Community seeks methods for positive change

Posted 7/23/20

Concerned citizens and community leaders gathered at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Mineola Friday to review ideas on how to come together as a community to make it better.

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Community seeks methods for positive change

Posted

Concerned citizens and community leaders gathered at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Mineola Friday to review ideas on how to come together as a community to make it better.

The gathering stemmed from a larger conversation, locally and nationally, that has seen an historic fence removed between formerly Black and white sections of the Mineola cemetery, and marchers take to the streets each Thursday afternoon, primarily in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

City Manager Mercy Rushing, Mayor Kevin White, Police Chief Chuck Bittner and school Superintendent Cody Mize were among those to address the group.

Pastor Demethrius Boyd moderated and reviewed an outline of ideas and discussion points, some of which were addressed.

The outline included topics of law enforcement, school district and the city and community.

Ideas ranged from strengthening trust through better interactions between police and the community to aggressively pursuing a more culturally diverse police force.

Boyd gave as an example seeing Police Capt. Dusty Cook stopping to interact with kids on the playground.

In the education arena, Mize spent time reviewing the challenges of reopening school during the pandemic.

Among suggestions in the outline was better school district support of culturally diverse community activities.

The school district’s increased career and technical education program was noted as an area where more students can gain more opportunities to be productive citizens, along with internships, job shadowing programs and summer employment.

Addressing fairness in school discipline cases was also mentioned.

Turning to city matters, it was suggested that community meetings by city council members could help better inform citizens.

To a specific question about development at the new city basketball court, Rushing said plans continue to be developed to improve the facility, but there have been delays getting contractors in place. She estimated it would be completed by Sept. 30.

Communication was a key component addressed.

“We don’t know what you want, what’s happening unless you tell us,” Rushing said.

She said the city uses social and local media to try to communicate what the city is doing.

She asked that citizens call or text her rather than use social media to try to communicate information.