WESTLAND, Mich. – Stars and stripes waved along Ford Road in Westland and caused controversy between the city and business owner.
Ken Dabelstein, owner of Ken’s Produce, placed rows of old glory along this business to celebrate Memorial Day.
“I’m a true American,” Dabelstein said. “I believe in our country.”
A Westland ordinance officer removed those flags from the business on Thursday.
When Dabelstein returned Friday morning, the flags were back.
But the city didn’t put them there and Dabelstein said he didn’t put them there either.
“My night man said a man in a blue truck came by and put all of the flags out,” Dabelstein said. “I would like to thank him firstly from the bottom of my heart.”
“The ordinance officers are required to keep an eye out for temporary signage which is not permitted,” Westland Assistant Chief Fire Marshall Kelly Eggers said. “There’s an ordinance in the community that prevents that kind of signage.”
Without a permit, a large amount of flags falls under that violation.
“We actually received a call from another business in the area questioning why they get to have the flags out and they cannot so we came over here to address the issue and again, we probably moved a little too quickly on that pending the holiday,” Eggers said.
Mayor William Wild personally sent Dabelstein and his wife an apology.
“A manager is only as good as his people, so he was taking full blame for it,” Linda Dabelstein said.
The city said when it comes to holidays like Independence Day, Veterans’ Day and Memorial Day, American flags can stay regardless of the ordinance, no matter how many there are.
