Proposal to change decades-old city seal sparks passionate debate in South Lake Tahoe

Proposal to Change South Lake Tahoe City Seal Sparks Debate

A plan to correct a mistake in South Lake Tahoe's city seal, which dates back to the city's founding in 1965, has ignited passionate discussions among officials and residents. The original seal inaccurately depicted the Lake Tahoe border, and the new proposal aims to fix this error.

Emotional Attachment to the Original Seal

During the city council meeting on Tuesday, some members expressed strong feelings about preserving the seal as it is. Susan Blankenship, the city clerk and custodian of the seal, spoke with emotion:

“The city seal has stood as the link between our past and present. It has marked every chapter of our city's history and remains a powerful emblem of who we are.”

Differing Views Within the Council

Scott Robbins, a city council member, supported the correction, emphasizing the long-overlooked nature of the error:

“We're just going to fix an error that went overlooked for the last 60 years.”

Resident Reactions and Community Sentiment

Resident Scott Loberg voiced frustration over the debate, noting a lack of public demand for the change:

“When I go to the store, when I go to the bar, when I go to the restaurant, anywhere, to the hospital — wherever, I haven't heard one person say, 'We need to change the damn seal.'”

It was clarified that the city seal differs from the city's logo, which is more flexible and can be updated at any time.

Upcoming Decision

The city council has planned further discussion and possible approval of the seal change for their meeting on November 18.

Author’s Summary

The proposal to correct South Lake Tahoe’s historic city seal has stirred strong emotions among community members, balancing tradition against the call for accuracy.

KCRA — 2025-11-08