LAS CRUCES - When it comes to flying the American flag outside of city government buildings, some Las Cruces military veterans are asking for uniformity.

They don't want city officials over-thinking flag etiquette, but they do want Old Glory to wave as it should.

"The flag should be displayed every day, especially holidays," Kevin Dasing, a Las Cruces resident who just last week was appointed to city's Veterans Advisory Board, told City Council members at Monday's work session at City Hall. "Our big concern is that City Hall is the heart and soul of our town, and City Hall doesn't fly the flag on holidays."

Interim Assistant City Manager Brian Denmark, who also serves as facilities director, said city administrators have received numerous complaints lately about how the U.S. flag is being displayed outside of city buildings.

"We recognize there is a problem. We're going to have to coordinate better," Denmark said.

Denmark added there are no policies or procedures for flying American flags outside of city buildings. Flags are often not flown outside of city buildings, particularly City Hall, on federal holidays when city employees are off.

Denmark said overtime or comp time would have to be paid to employees who raise and lower flags on holidays.

But Councilor Dolores Connor suggested that veterans organizations be sought as volunteers to raise and lower the flags on holidays.

"If the city has 21 flags, that wouldn't take very long to handle," Connor said.

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"You could probably get some volunteer groups to do that."

Councilor Nathan Small said Connor's suggestion was an "excellent idea," and would save the city money.

But Denmark pointed out there were other issues. Because there are no policies or procedures in place, there is no centralized management to ensure flags are flown properly. There is also a lack of communications in notifying city employees responsible for raising and lowering flags if they are to be flown at half-staff, and there are too many people involved in the process.

The lack of day-to-day protocol has irked some Las Crucens, like Ryan Dailey, a Navy veteran who raised concerns to the council last week that some city buildings were not observing days when the U.S. flag should be flown at half staff. He said some flags were being flown properly, but at other city buildings the flags were flown at full staff, or not at all.

"It's important that we are uniform," Dailey said. "It's disrespectful, completely. ... I hope we can see something done, I would like to see the flag flown the right way."

Steve Ramirez can be reached at (575) 541-5452

Flying Old Glory

• The city of Las Cruces has 21 buildings where American flags are flown.

• Four of those buildings: Community of Hope, Club Fusion, the Las Cruces Police Department, and Las Cruces International Airport have illuminated flag poles where the U.S. flag can be flown 24 hours a day.

• There are no city policies or procedures in effect for flag protocol.

• Unless volunteers could be found, there would be additional costs to the city to make sure the U.S. flag is flown outside of city buildings on all holidays.

For more information about U.S. flag etiquette, visit legion.org/flag/questions_answers.