Historic reparations commission slated for final recommendations in June. Then what?

ASHEVILLE – After two years of meetings, barring further extension, the city and Buncombe County’s reparations commission will close out its report of final recommendations in June. But then what? Commission members ask: How will local municipalities be held to account? A few years of work barely scratches the surface of hundreds of years of racial inequity, others say, so how can they ensure the efforts continue? At its April 8 meeting, as it considers a “global” accountability recommendation, the reparations commission heard some options for the way forward from City Attorney Brad Branham, who considered the legality around next steps. The new proposal, which will be discussed further at the April 22 meeting, calls for the city and county to “permanently fund a newly formed, independent, Reparations Accountability Nonprofit Corporation,” with members appointed by the Community Reparations Commission and charged with oversight of implementation of the commission’s outcomes. Branham’s suggestions were twofold: The commission could support the independent creation of a nonprofit to provide oversight of the recommendations, and manage additional fundraising and reparations efforts; Or it could develop a community advisory board — either under the city’s public “boards and commissions” structure or privately — for the city...