Raising Florida's tallest flag will cost Santa Rosa County a pretty penny

If you wanna be the biggest you've got to pay the price.

The bids are in, and if Santa Rosa County Commissioners really want to enter the fray for tallest-flag-in-Florida bragging rights it's going to cost them upward of $300,000 to do so.

Two companies, US Flag and Flagpole Supply and The Flagpole Company, took the county up on its request for a cost estimate to erect a 207-foot flag at a location in the city of Milton and possibly outside the county Administrative Building on Caroline Street.

The bids were opened and reviewed Tuesday morning.

Commissioner James Calkins has championed the idea of raising the tallest flag in the state, and to do so would require a flagpole extending more than 200 feet in the air. The city of Clearwater currently can boast that a flag found on the grounds of the city's Bert's Barracuda Harley Davidson dealership is, at 200 feet, the state's tallest. The high flying flag itself measures 50 feet high by 100 feet across.

The city of Milton, whose governing board met Tuesday, had on its agenda a resolution "in support of flag by Commissioner Calkins."

A bid of $291,070 turned in by US Flag and Flagpole Supply was by far the more detailed of the two presented to Santa Rosa County.

It offers to provide the county a 227-foot flag pole for $165,150 and complete a one-trip installation for $110,250. When installation is complete, 207 feet of "exposed height" will remain upon which a $9,500 flag will fly. An electric winch is to be provided with which to raise and lower the flag and it will be illuminated with $1,600 in lighting.

The Flagpole Company did not offer pricing specifics. It's bid to take on the job of hoisting the big flag came in at $301,653.

At Monday's meeting, Calkins, who was acting as chairman in the absence of Commissioner Sam Parker, commented that "we've had a lot of interest in this (flag) project," and Administrative Services Director Jared Lowe did note that more than 20 companies had downloaded the county bid sheet to at least look over the project parameters.

Previously: Santa Rosa Commissioners consider erecting Florida's largest flag

But while Parker has offered full-throated support for Calkin's proposal, it is unclear where the other three commissioners stand. Commissioner Kerry Smith has questioned the idea of flying the flag at the Administration Building, suggesting instead erecting it at Archie Glover Boat Ramp, where it would be visible from Interstate 10.

Commissioner Ray Eddington drew applause from the audience when the tallest flag proposal was brought up in early February. He opined that tax dollars could better be spent on things like roads and storm water infrastructure.

Calkins and Parker have suggested seeking Tourist Development bed tax dollars to cover the cost of the flag.

"I can't tell you how many people it will bring to Santa Rosa County, but I can tell you we absolutely can incorporate it into our marketing," Parker said.

Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court Donald Spencer, who sits in on County Commission meetings, said he didn't think a huge flag, particularly one flown outside the County Administration office, could be considered a tourist attraction.

It has also been suggested that rather than using tourist dollars, the flag be paid for by patriotic Santa Rosa County citizens who could take pride in bringing the tallest American flag in Florida to the county.

The bids opened Tuesday will be discussed Thursday at the County Commission's regular meeting.

"We'll decide kinda where we wanna go on Thursday," Calkins said.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Santa Rosa County considers cost of erecting Florida's tallest flag