Orange City Councilor Essie Bellfield, who turns 84 in May, said she attended the council meeting to support the slogan “In God We Trust.”
“I’m sick but I’m here,” she said. She wants to see the slogan placed “where ever we can do it.”
The Orange City Council voted unanimously, with all members present, to put “In God We Trust” on all city vehicles. Councilor Pat Pullen, a retired Orange police captain, said the decals will not cost the city anything because he will get donations.
He told the council he has a variety of styles of the decals for the council to choose.
Pullen read the legal backing for his idea and referred to Governor Greg Abbott, who he called Texas’ longest-serving attorney general, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. “It’s our national slogan,” he said about “In God We Trust.” “It’s where we come from. It’s how we were raised.”
Councilor Wayne Guidry said the decision for the decals is “easy.” “The real battle for ‘In God We Trust’ takes place on the streets,” he said. People need to love their neighbors and “love and trust God.”
In other business, the council voted to buy a new pumper truck for the Orange Fire Department at a price of $425,000. The purchase will be made through the Houston-Galveston Area Council, a co-op of government entities to get low prices on items.
Fire Chief David Frenzel said the new pumper will replace a 1993 model.
The council also approved action to use federal community development block grants to demolish nine dilapidated or abandoned houses.
The houses are at 407 W. Bilbo Road, 1008 S. College Street, 1009 13th Street, 1030 Ruby Lane, 1407 W. John Avenue, 1408 N. Hart Avenue, 1603 S. Georgia Avenue, 2212 Pacific Street and 3744 Ridgemont.
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