Dear Friends and Neighbors,

 

I enjoyed seeing many of you last night at one of Bellaire’s most beloved events of the year- Holiday in the Park! After a year-plus of the isolation and worry that came with COVID, it was great to see so many smiling faces out and about, at one of the best community events of the year, in the best city in Texas, Bellaire. Last night was a shining example of the best of Bellaire - neighbors coming out with their families to celebrate not only the beginning of the holiday season, but the camaraderie and spirit that comes from celebrating with family and neighbors in this small town with a big heart perched in the middle of Houston, Texas. These are the moments that make Bellaire special. These are the moments that your children will one day look back on and cite as one of their favorite memories. These are the moments I am fighting for.

 

 

For those who I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Brian Witt. I am running to represent you and our families on Bellaire City Council in Position 5. I grew up in Bellaire and am ever thankful that I was able to experience a truly special childhood here. I moved back to Bellaire 16 years ago, because I want my son to know what it is like to grow up in a town where you gather under the Little League field lights to wildly cheer on your neighbors and teammates, where you wave at friends and families in homemade floats during the 4th of July parade, and where you build relationships generation after generation. I am running for City Council to fight for the things that make Bellaire special.

 

I am not a traditional politician, and you probably won’t have seen me on NextDoor. You might have seen me delivering your flags with my fellow Rotarians, helping unload your recycled materials at the Recycling Fest, or coaching on the Little League field, reminding the players that sportsman-like behavior always includes a handshake at the end of a game. I am a dedicated Dad who believes in Bellaire and wants to serve by protecting the things that make our city a special place to live.

 

Professionally, I’ve worked in the financial services industry for 20 years, and now currently manage real estate investments. One of our most important duties of council members is deliberating and passing the annual City budget. My extensive financial background will lend itself to this task, as I know how priorities, projects, and budgets work – and how to responsibly manage and allocate our financial resources, meeting the needs of today while preparing us to thrive in the future.  

 

I understand the importance of teamwork. Over the last few years, we have witnessed a clear decline in the working relationship and efficiency between some of Council and City staff. While accountability will be paramount, we need to bring back collaboration, integrity, and civility to our city government in order to truly serve the taxpayers efficiently.

 

As your representative on Council, I will bring balanced decision making. I will be a representative for all of our residents, not a champion of a special interest group or a narrow perspective. I will be an advocate for balancing growth while improving our quality of life. I will fight to protect all that makes Bellaire special.

 

Within the just the first few months of next year, our City Council must act boldly to address our weaknesses and to take advantage of the opportunities ahead of us. Specifically, this includes:

 

• Hiring a new City Manager and filling numerous key openings on City Staff. After a trying few years, we have seen a wave of resignations which significantly impact the ability of the City to provide the level of service we expect and deserve. We must re-establish trust with our City Staff, we must empower our City Staff to do their jobs well, and we must recognize that we are all in this together. When City Staff succeeds, the residents of Bellaire succeed.

• Aggressively pursuing real solutions to flood mitigation. This means partnering with other local governments, applying for state and federal grant applications, and looking for strategic opportunities to secure meaning flood risk reduction at reduced cost. Our City is stronger, more vibrant, and more desirable when our residents can be confident their homes and lives will not be torn apart by the next flood event.

• Establishing a consensus vision for our City, allowing us to make smart and strategic decisions and investments which will shape both the social and physical landscape of our City. Through establishment of City Council’s “Five Year Priorities Plan”, and through updates to our Comprehensive Plan, we can chart a course which will allow us to move past petty divisions, focus on the big picture, and secure a bright future for Bellaire.

 

Securing good government for our special city requires a true team effort. I can’t do this alone and I ask for your help. In the General Election on November 2nd, we had the highest turnout ever in a Bellaire election. In this Runoff election, we need every one of our supporters to get back out and vote again! And we need you to rally your friends and neighbors to vote too. In a general election where my opponent and I were separated by only 12 votes, EVERY SINGLE VOTE MATTERS. My ask of you – do you part, stand up for Bellaire, believe in Bellaire, and dedicate the 15 minutes it takes to visit the HCC West Loop Campus this weekend to cast your vote early.

 

Early voting began November 29th and runs through December 7th. The most convenient location for early voting will be at the HCC West Loop Campus (5601 West Loop South). Early voting hours are from 7AM to 7PM, except for Sunday when the hours are 12PM to 7PM.

 

Election day will be Saturday December 11th. The most convenient location on election day will be Bellaire City Hall (7008 South Rice). Election day hours will be from 7AM to 7PM.

 

More information on voting locations and hours can be found at www.harrisvotes.com.

 

Thank you again for your belief in Bellaire and thank you in advance for your support in this critical runoff election for Bellaire City Council Position No. 5.

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Sincerely,

Brian Witt

Candidate for Bellaire City Council, Position 5