A measure restricting which flags can be flown on Warren County property has been grounded by the full Warren County Commission.
A resolution to ban all flags on Warren County property with the exception of the flag of the United States of America, the flag of Tennessee, the flag of Warren County, the flag of the city of McMinnville, and the POW – MIA flag failed by a 22-1 margin Monday night.
Commissioner Michael Shane Wilcher asked for the resolution as a way to prevent future controversy after a recent spat over placement of a Confederate flag beside the courthouse. He was the only one to vote in favor of it.
Commissioners David Rhea, Ron Lee, Diane Starkey, Carl E. Bouldin, Ken Martin, Teddy Boyd, Blaine Wilcher, Michael Martin, Charles Morgan, Linda Jones, Tommy Savage, Gary Martin, Scott Rubley, Randy England, Carlene Brown, Wayne Copeland, Carolyn Miller, Morris Bond, Terry Bell, Carl D. Bouldin, Tyrone Sparkman and Kenny Roberts voted against it. Commissioner Gary Prater was absent.
Before the resolution’s failing vote, Commissioner Tommy Savage made a motion to amend the resolution to include a few more flags that would be permitted.
 “I would like to make a motion to amend this resolution to include the flags of each of the U.S. Armed Forces which are flown at Warren County Memorial Airport, especially at the Memorial Day service, but not limited to that day only,” said Savage.
His motion to amend passed 15-8.
England and Bell asked if the resolution would affect school-related flags.
“I just want to make sure I’m understanding this right,” said England. “If we vote on this tonight and it passes, we can’t fly any other flags than these. If our Warren County Pioneers win a football championship, or our team wins a basketball championship and they give us a flag, we aren’t allowed to fly it. Is that right?”
County Executive Herschel Wells added, “That’s the way I understand it. Yes.”
Bell asked if the resolution would affect flags being flown in classrooms, such as those pertaining to Future Farmers of America.
“If we have an FFA flag being flown in an FFA classroom, this says it bans all flags on property owned by the county,” said Bell. “Does that mean the FFA, the 4-H, the JROTC, and all those will have to take their flags down?
Wells added, “That’s right.”
The final vote on the resolution failed 23-1.