a community, but also strongly reaffirms Wilton Rancheria as a sovereign nation,” he added.

Councilmember Kevin Spease said he had been contacted by several residents who expressed concerns about adding the tribe’s flag to the City Hall displays. Spease emphatically endorsed the proposed resolution and reread the specifications required to display the tribe’s flag.

“There’s absolutely zero controversy here,” he added.

In calling for the vote on the resolution, Singh-Allen reiterated a statement made by Tarango in his remarks that “The time is always right to do what is right.”

The resolution amending the city’s flag police to allow flying of the Wilton Rancheria Tribe’s flag passed 4-0, with Vice-Mayor Sergio Robles absent from the meeting.