All in this together

All in this together

It will be my honor to serve Bella Vista as a member of the city council. I'm rolling up my sleeves, getting ready to go to work.

With several important issues in front of us, it's probably a good time to remember that we are all in this together -- all citizens of the same community.

We will not all agree on the same matters. In fact, disagreement is a necessary part of our local democracy. But so are civility and mutual respect for each other.

The well-moderated community meeting on the Trafalgar Fire reminded me that Bella Vistans' ability to address problems and make process improvements is far better when we lock arms together rather than butting heads in anger.

Let's all strive to speak our truths and be direct with each other but without rancor or personal insult. We'll achieve far more if we operate first and foremost as neighbors.

Steven Bourke

Bella Vista