Posted on 05/24/2011 12:58:12 PM PDT by Doogle
A New York community that displayed American flags on utility poles to honor a fallen hero is outraged after the Long Island Power Authority sent them a bill – for using their poles.
“I was pretty shocked,” said Peter Reich, a councilman in the Long Island community of Shelter Island. “It’s the most ludicrous thing.”
The flags were hung last year for the funeral of Army 1st Lt. Joseph Theinert. The Shelter Island native was killed while on active duty in Afghanistan. He sacrificed his life to save his platoon and was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for his actions.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
www.lipower.org
Well I see both sides. Yes it was a worthy gesture but what is muslims decided to put up muslim flags?
If you read the article the head of the electric company offered to pay for the flags. Can’t get any fairer than that
AND by follwoing the state law this might discourage abuse, make others pay the $ 5.00 per flag and idiots will be less likely to put up flags
Well I see both sides. Yes it was a worthy gesture but what if muslims decided to put up muslim flags?
If you read the article the head of the electric company offered to pay for the flags. Can’t get any fairer than that
AND by follwoing the state law this might discourage abuse, make others pay the $ 5.00 per flag and idiots will be less likely to put up flags
“It’s not the fee,” he said. “It’s the principle of the thing. Getting that money out of us is going to be like getting blood out of a stone.”
Flags were also posted on poles owned by Verizon. However, a spokesman for the company said it typically waives fees for commemorative ceremonies and “we intend on waiving it in this case.”
What an idiot! I ran a stop sign a few weeks ago. I meekly told the copper that I knew what did (without making an excuse or asking for special treatment.) He told me not to do it again. Maybe Michael Hervey could look the other way or say that he had read news stories but had no reliable information with which to make the assessment, or he could have quietly paid it out of pocket.
Anti-nuclear activist bankrupted Lilco twenty years ago and made it a ward of the State of New York. That's no reason to take it out on everyone else.
The town should turn around and pass a “utility poll fee” on every utility poll in their jurisdiction for the same amount as the “flag fee”.
“He sacrificed his life to save his platoon and was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for his actions.”
No, he was awarded the PH because of wounds sustained while in combat. I have no doubt there was some sort of award for heroism (Bronze Star, Silver Star, etc.), but the PH wasn’t it. Heroes deserve better writing.
Colonel, USAFR
Why doesn’t the city return the favor and bill the power company for putting power lines on their flag poles. I’m sure the power company has not paid for the land the poles are on.
Ah...ok. It's the principle.
"Getting that money out of us is going to be like getting blood out of a stone.”
Oh. Wait. It is about the money after all? Then take Mr. Michael Hervey up on his offer and be done with it.
timing is everything....a week before Memorial Day?....maybe it's just a coincidence,or maybe some people are tired of "REMEMBERING".....or maybe someone is really offended by the AMERICAN FLAG
I don’t take it personally.And no one is saying stop it. Pay the flag fee and put up the flag ( or in this case let the utility company pay for the flags since they offered)
If it is a state law it is a state law and from a practical standpoint wholesale crap being put on utility poles is not a good idea. There has to be some control if it. I bet every state has a law governing what can be put on utility poles
By charging $5.00 it could cut down fanatics.
Can you see that?
The Utility company offered to pay for the flags. They wouldn’t pay for anti American flags or muslim flags.
Not so difficult. You send the bill BACK with a TWO WORD message!
Maybe Hervey’s generous sounding offer came with a string attached such as requiring a promise to never do it again.
The fee is probably related to some bean counter’s idea of the extra work that would be entailed by a maintenance man who has to climb the pole. A pole festooned with dozens of flags and flyers would have to be cleaned as the pole was climbed and could delay servicing whatever was at the top of the pole. A regulation that might make more sense is that the owner of flags and other material found on the pole would be dinged a charge if the pole has to be climbed by service personnel.
433rd TFS (FG) or 497th TFS (FP)?
408TH MMS
Maybe it didn't. Maybe his words were sincere and he meant what he said.
Could work both ways.
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