Wednesday, April 13, 2011
I love this town.
Katheryn Butler (my mother) told me one hot summer day in 1981. "Curtis, I love this town." as we drove on a street near I-635. She shared with me a deep insight that my 7 year old brain could not absorb. as years passed and developments passed Balch Springs by I began to remember more of the conversation. Her vision was vast. yet her activity was limited. Cancer had already taken the first toll on her at that point. chemotherapy had weakened her. her body would fail her some 3 and a half years in the future and her vision would be left to me. now 26 years later I am in a position to see her vision from an adults eyes. to understand the political side of her problems with the lack of infrastructure in Balch Springs. Now without an Independent School District of its own and parents on the north side of town having to send their children to Mesquite and the rest having to send their children to Dallas, my mothers dream has become a personal uphill fight that I want to undertake. The failure of BSISD was more the fault of the City Council and Mayors of years past. Not wanting to expand or allow industrial or business to enter the city. That equated into lost tax revenue and that destroyed the school system. now we have another chance to have a major developement come into town and the 4-3 split on the council with the Mayor breaking the tie to keep the Parkland Hospital Clinic out has damaged another chance at 1. NEEDED JOBS 2. NEEDED TAX REVENUE 3. NEEDED MEDICAL SERVICES. I will put the first 2 aside lets look at the medical side of it. How close is the nearest emergency room to Balch Springs? Answer is Mesquite Medical Center located on Galloway. It is a place that i would not trust to walk my dog much less allow to operate on me. There are horror stories that are too graphic to mention in print media of any kind from that place. even I have one for you but that is my personal tragedy and I will keep it to myself. Balch Springs needs this medical facility. It needs the tax revenue that would be generated and it needs the addition developement it will bring. we as a city need this. we must have it and we deserve it.
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I feel your mother's past disappointments and your present disappointments. I am the newest person on the council as of 2013. What I have learned and continue to see in our horse shoe, we are a split council. The "buddy system" is very ovarious and strongly in force. The mindset in this city is, "you do me a favor I will do you a favor". What the citizens want is not top priority.
ReplyDeleteI have been critized by my peers for asking to many questions. When I object to the current status of our leadership at the city hall, there are those councilmember that pounce on my character like a lion capturing his prey.
Trying to do the right thing here in Balch Springs is challenging,but its a challenge I WELCOME. It's time for new faces to come forward and address what is hurting our city and what we plan to do about it. There will be those critics that will see this posting, scrutinize it and put a negative spin to it instead of something positive. I am a city councilmember and I want to see Balch Springs development in a matter that our citizens would be proud to continue to live here. Change for some is not always easy, but when they see how beautiful it can be with our Parks development for our family activity. Our infrastructure development with our streets and sidewalks so potential business would like to come and invest in our city's future businesses like sit down restaurants, water parks etc...
All of those hopes and dreams of the many citizens of Balch Springs that have past on, will be a reality very soon. People like myself that believe that saying "Its not about me", will make the effort in making YOUR hopes and dreams come true. Many of you voted for me and I will do everything in my power, with the help of God, in keeping hope alive for Balch Springs.
God Bless You!
Councilwoman Wanda Adams
Thank you Councilwoman Adams. I am saddened that the council has been split in so many different directions over so many years. This should never be about any one person but about the City itself.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was covering Balch Springs as the first Editor of The Balch Springs Beacon I saw a lot of the "ME ME ME" mentality that existed.
While the Beacon has joined the dinosaurs I think an open blog and the fair exchange of ideas and conversation with out the name calling and disrespect that I have seen on other blogs can lead the city in the right direction.
Most of those that I talk to in Balch Springs including John Ralston and Dale Arnold have told me what they want to see. I see both men as passionate about getting things done in the City, though their ideas differ. I am not here to cast blame, innuendo, or tabloid news.
I want to see this City thrive in the new year and in the years to come. The only way to do this is to stop the infighting at City Hall and allow the citizens to voice what they want to see. Not only at the ballot box but in the day to day operation of the city.
Curtis Butler