A military banner program has been designed to honor all those from the area who are currently in active military duty.
Alyssa Cowan, representing the Miss Nephi Pageant, is currently involved in a service project for Juab County and Nephi City.
She was accompanied to the meeting by mother, Stephanie Cowan and grandparents Paul and Jackie Messersmith.
Cowan, along with presenting her project to Nephi City Council, also requested that a committee be formed to oversee the honor banner program she was proposing.
"Their responsibility would be to make sure that the honor banner program is carried out meeting all the guidelines that are set up," she said. "The committee would also make applications available to the public, approve the application, order the banner and make arrangements for the banner to be hung, taken down and presented to the honoree."
Lisa Brough, council member, said she would be willing to serve as chairman of the committee and would like to use youth who are looking for service as committee members.
"I would like to propose that the city of Nephi carry out a program to honor Active Duty Military from Juab County by hanging military banners from the light poles along Main Street in Nephi City," said Cowan.
To qualify for a military honor banner, the applicant must: Fill out an application (pick up and drop off at Nephi City Hall); provide proof of residency of Juab County (drivers license); provide verification of military status (military status website); and provide a picture in uniform.
"The application will be filled out and submitted by the honoree or the family of the honoree," said Cowan.
She said that banners will be installed periodically throughout the year and will be displayed for a period of one year.
Applicants will be accepted on an on-going basis and the resulting banners will be raised in the order that the application was received.
Banners will be installed periodically throughout the year.
"After one year, applicants will be presented their banners at a city council meeting and thanked for their service," said Cowan. "If the honoree is still active in the Armed Forces, they can reapply to the banner program."
She said that the banners could be taken down when Nephi City or Juab County sees fit and then rehung. For example, during the Ute Stampede, the banners could be removed and stored until after the celebration and then be rehung.
"There will be no charge to the honoree or the applicant for this program," she said.
Money for the banners to start the honor flag program will be raised and collected by Cowan. Those funds will be raised through donations from business owners, citizens and civic groups in the county.
Donations will also be used to pay for an ad in the Nephi Times News advertising for applicants and honorees to the military banner program. Those donations will also be used to run an ad listing and thanking all those in the community who helped with and donated to the military banner program.
"Donations will sponsor a military banner for one active duty service person at $70 per banner," said Cowan. "A donor can sponsor all or any part of the purchase of a military banner."
She said that any extra money raised will be put into a fund for future banners and expenses to the program.
Banners will be made locally in Nephi by Custom Signworks with the high quality fabric to withstand the weather and extreme conditions, she said. They will be printed on both sides and will be 36-inches wide by 60-inches long.
The signs will include the honorees uniformed photo, name and branch of service.
"I would propose that the banners be put up, taken down and cared for under the guidelines of Nephi City," Cowan said.
She had a sample application that could be used and said that the applications should be available at city hall. They could be picked up and dropped off at city hall.
"I believe that the active military service men and women of Nephi City and Juab County deserve our utmost respect and gratitude," said Cowan. "I believe that this is one way to show that we love and thank those who put their lives on the line for us every day."
She said she would like to see her proposal as an ongoing program for those who serve from Juab County.
"If the program is approved, it can be changed in any way to fit Nephi City and Juab County," she said.
"What an excellent idea," said Wade Gee, council member.
Randy McKnight, city administrator, suggested that Cowan make certain that the flags would match the attachments that are used to hang the celebration flags posted by the community.
Mayor Mark Jones said that the city employees who hang the city's celebration banners could put the honor banners up and take them down when the other flags were posted. They then could store them and return them to the poles when the transfer was made.
Cowan wanted the banners to be for current military soldiers who were on active duty.
"We have a veterans memorial for those who served in the past," said Brough.
As a veteran, said P. Messersmith, honoring one of his military family members was also an honor for him.
Nephi is a military covenant city, said Greg Rowley, and the city signed a written commitment to the military to be a constant support to the soldiers and the families of those from the community who are serving in the military.
The military banner program would certainly help do that.
"If the National Guard were called to active duty, would they qualify?" asked Blair Painter, city recorder.
They would, said Cowan.