At last night’s Board of Commissioners meeting, Mayor John V. Kelly III presented the Township with a flag he flew during his recent tour of duty in Iraq as a token of appreciation for the support Nutley provided while he was serving. Mayor Kelly is a member of the New Jersey Army National Guard.  

“I wanted to find a way to thank the Township and do something meaningful during my deployment to Iraq,” Mayor Kelly said. “One thing I did was fly our United States flag over our LSA, or Life Support Area, at Erbil Air Base, where I was stationed. I brought that flag here today, and I asked the Nutley Historical Society to attend tonight because they operate the Nutley Museum, and I believe it would be fitting to display it there.”

Mayor Kelly then read the certificate of authenticity that accompanied the flag. “Presented to the Township of Nutley, New Jersey, the accompanying flag of the United States of America was proudly flown over Task Force Integrator Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve at Erbil Air Base, Iraq, on 10 October 2025. As this flag flew, it symbolized the sovereign power of the United States and the unshakable resolve of the American men and women keeping our state and our nation safe.”

“The certificate was signed by the BOS-I Director (Base Operations Support Integrator) and the Sergeant Major,” Kelly continued. “I wanted to present this to the Township at an appropriate time, especially since Sunday was Flag Day, and then have it received by the Nutley Historical Society.

“Thank you again to the Township and the Commissioners for their patience. With technology, I was able to stay abreast of everything and attend these meetings. I appreciate the patience and bearing with the time delay and everything. This flag is just a small way of thanking the community for all their support.”