Mayor Jaron Rosien reads proclamation.

Dan Henderson speaks to the city council.

During Washington’s City Council meeting Tuesday night, Mayor Jaron Rosien signed a proclamation stating that the city is an inclusive and welcoming community to all people.

Prior to reading the proclamation, Rosien stated that the city’s residents and elected officials have learned a lot in 2020 and grown in their own ways. Rosien’s proclamation states that the city believes in the dignity, equality, and constitutional and civil rights of all people, and will not tolerate hate, intolerance, discrimination, harassment, or any behavior that creates fear, isolation, or intimidation. He went on to mention how local groups like Latinos for Washington and Washington for Justice have worked to promote these ideals, and how the city council created the Police Advisory Panel with a diverse composition and goal of bettering the community through the department’s policy and practice.

Rosien also stated the city’s significance as being a part of the Underground Railroad and its work in desegregation in education, concluding with this statement, “Whereas in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day that was yesterday January 18th, we pause to reflect on his legacy and unfinished legacy. Now be it resolved that I, Jaron Rosien, Mayor of Washington, do proclaim that Washington, Iowa is an inclusive and welcoming community to all people, valuing compassion, respect, and dignity, we are committed to building a new community where everybody has the opportunity to thrive. I hereby affirm our dedication to equal opportunity in policy and practice and encourage residents to likewise affirm these values not only today in memory of Martin Luther King, Jr., but for all time.”

Rosien thanked City Administrator Brent Hinson, Police Chief Jim Lester , and citizens Dan and Meredith Henderson and Roger Farmer for their contributions to the proclamation. Dan Henderson commented during the meeting about the U.S. Capitol insurrection that occurred on January 6th, stating that the motivation for that event was white supremacy, and to suggest that white supremacy isn’t prevalent in other communities like Washington is naive. He applauded the mayor and the council’s support in taking a stand against white supremacy.