Ausman
By Megan Alley
Sun staff

Bethel Mayor Alan Ausman broke protocol by ordering the village’s flags to be lowered to half-staff around noon on July 21, in honor of the victims of the Chattanooga, Tennessee shooting.

Ausman took to the village’s Facebook page to share news of his decision.

“The Village of Bethel takes the sanctity of the US Flag very seriously. Normally we follow the protocol that our flags are only lowered to half-staff under proclamation of the President or Governor. However, I can no longer wait for a proclamation to lower the flags in honor of our fallen military members in Chattanooga. Following the action of Congress, I have ordered our flags to be lowered to half-staff,” Ausman wrote.

He said he wrote the Facebook posting because he wanted to tell people why he made his decision.

“I guess [the response] has been positive,” Ausman said. “I thought it was the thing to do.”

He added that he used his discretion when making his decision.

“I think we need to honor our military in the fight against terrorism, and that’s exactly what this was, an act of terrorism,” he said.

He added, “I back my decision 100 percent and I would do it again. Sometimes you have to make a decision you know in your heart is the best thing to do.”

According to the United States flag code: “In the event of . . . the death of a member of the Armed Forces from any State, territory, or possession who dies while serving on active duty, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff . . . .”

Congress lowered the flag atop the U.S. Capitol and President Barack Obama ordered the White House flag to fly at half-staff on July 21, until sunset on July 25.

Ausman ordered the village’s flags to be lowered until the morning of July 27.