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New flagpole installed at Saline County Courthouse Monday

Wednesday, October 21, 2009
By ERIC CRUMP/Editor
(Photo)
The U.S. Stars and Stripes and the Missouri State Flag wave from a new flagpole on the north side of the Saline County Courthouse Tuesday, Oct. 20.
(Eric Crump/Democrat-News)
(Photo)
From left, Steve Mills, Don Garst, Bill Sleeper and Ken Bryant work to prepare the new flagpole for installation Monday, Oct. 19.
(Eric Crump/Democrat-News)
Not all improvements to the Saline County Courthouse are being paid for with the renovation sales tax.

The courthouse has a new flagpole thanks to the Knights of Columbus and numerous volunteers and contributors.

The new pole was lifted into place Monday afternoon, Oct. 19, by Mid-Continent Restoration workers after it was assembled by Don Garst of the Knights of Columbus, County Clerk Ken Bryant, Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Bill Sleeper and local contractor Steve Mills.

The height from the ground of the new aluminum pole is the same as the old pole -- 50 feet, with nearly six feet extending below ground level -- but the new pole includes an internal lanyard and swiveling top that is designed to allow the U.S. and state flags to fly free regardless of wind direction, according to Garst.

The installation of the new pole was not without its challenges. Workers fastened it with straps to a fork lift, but while the pole was being slowly lifted into place, it hit a tree limb that provided stiffer resistance than workers had anticipated.

Mid-Continent worker Bill Skaggs brought another lift over and manually shifted the tree limb, then helped guide the pole into place while supervisor Julio Lopez offered direction from the base.

Garst said it was appropriate that the Knights of Columbus participated in the project because the old pole was set by the organization in May 1941 as a feature event of its state convention that year.

(Photo)
Bill Skaggs of Mid-Continent Restoration wrestles a recalcitrant tree limb out of the way as a new aluminum flagpole is lifted into place Monday, Oct. 19, on the north side of the Saline County Courthouse.
(Eric Crump/Democrat-News) [Order this photo]
Contact Eric Crump at marshalleditor@socket.net
© Copyright 2009 Marshall Democrat-News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Kudos to the Knights of Columbus. They have helped financially on the flags out at the Marshall sign and now by the courthouse. Thanks to all their efforts.

Lets all remember this when it comes to their shrimp dinner on the friday after Ash Wednesday in 2010.

-- Posted by movaldude on Wed, Oct 21, 2009, at 12:09 AM

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