Common Council has sent its posthumous honors policy back to committee, after a veteran pointed out that deceased former Common Council members would be eligible to have the city hall flag flown at half-staff, but armed service members killed in action wouldn't.

The posthumous honors policy is intended to provide guidance to help city officials know how to respond when public servants or other revered citizens die. The proposed policy doesn't proscribe actions or forbid others, but it does identify categories of people -- elected officials, city employees, and other revered citizens -- and recommend honors that would be appropriate to commemorate them when they die.

The council was scheduled to vote on adopting the policy Wednesday night, but decided to give the issue more thought after veteran Holly Hollingsworth pointed out that members of the U.S. armed services, firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians killed in the line of duty were not included in the category eligible for having the flag flown at half-staff.

Alderman J.R. Clairborne, D-2nd, wrote the resolution and offered to create a new category for public safety personnel that would make them eligible for any honor.

But the other council members thought the policy should go back to committee.

Alderwoman Deb Mohlenhoff, D-5th, said she wanted to make sure the definition of public safety personnel was clear, and that the city's policy won't conflict with other protocols that may already be in place about the proper way to acknowledge police, firefighters, and others who die in the line of duty.

Alderman Eric Rosario, I-2nd, said he thought there were too many categories of people eligible for having the flag flown at half staff. Under the proposed policy, any current or former mayor, member of Common Council, or city representative on the Tompkins County Legislature could be eligible for that honor.

"So many categories being eligible for flying the flag at half staff dilutes the meaning," Rosario told his colleagues. "I'd rather have the flag flown at half staff for these categories (public safety personnel) than -- no offense -- Common Council."

The issue will return to council's Legislative Committee, 7 p.m. Nov. 16 in City Hall, 108 E. Green St.