Conclusion ( continued )
However , reasonable people will often disagree with what they believe is the “ right direction .” For example , two contentious issues emerged near the end of the Unity Council ’ s deliberations : the establishment of a “ Community Oversight Board ” ( with subpoena power ) that could assist in monitoring the Arlington Police Department , and expanding the street sign toppers for a major street in our City to honor the Rev . Dr . Martin Luther King , Jr . Some members of the Unity Council intensely favored these ideas , while others strongly opposed them . However , neither of these issues could be sufficiently explored with data and expert opinions , nor be vetted in consultation with City leaders in the final weeks before the full Unity Council was set to discuss our final recommendations . Consequently , these topics should be revisited in the near future .
Finally , I should mention that some members of the community have doubted whether our findings and recommendations will be taken seriously by City leaders . There is a sense that this task force is a superficial attempt to appease the public . Are we wasting our time ? How many of our recommendations will be implemented ? Will we be able to look back one day and see that this task force helped to bring about change ?
These are legitimate concerns . But our time is now . Mayor Williams and City Council called on us in response to perilous conditions of race and ethnic relations in America overall and Arlington in particular . Members of our task force embraced this urgency and rose to the occasion in understanding the magnitude of this moment in time . We ’ ve fulfilled our charge and demonstrated how Arlington can lead the way in showing other large and diverse cities how goodwill , honest dialogue , data analysis , and expert opinion can provide a blueprint for reducing racial and ethnic disparities .
Mayor Williams and City Council have an opportunity to enact the kind of “ powerful action programs ” that Rev . Dr . Martin Luther King , Jr . believed were necessary in solving our nation ’ s longstanding problem of racial and ethnic inequality . I believe that they also understand the magnitude of this moment in time , and will move forward in enacting reasonable and effective solutions that improve the quality of life in Arlington .
In doing so , this report can be remembered as a critical contribution that helped to bring about a new sense of equality , prosperity , and achievement that guided our City .
Unity Council Report 93