Mayor Sheila Dixon made what appeared to be conciliatory remarks on Wednesday about Hampden's pink flamingo flap.
"I know probably my agencies are not going to like my comments, but I was really disappointed that we didn't reach out to the flamingo and work with the" owner, Dixon said.
Cafe Hon's owner, Denise Whiting, removed the large pink flamingo that hung above her restaurant on 36th Street early Tuesday rather than pay $800 for a permit that would have allowed the sculpture to continue to hang over the public sidewalk.
Dixon explained that members of the Hampden merchants' association had filed complaints about the flamingo, which has lacked a minor privilege permit.
"I would have preferred my city agency to go and meet with them since [the flamingo] has been up there for seven years and work out a plan. ... We want to hope to get it back up," Dixon said.
Whiting said she would consider reinstating the bird, originally put up as a Christmas decoration.
"It's really the people's flamingo," she said. "The flamingo was a symbol of the small businesses that are the backbone of the current economy and its crisis."
The mayor said she wanted to get the flamingo "back up" with a permit.
When Dixon was asked whether the city would waive the minor privilege fee, she said, "We are working through General Services on that. Stay tuned."
