National Night Out: 100 Years of Service

The events of a year ago brought us closer together than ever before, neighbors helping neighbors get through the worst of the storm and on into the recovery.  For many, it was their first time really getting to know the people down the street or even right next door.  Our first responders and other Bellaire Brave were out in force, in many instances working alongside civilian volunteers, further cementing their relationships with the community they serve.

Next Tuesday, October 2, is National Night Out, a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with those neighbors and emergency personnel.  Block parties throughout the City not only build friendships and enhance our sense of community, they also promote public safety awareness and law enforcement partnership.  Block leaders are encouraged to sign up to have a police car, fire truck or ambulance come by—always a big hit with the kids!

National Night Out takes on special meaning this year, both after Harvey and as we celebrate the Bellaire Police Department’s centennial with the theme “100 Years of Service.”  Officers will be on hand to discuss upcoming commemorative events and to solicit suggestions for items to be placed in the Department’s time capsule, which will be sealed and incorporated in the new Police Station in July.

For more information and to organize a National Night Out block party on your block, please contact BPD Community Resource Officer J.W. Edwards at (713) 662-8103 or jedwards@bellairepolice.com.

A Game Plan for Sidewalk Decision Making

It seems the perpetually intractable issue of sidewalks has surfaced yet again, igniting an intense but respectful debate among neighbors equally passionate for and against.  Monday night I addressed City Council and the public, not for the purpose of taking sides, but to openly acknowledge that our decision making process is not working for us as a community and to urge that we take a step back and reboot.

For as long as the answers have eluded us, in my observation we’ve not actually been asking the right—and hardest—questions.  Our decision making should start with those, and lead to the development of a plan that’s deliberately inclusive of a variety of viewpoints.  We’ll never get anywhere if we don’t attempt to find common ground and build consensus, and yes, that will take time.  Moreover, many people, on both sides, feel it’s not our highest priority right now and that our time and current resources are better spent on other, more pressing matters.