POTD: Down for over a month

Metro Wire Staff

The American flag pole lies in the middle of the front yard of the Stevens Point post office on the morning of Veterans Day.

The pole, which appears to have rotted away at the base, has been in the same spot since at least Oct. 6, when a Metro Wire reader reported finding the pole, and the American flag, down on the ground. The reader bagged the flag and hung it on the front door, as the post office wasn’t yet open for the day.

Postmaster Jeremy Boerner told the Metro Wire on Oct. 23 that he was “working on getting someone in here to fix it” but did not elaborate.

According to the United States Postal Service Administrative Support Manual, Section 47, “Flags,” the flag of the United States “must be displayed on stationary flagstaffs at all Post Offices, branches, stations, terminals, garages, and postal facilities, including leased and rented premises.”

When employees are on duty in a postal facility, the flag must be displayed except in severe weather. It is raised as soon after sunrise as practicable and lowered at the time of closing or no later than sunset, the code says.