I suspect that the most difficult month for a County Board member might be March — it’s budget time, and tough decisions are ahead for the County Board. I asked a former Board member if there was a particularly “hot item” that caused a groundswell of heated opposition in the 1970s or ’80s, and he mentioned a budget proposal to install parking meters in the Central Library parking lot. Apparently that proposal was dead in the water, based on citizen opposition (and we still have free parking, both in the outdoor parking lot and in the garage — at least for the moment). This year, two of the most controversial proposals for cuts are related to youth gymnastics programs and the closure of the Cherrydale branch library. Both of those proposals have been met with passionate citizen opposition.

First, there is the proposed elimination of Arlington’s competitive and recreational gymnastics programs at the Barcroft Sports & Fitness Center. If the proposal is adopted, the facility would close for at least one year, and the competitive gymnastics programs would be discontinued, effective May 16, 2026. The gymnastics supporters have created a remarkable website that provides their case for saving the gymnastics programs. You can check it out at savearlingtongymnastics.com. Part of their outreach is a request to sign an online petition. As of March 9, 5,101 people have signed the petition. Their goal is to obtain 10,000 signatures. I would note that their website is very media-savvy, including clips from stories on local TV news stations and on NPR. The support is even national in scope, as their website includes a plug by USA Gymnastics.

The second controversy is the proposed closure of the Cherrydale Library branch. A strong response has been made by the neighborhood group known as Citizens for Cherrydale Library, self-described as a “nonpartisan grassroots group seeking since 1998 to promote and preserve our most important neighborhood institution.” This group has an ongoing website that states the county has considered eliminating the library three times before (in 1977, 1992 and 1998). The challenge now is to try to save it one more time. This group has its own media campaign that included a story with WUSA9. The clip provides an impassioned quote from longtime neighbor Greg Embree, who told WUSA9 that “civilized people don’t close libraries.” The neighborhood organization started its own petition drive to help its cause. As of March 9, 625 people have signed their petition. Their goal is to obtain 1,000 signatures.

Websites and petitions might be the way to proceed these days in dealing with governmental bodies. So allow me to take a short detour from the budget battles and follow the “petition road” over to a School Board issue. The School Board seems to be always facing a flood of issues. One current issue that should be of interest to all citizens highlights the role of technology in classrooms. Among other questions being raised, this one stood out to me: how much screen time is developmentally appropriate for students?

As one might expect in Arlington, there is an extremely well-organized civic organization that tracks school board issues, known as Arlington Parents for Education (“APE”). Like the other civic groups referenced above, APE has an excellent website and an ongoing petition drive. Their petition is related to the School Board’s goal to take a fresh look at its approach to school-issued technology at its March 24 work session. The petition calls for the School Board to adopt two guiding principles, labeled as “Analog as the Default” and “Attention as Curriculum.” More details can be found on their website (arlingtonparentsforeducation.org). APE is striving to get 500 signatures on its petition. As of March 9, it had 454 signatures.

These petition drives are, of course, only one part of an organization’s strategy to effect change. Will change occur? Stay tuned.