Fire Crews Replace Stolen Cotati Flag

Cotati's new flag — perched nearly 70 feet in the air and prominently placed downtown — was stolen two weeks ago. But fire crews from Rohnert Park and Rancho Adobe over the last week have replaced the cord that hoists up the red, white and blue, as well as the flag itself.

Passionate business owners and community volunteers rallied hard for a flag downtown for years, when a new was finally donated and placed. But firefighters noticed Sept. 26 that the cord was cut in multiple places and the flag itself was taken.

"We didn't have one for so long, and now a community memeber is willing to donate again, so we're replacing the cord," said Ralph Beltz, an employee with Cotati Public Works Department, on a recent day.

The flag and cord was donated by Lee Fishman, who owns Fishman Supply Company in Petaluma, and Lyle Smith with Martin Ranch Supply organized local fire departments to place the flag, according to Damien O'Bid, Cotati's director of Public Works.

Fireman Scott Campbell scaled the pole in Rohnert Park's 75-foot ladder truck to tie it to the top last week. Check out photos before and after by clicking on the images to the right.