An Ames resident is fighting a one-man battle for the honor of the City of Ames flag.

J. A. “Earl” Franz, 307 Orange, has been pursuing a flag change since 1995 when the Ames Tribune sponsored a contest to design a new city flag.

Franz said he doesn’t care what the flag looks like; he wants a flag that is representative of the entire Ames community.

According to city code, the official city flag was adopted on Sept. 1, 1964 “for use on all occasions where a distinctive city symbol in the way of a flag may be fittingly displayed.”

Franz said, “It’s not my thought we need a flag; it was the Tribune’s thought in 1995 and the people’s thought in 1964.”

Franz said city hall is one place where it is fitting to display the flag. Currently a flag is being flown at city hall, but it is not the official city flag.

Mayor Ted Tedesco said the flag outside of city hall was designed by a city employee. He said it is a logo flag.

“It’s never been said it was an official flag,” Tedesco said.

Franz said he would like to see a flag the entire community agreed to. He is concerned because the public didn’t get to help decide the logo flag’s design.

Tedesco said it is impossible to fly the official flag because there is only one flag in existence. The current city flag is on display in city hall since it is not an all-weather flag.

City council member Herman Quirmbach agrees with Tedesco.

“Earl is obviously very sincere, but one of the problems we have is we only have one copy of the flag,” Quirmbach said.

Franz has presented his case at the last three city council meetings, but he said he has been largely ignored.

Franz told the mayor and city council he is willing to raise funds to have a second official flag made so it can be flown at city hall.

Tedesco said he needs to see a flag before he and the city council will consider that option.

“I think he needs to raise the funds and present the council with an all-weather copy of the flag,” Tedesco said.

Quirmbach said it might be time for the council to take a look at the issue and he would be open to discussion.

“It’s time to take [the flag] out of the closet and see if it captures what we want to symbolize,” he said.

Quirmbach expressed concern about displaying the official flag because not many people are aware of the flag. He thinks it might be useful to revise the flag.

“If more people become familiar with it, there may be a ground swell to revise it,” Quirmbach said.

Franz said his purpose is to provide the entire city with its own flag.

“My ultimate goal is to provide the city with whatever is popular and representative of the whole population,” he said.

He said he knows this is a small issue for the council to address, but he wonders why they can’t just deal with the issue.

“I’m willing to stand up for the honor of the flag,” Franz said. “I feel I must.”