Contact Info
Board of Commissioners
1200 North Telegraph Road
Pontiac, MI 48341
Monday - Friday
8:30am - 5:00pm
Upcoming Meetings
A meeting of the Legislative Affairs and Government Operations Committee will be held on Tuesday, October 6, at 9 am
A meeting of the Public Health and Safety Committee will be held on Tuesday, October 6, at 10:30 am
A County Flag for the Future
About
Flags are powerful symbols that serve to represent and unite a common people, tell a story, and convey meaning. On June 11, 2025, the Board approved resolution #2024-4146, which established the Flag Leadership and Advisory Group (F.L.A.G.) to guide the redesign of the official Oakland County flag. The resolution was introduced by Commissioner Brendan Johnson, chair of the Legislative Affairs & Government Operations Committee.
The Board of Commissioners recognizes the opportunity to redesign the county flag in a manner that reflects the 21st-century character of Oakland County - its dynamic communities, rich diversity, unique natural features and forward-looking vision. And, they are looking for input from the public, including anyone who has a passion for flag design and interest in Oakland County.
History
The current flag, featuring a maize-colored oak tree on a green background, was adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on May 21, 1970, via MR #5384, following recommendations from the Local Affairs Committee.
Get Involved
Submit Design Ideas
Be part of the future of Oakland County! The Board and the Flag Leadership and Advisory Group invite anyone with a love for design and passion for civic pride to submit their ideas for a new flag until 5 p.m. on January 4, 2027. Submissions should be rectangular and be approximately 3 x 5 inches.
You may use this worksheet to ensure that your design is sized appropriately.
Any official symbol of Oakland County should foster civic pride, promote public understanding of the county government, and represent the spirit of all who call the county home.
The North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) recommends five core principles for effective flag design that will serve as guideposts for the redesign process. The existing flag achieves only three of the following five criteria:
- Simplicity
- Meaningful symbolism
- Limited color palette
- No text or seals
- Distinctiveness
The following can help guide your creativity:
Proposed Curriculum Packet
F.L.A.G.
Members
F.L.A.G. is structured as a study group and composed of the following members:
- Three commissioners appointed by the Board Chair, including two members of the majority caucus and one from the minority caucus
- Brendan Johnson, District 4
- Yolanda Smith Charles, District 17
- Robert Smiley, District 14
- Two members appointed by the County Executive
- Steve Dorsey, Creative Operations Officer
- Spencer Verhagen, Community Engagement Representative
- Carol Bacak-Egbo, Oakland County historian
- Dave Decker, Oakland County Historical Commission chair
- Additional individuals may be invited to contribute as non-voting members, including local artists, historians, designers, educators, and other subject-matter experts, as needed
FAQ
A recent study concluded the existing flag, last designed nearly a half century ago, does not meet all five criteria for effective design.
A maize-colored oak tree on a green background with the numbers “1820” signifying the year the county was officially formed. The county celebrated its bicentennial in 2020.
Advisory group members are looking for original artwork with no stock images or the use of AI.
Validly submitted design ideas will be evaluated by the advisory group. They may recommend all or parts of a submitted design be included the final design.
Yes. The submission tool automatically acknowledges an upload with a confirmation screen and will generate an email to the address you provided.
We value the contributions of residents wishing to take part in this project, but no compensation will be provided. Further, anyone submitting a design idea in part or in whole relinquishes all rights to it.
There are a small number of county flags that are prominently displayed on the county campus and at official county buildings that would be subject to replacement. The replacement of off-campus county flags will be based on demand and be made available for purchase by interested parties.
The official unveiling of the newly designed county flag is planned to coincide with the relocation of approximately 700 employees to a new county campus located in downtown Pontiac, which is currently expected to occur in the fall of 2027.
The professional stages of the flag design process will be provided at no cost thanks to the assistance of vexillological experts with NAVA and internal design experts employed by Oakland County. Outside stakeholders working with the advisory group on this project are volunteers.
Board Chair David T. Woodward appointed three commissioners as outlined in the approved resolution. The county executive was empowered by the same resolution to appoint two members. Additional non-voting members contribute professional vexillological knowledge, historical knowledge and other areas of expertise critical to the project.
Contact
For more information, contact us at flag@oaklandcountymi.gov or follow the Board on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.