Public Forum Tonight Focuses on Local Community Relations

A public forum on community relations in San Angelo is slated for this evening at 6:30 p.m. in the St. Mark Presbyterian Church located at 2506 Johnson St. A panel discussion with San Angelo Police Chief Tim Vasquez, NAACP President Garland Freeze, and City Councilmember Elizabeth Grindstaff has been organized. Craig Meyers is hosting the forum.

 Meyers, who has a background in community relations, recently was outspoken in favor of the Southland “Outlook on Valleyview” low income housing project at city council meetings and the town hall meeting concerning the controversy.

“This is not an adversarial type meeting. It’s everybody from their own perspective, sharing ideas and solutions in conversation,” Meyers said. “This is not set up as a debate, Elizabeth Grindstaff, the police chief, and the NAACP are all on the same page,” he clarified.  

“San Angelo has been well blessed in recent times, even with differences in opinion and perceptions. We do not have the types of conflict and anger that we see in other places, which is not something that’s always been true here.”

A little over 10 years ago, there were a couple of events locally that stirred racial and economic tensions in the community. Protests and counter protests demonstrated on the courthouse lawn at that time raised concern from law enforcement and newly elected city officials.  

 Task forces and committees were formed amongst citizens and officials to help bridge the gap between law enforcement, politics, and community.

“The West Texas Organizing Strategy came on scene.” Meyers recalled. “They walked the neighborhoods, they found out exactly what kinds of problems there were.”

Meyers gave examples that developed out of those collaborations, such as revitalization projects in lesser neighborhood areas. “They found out how many substandard, condemned houses and vacant, overgrown lots there were in different neighborhoods citywide, and then everyone came together to talk about it.”

“Between then and now a whole bunch of things have occurred to draw people together.” Meyers said.

The forum scheduled for this evening is planned to cover a variety of issues, among them the recent discussion over low-income housing. Meyers urges all that are interested in community relations to attend.