Nothing Lasts Forever

Nothing lasts forever, at least that much we know. Love endures. Family endures. So many things that man has invented, improved upon, even learned to live with have lasted a very long time. Sooner or later, though, things do deteriorate. That’s why it is imperative for us to nurture and protect the things we cherish. Love and family are certain to be at or near the top of just about everyone’s list, at least we hope so. Along those same lines, community should definitely be in the top five, my friends. A strong sense of community in a small town is the foundation for that endurance.

Bel Air is on the precipice of looking into the future and trying to figure out what it wants to be when it grows up. We have gone from dirt streets to one-way traffic on Main Street, sensible development to oddball, out-of-place structures, small and rural living to bursting at the seams. Like other towns, Bel Air has seen its fair share of changes and makeovers.

But times have changed, traffic has changed. Face it, we can’t make Main Street two-way anymore. And now, with this post-Covid future in front of us, Bel Air leaders and residents, business owners and government entities, all must consider the stewardship needed to keep this County seat a viable, vibrant marker of our past, present and future. Takes a town.

No one doubts that small town America – and that still includes Bel Air – is changing. Money rolls in, then dries up, businesses come and go, and changes happen in the name of improvement. Nothing lasts forever. The one solid foundation critical, however, is the need for stewardship, an embracing of community spirit by everyone involved. This is critically true for Bel Air.

Just where are we going with this lovely, charming town of Bel Air? Our current slate of leaders have failed miserably at connecting with the townspeople. Bemoaning financial woes, they have set in motion a course of action that will make the historic Town of Bel Air, well, history. Their inability to connect with townspeople has certainly hindered any semblance of community spirit.

The Commissioners’ latest display of incompetence was in forcing a petition-for-referendum action taken by the community to go the route of yet another court case. That is certainly not community behavior. They were admonished by Harford County Circuit Cou7rt Judge Paul Ishak for not following procedures properly.

As a commissioner, one must follow rules and procedures. Beyond that, the town’s leaders must vigorously embrace a sense of community. Community in this sense is that informal association with others who share common attitudes, interests, and goals…and a town is certainly a common interest. Work on the attitudes and goals and you might have something.

While it is not a written part of the job description, finding a community-minded leader is largely accomplished by vote. As it stands, for those slate of commissioners I refer to, three of their seats are up for grabs this coming election.

Ensuring a town maintains and promotes vibrancy and growth while effecting a bold, holistic community approach to preserving historical structures and embracing that small town quality is one such goal.

Getting involved in the community isn’t rocket science. No one is asking you to join a group. You don’t even have to talk. When I walk my dogs daily, I probably talk and sing to my dogs more than I talk to my neighbors. I don’t think they’re going to disown me. The dogs or the neighbors.

Community, then, is a sense of pride and responsibility for the area you are part of. Close to home, I try to keep my place up and I know my neighbor likes that. The dentist on the other side of me always has an immaculate yard, operating out of a home repurposed for his needs. Now, that’s pride. That’s community.

But that’s not all that community is. Community is awareness of and involvement with those slate of leaders, worthwhile or worthless. Being aware of happening, development projects, and fiscal changes will provide information and knowledge of your town’s planning and direction. Information and knowledge are both stepping stones towards empowerment.

While the Town of Bel Air official web site is confusing at best and selectively informative, you can still glean information there. Plenty of folks have forums and spaces on social media that are breeding grounds for healthy discussions. The Bel Air Town Crier on Facebook is one such group. Petition-organizer Bart Bodt spear heads that operation, and it is about as community-driven and informative as you can get. There are certainly others.

Bel Air is charting a course for the future that will require community input. Listen and learn, get involved where you can. Take a walk past the Bel Air Library and admire the newly constructed Bel Air Police Department building. Congratulations are in order for the Bel Air Police, who may have indeed found a home.

Adjoining them, poke your head in at the Town Hall, see what the current commissioners are up to now. Knowing what you know, learning what you can, let them know what you like and what you don’t. If you don’t get a response, get ready for the election. How Bel Air meets the future is only partly tagged to our commissioners and our local government officials. Much of the path towards that future should be shaped together by the businesses and, more importantly, the residents of Bel Air.

Remember, nothing lasts forever. Even towns can come and go. However, with nurturing and respect, with sleeves rolled and positive engagement, a strong sense of community will preserve a town, help write a new chapter of its history and chart a course for the future that everyone can get behind.