A Tearful Goodbye to One of Our Heroes

Officer Marco Antonio Zarate
End of Watch July 12, 2016

The citizens of Bellaire are devastated by the tragic loss of one of our heroes.  Officer Marco Antonio Zarate served our community faithfully and with distinction for seven years, and before that defended our country as a United States Marine.  We are forever grateful for his selfless service, and with heavy hearts we pay him our last respects.

Officer Zarate is survived by his wife and three daughters, and his close-knit extended family.  We express to them our deepest sympathies on their loss, and our sincere appreciation for their having shared Marco with us, as a beloved member of our Bellaire family.  We pray for Marco and all those he held dear, that they find strength and comfort in the eternal blessing of his memory.

We know that Marco will continue watching over us, as he did here on Earth.  With great admiration and affection, we salute you, Officer Zarate.  You will be sorely missed throughout our community.

Preview: Town Hall Meeting on Water and Sewer Rates - July 11, 7:00 p.m.

Bellaire, we have a problem.

For at least the past 22 years, our water and sewer rates have not been adjusted to keep up with the rising costs of providing the service, and of maintaining the infrastructure that delivers it.  Rather than having incrementally increased rates over that time period, we're now faced with the prospect of having to catch up all at once.  We've reached the point that we couldn't continue kicking the can down the road even if we wanted to; we've simply run out of road.