Council Asks Arts Panel to Design Flag for City

Hoping to attract community interest and a better design, the Moorpark City Council has asked a city arts committee to devise an official city flag instead of adopting a version quickly prepared by city staffers.

The council voted 4 to 0 Wednesday to refer the matter to the arts committee, which is not officially affiliated with the city but is made up of former Councilwoman Eloise Brown and other residents.

Councilman Scott Montgomery suggested the city engage the arts committee after he and Mayor Paul Lawrason, who compose the city’s Budget and Finance Committee, gave initial approval to the design that was later criticized.

“Assigning something like this to a budget and finance committee is probably not the most appropriate thing in the world,” Montgomery said.

Lawrason said Thursday he had no problem with seeking the committee’s advice.

“I have no objection,” he said. “If they can come up with some good suggestions, that’s fine.”

Brown had criticized the original version of the flag, which featured the city seal and the words “City of Moorpark,” as unimaginative and a mistake the council would live to regret.

The council did not instruct the arts committee to make design recommendations by a specific date. If Moorpark goes ahead with creation of a flag, it would join Ventura, Santa Paula, Camarillo and Thousand Oaks as the only other cities in the county with official banners.