What does the Otero County flag look like? Commissioners vote on new design

ALAMOGORDO – Otero County Commissioners voted 2-0 in favor of an ordinance to designate the official design for Otero County’s flag while Commissioner Janet White abstained from voting at the Commission’s regular meeting Thursday.

"I'm just not going to vote on it," Otero County Commissioner Janet White said. White did not give a reason.

Otero County Commission Chair Lori Bies and Vice Chairwoman Susan Flores voted for the measure.

At a public hearing Nov. 28, Otero County Commissioners discussed two flag design mock-ups while several more designs were drawn up for discussion at Thursday’s, Dec. 13, Commission meeting.

According to the ordinance, the color white represents the gypsum sand dunes of the White Sands National Monument, located in Otero County. 

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The cyan represents the mineral turquoise, which is the state gem of New Mexico and has been mined in Otero County. The colors red and yellow represent the flag of the State of New Mexico, whose colors in turn are that of Spain, the ordinance states.

There were also two ideas submitted from the public that were also discussed at Thursday's meeting.

The Otero County flag will be halved along the diagonal with the lower half being yellow with a red Zia symbol and the top half will be turquoise on to and white on the bottom.

The mock-up that was presented had the words “OTERO COUNTY” along the long center diagonal line. The version that the commission approved will not have OTERO COUNTY or any lettering on it.

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Also, the design of the Zia symbol was discussed and will be considered when the process is farther along. The commission would like to have a Zia symbol on the flag that is similar to the one on the Otero County logo.

The ordinance will be updated to reflect the description of the Zia symbol used.

The cost of producing the flag will come from the county commission’s discretionary fund.

Commissioners are in the beginning phase of the flag’s design, they’re unsure when the final flag design will be approved.