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.
Maybe it didn't. Maybe his words were sincere and he meant what he said.
Could work both ways.