[StBernard] Parish Standing--Our Future?

[Westley Annis]

 "And houses that were on both the gutting list and the demo list are being
scrubbed since the manpower for gutting decreased so dramatically, requested
demoed houses are being skipped for gutting.  The adjustments to the
changing circumstances cause some confusion, but I am glad you asked. Good
luck and God Bless, --Craig"

**Craig, how much effort has been placed in appealing to churches, youth
groups, organizations, etc. in getting "volunteers" to continue efforts to
help St. Bernard recover. Even if FEMA discontinued ANY support to groups,
shouldn't some sort of "appleal to the masses" in the U.S., in the spirit of
volunteerism be sent out to alert the country how serious, how incomplete,
how devestating our condition is? Because without completing the "cause with
commitment" and give creedance to our situation:

1. Folks are going to forget us, while they still remember the Alamo and
Pearl Harbor
2. Any generosity and compassion will go the way of the dodo bird 
3. The parish's recovery will stagnate or the period of recovery will be
lengthened to every bit of 10-15 yrs.
4. St. Bernard parish citizens will burn out from their struggle because
they really DO need financial and resourceful help.
5. More will pull out realizing nothing much is being done fast enough and
move on and even --away. The problem is that many citizens have been great
tax-paying people, organizational members, fantastic imputers to ideas (and
yes, there are many ideas from citizens outside of government, and at times
a betterment to the community". 

Is the government "content" to allow just a core group of people start a
"new, improved with those that have returned only" to become the parish's
future? How many of those who have stayed are the poor, further reducing per
capita income, and frustrating economic growth. How about any possibility of
futile attempts to draw significent industry/corporate
entities/franchisements that is needed in the parish's successful recovery?
If a year hasn't brought in any significent food chain, what length of time
will expire while people continue onward away knowing food chains are just
about anywhere else, malls almost anywhere these days, and comfortable homes
in other places considerably outside the disaster areas. (discounting the
northshore to Baton Rouge). 

The reality: 20,000 population(allegedly reported by parish). Businesses
need more assurity than a destroyed, once quaint bedroom community to
invest. 

Therefore, what is the "plan" of parish currently to move forward? I've seen
drawings which are mind-boggling to believe would come about anytime soon.
Is there hope to offer those who are teeter-toddling about decisions to
return? 

We're wondering what the experts would say who virtually **plug-in** "St.
Bernard Parish" as input into a futuristic problem: ..what the resulting
output would reveal to us?

==jer==