[StBernard] Duany meeting

[Westley Annis]

CLM,
 
I hope that you do find the satisfaction that you are looking for- as for
your former parish government, it is far from perfect, but the vast majority
of us are working everyday to find the way through this maze.
 
I pray for you and all of us.  We will continue to accept the frustration
from our citizenry as it comes with the territory.  Hopefully, one day we
will see some positive growth that will help people heal through this whole
disaster.
 
Good luck and God Bless,
Craig 
 
-----Original Message-----

You are correct in saying the parish was/is stagnated however, some people
including myself did not stand still. We took great care updating and made
many improvements to our home and our property as monies allowed. 

I stand on my comment. 

It is clear to me that the proposed changes are more for the upper end
classes, not for the middle to lower income people...and this is from
someone with two college degrees...who happens unfortunately NOT to make a
great deal of money in the profession I chose.

The parish has not grown due to the fact that everyone wants something for
nothing...no one wants to pay property taxes, no one wants to pay decent
salaries to those people who teach their children all day...but they want
the best teachers...certified...the best education...but don't want to pay
for it... the list goes on and on...Government officials are happy with the
"status quo"...no movers or shakers...the what's in it for me syndrome...
and this is just some of the reasons why new businesses do not wish to come
to St. Bernard.

Perhaps I should have stayed to see a plan brought about by a third
party...you are correct...so far nothing else has been offered up... 

We are coming to the end of the seventh month since this hurricane...and
very little is going on in the parish...from my point of view... the cleanup
is going on at a snails pace...a snail couldn't move any slower...

People are living in various situations, whether in  tents, trailers, with
family members, still scattered around the country.

No one has answers for any questions posed...and this is very, very sad...
No one knows what to do...because we sit and wait...do we come back ...begin
to build only to be told that we will be bought out...various rumors about
what is going to happen...but not one solid answer...from officials...we
wait for FEMA...FEMA seems to run our life... 


Personally...I am not going to wait years for these innovative improvements
to come to fruition...I wish to enjoy the rest of my life...being a baby
boomer...however the time I have...yes, I too have been thinking about
moving on...as I see it this is the time to do that... I can move to a place
that had the insight to build and plan for the future...

St. Bernard Parish has steadily been changing...and this change has not been
for the better...and it has worsened with Katrina.

Sorry to be so negative...the Parish Government should have been on top of
this from the beginning...I know that they have endured a great deal with
this storm...but so did the citizens...and we deserve a better and faster
recovery...we certainly have not gotten that...

CLM