Reported by Kristy Ondo – bio |email
Posted by Debra Worley - email
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WECT) – Owners of the Buy n' Go in Leland are facing fines for showing their patriotism by flying a large flag at their business.
The store owner wanted the biggest flag possible and said he asked the flag company to contact town hall officials in Leland to verify the town's flag ordinance.
The store owner says the company told him the flag could be 75 sq. feet and the pole could stand 60 feet high, so he placed the order and paid a total of about $14,000 to put the flag up.
A few weeks later, the Town of Leland issued a notice of violation, saying the American Flag at the Buy n' Go is in violation of the town's ordinance. Regulations say flag poles in Leland can be no more than 40 feet high and the flag itself can't exceed 60 sq. feet.
The letter says the store must comply with the ordinance within seven days from the time they get the notice, or they will be fined $50 a day, per violation. The store manager says he is not going to take the flag down and will not pay any fines, because he bought a flag within the measurements provided to the flag company.
According to Assistant Manager Elizabeth Meadows, the owner of the Buy n' Go thinks it's upsetting that they're trying to be patriotic and the town is making such a fuss about the size of the flag.
Air Force Veteran, Tom Morris, owns an ice cream shop in the same complex and says he's offended the town thinks the American flag can be too big. He said he likes working near others who share his patriotism.
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