Maine Town Ends Flying of U.S. Flags Due to Insurance Cost

A lack of adequate liability insurance has put an end to a project honoring military veterans by flying American flags on utility poles in Maine’s smallest town.

The Kennebec Journal reports Randolph Fire Association fundraised for about a year before buying and mounting 20 flags along the town’s traffic corridors. But because Randolph technically rents the poles from the utility and its insurance doesn’t meet a $5 million coverage threshold, the flags came down.

To keep the flags up, town officials would have to purchase an insurance rider for the additional coverage. Although the rider would only cost about $500, there’s no more money budgeted for the project.

Fire association member Jim Kimball says he can’t fathom why it’s so expensive to mount the flags for three months.