Montgomery City Council nixes law banning decorations on city property | #citycouncil

After a failed first vote, the Montgomery City Council repealed a controversial resolution Tuesday that bans decorations on city property, the apparent end of a months-long debate over limits on which groups and causes the city should support.

The council initially voted with four in favor of a repeal of its “neutrality” ordinance and four against repeal. Without a majority vote, the motion failed. Councilors then voted a second time and repealed the ordinance, with seven in favor of a repeal and one abstention.

The second vote came after Mayor Steven Reed pointed out that without a repeal, the city would have to remove banners for the Camellia Bowl that are advertising the game across Montgomery.

The repeal comes after months of debate and complicated legislation. Here’s a timeline of what happened.

The path to repeal

• The council passes a resolution Sept. 19 banning the city from flying non-governmental flags. The action came after the city raised pride flags in June and former Councilor Brantley Lyons proposed designating Christian Heritage Month and raising flags to honor that month.
• The city council passes a broader neutrality resolution Oct. 10 banning non-governmental flags and symbols on all city property. It bars “displays of any kind depicting any cause or ideology” unless granted a specific exemption by the council. Lyons sponsored the legislation.
• Mayor Steven Reed vetoes the resolution the week of Oct. 25. “The city has a right to speak in support of any issue… whether those are threats to synagogues or other houses of worship, or whether those are threats to any particular group, or whether it’s in support of any charitable cause or anything that’s going on,” Reed said in October.
• The city council overrides Reed’s veto Nov. 7.
• Councilors pass a resolution to allow decorations for federal holidays Dec. 5, weeks after the city put up its Christmas decorations.
• A vote to repeal the resolution fails Dec. 19.
• At the same Dec. 19 meeting, the council makes a motion to reconsider the repeal and passes it with seven votes in favor and one abstention.