HTX-BMW: Impact 10/9/2025

Bellaire Fire Chief Deacon Tittel accepted a nearly $70,000 donation from the Bellaire Police and Fire Foundation during an Oct. 6 City Council meeting to purchase new automated external defibrillators, or AEDs. 

The details: AEDs are portable devices used to treat sudden cardiac arrest by delivering an electrical shock to the heart.

The Bellaire Police and Fire Foundation, a nonprofit organization created by Bellaire residents and business owners, gifted the fire department a $69,530 grant to purchase approximately 29 new AEDs to be placed throughout the city, including in emergency service vehicles such as fire trucks, police cars and public work vehicles. 

In similar news: City Council members also approved an ordinance Oct. 6 to authorize City Manager Sharon Citino to sign a letter of intent to purchase a new fire engine in an amount not to exceed $1.6 million.  

Inspired by the outdoors and showcasing exhibits based on activities such as camping and fishing, this neighborhood children’s museum franchise offers interactive exhibits and activities for young children.

The overview: According to the website, admission is $16 for children ages 1-8. Older or younger children may enter for free if they are accompanied by paying siblings. Parents are encouraged to reserve a playtime spot to guarantee entry and must supervise children at all times.

More details: Play Street Museum hosts special events at the center, featuring activities such as pottery, canvas painting and space exploration.

• 4007 Bellaire Blvd. Ste. G, Houston

Houston City Council on Oct. 8 proposed an unchanged property tax rate for fiscal year 2025-26 after Mayor John Whitmire said he would not increase taxes or fees despite a projected $53 million dip in the fund balance.

At a glance: City Council set the proposed rate of $0.5191 per $100 home valuation, which is lower than the rate used to calculate the FY 2025-26 city budget that council adopted in June. 

City Finance Director Melissa Dubowski said the budget was created using a rate of $0.5378 per $100 home valuation, which is the maximum rate the city could adopt without voter approval due to local cap laws. The city would see an estimated $53 million decrease in revenue if council adopts the proposed lower rate later this month.

Quote of note: “I look at it as the public gains $53 million,” Whitmire said at the Oct. 8 City Council meeting. “With the cost of living and affordability being on everyone’s mind, the public just does not want to pay more fees or taxes.”

The Public Utility Commission of Texas on Oct. 2 authorized CenterPoint Energy to issue a customer rate increase—totaling approximately $1.2 billion—to cover repair and recovery costs from Hurricane Beryl and two other Greater Houston storms.

The overview: The restoration costs will add about $2 per month to the average customer’s electricity bill, with the rate change expected to take effect later this year or early next year, according to an Oct. 6 statement from CenterPoint Energy. The decision allows CenterPoint to spread the cost to residential customers across 15 years, saving more than $265 million in interest charges, per the statement. 

Looking back: According to previous Community Impact reporting, more than 2.2 million customers in the Greater Houston area lost power during Hurricane Beryl in July 2024, and over 4,400 Harris County homes were damaged. The Category 1 storm led to an estimated $32 billion in losses nationwide.