Serving

(Editor’s note: Belinda Hillhouse, who has served as a west side city council member for the past three years, but who is not running for reelection, sent this as a letter to the editor. But we thought this was great information for anyone in Rockdale who is thinking of running for city council because she lays out what will be expected of you. Thank you, Belinda, for serving our city and for this information. K.W.C.)

The deadline for filing for city council is February 18. Concerned citizens, please consider a three-year commitment to your city.

Don’t file if you want to be “important.” What you will be is busy. Plan your schedule so that you can always attend council meetings the second Monday evening of each month.

You will get a packet of information for the meeting the Thursday or Friday before. It has from one hundred to two hundred plus pages. You’ll need to read it, and you may need to do some research. You will not be able to talk to your fellow council members about the issues before the meeting. Texas law prohibits that. You may ask the city manager questions.

You will need around three days to attend training. This is not a paid vacation courtesy of the taxpayers. Your tuition is paid by the city along with your expenses, but if you have money to pay for signs and a campaign, surely, you at least have money to pay for your gas to the meeting and for your meals.

Go to the city website and become familiar with it. Read the minutes of past meetings to familiarize yourself with the issues. You should attend the February meeting to see how a meeting is conducted, if you haven’t been to a previous meeting. The city website lists the various boards and information about them. Educate yourself before you file so that you have an idea of the commitment you are making.

Always remember that the city has citizen taxpayers who barely make it from month to month. Although our tax rate is high, a lot of it is debt. One of your major problems is that you want to help solve problems, but you won’t have the money for what is needed. You will have to make hard decisions about what is funded. You will also be blamed for issues with which you had no involvement such as US 79 construction.

Don’t be afraid of speaking in public. You don’t have to be an eloquent speaker. Council isn’t a debating society. You just need to do your homework and use your brain. If you think of anything that makes something a problem, you need to speak up. All consequences need to be explored. When someone votes “no” on an issue, but hasn’t said anything, it makes the others wonder what they may have missed. If after discussion, you don’t agree with what seems to be the majority, you need to still vote with your conscience.

Everyone will not always agree. If everyone agreed, six members wouldn’t be needed. Council represents the town. All citizens don’t agree. We are people, not robots. If you don’t agree with something, don’t vote for it, even if you are the only one against it. But, don’t feel bad about it. You did what you should have done, but in a democracy, the majority rule.

With the help of the rest of the council, I have accomplished my main objective I had when I ran. We are not an additional $63 million in debt for the water and sewer systems with a monthly base water bill of $207+. We have a new city manager who knows that not everyone is rich, and this manager is willing to explore alternatives and listen to people.

Don’t complain without stepping up to do your part.

Thank you for your support for the past three years.

Your current west side representative,

Belinda Hillhouse