[StBernard] Send Emails to the Council

[Westley Annis]

Westley, surely you have under-rated this site with your statement of
placing it on the level of Nola.com. Yes, Craig has been very valuable to
subscribers who need accurate info coming from the parish and with accuracy
as compared to nola.com's personal experiences minus the "hear-say" of
rumours. 

However, you should at no point under-rate the value of this site avoiding
success on its own merit. Even prior to Katrina it was around, although much
had to do with politics and those wishing to vent their frustration with the
parish, it's citizens and its happenings. Katrina changed that for the past
1 1/2 years. Although I was around for 4 months to assist in however I could
during the pre-and-post event, Craig arrived thereafter when
feasible/possible, and has been invaluable since he's become more of a
visible and maintained regular postings to assist when he could (considering
he's had a family and Katrina-related personal problems.

Yes, it's true that giving individual access to the other council members
could add the personal touch to direct access. Allow me to qualify a few
things from my standpoint of experience. Firstly, I'm not certain technology
is a given for most of the council, (although things could have changed
since I last worked with them and now they've become gurus <G>). Craig was
always eons away in his knowledge of usage of laptops, internet, etc. BUT,
I'm also not certain that the powers that be wish to OPEN THE COMMUNICATIONS
CHANNEL to have 7 members of the council giving 7 pieces of advice,
authoritative info, etc. simultaneously in the written word (paper trails)
which could be misconstrued, legally binding, or miscommunicated at this
point in time of dissarray. 

I can't speak for Craig or any parish official, but the way the axes have
fallen since Katrina at just about anyone who does not fit into Presidental
plans, lawyer/advisors agreement, etc. we cannot say how things will pan
out. Things are not yet fluid and more changing in a day-by-day occurance,
it appears.

Therefore, the administration appears to strap/channel the flow of info down
to ONE. If they believe that a single "president/council" spokesman (aka
"PR-Man or Press Secretary woman as what we've seen at the U.S. Prsidental
level") does a remarkable job, that's a decision that's either been made or
will be one. Craig will elaborate, we're sure. However, we do know this: The
council members are still approachable via council calls to Ms.Polly
Boudreaux, Coucil Clerk who channels communications to each council member.
It's not direct mail or technology savvy, but we're sure that if Boudreaux
gets it, she will forward to each councilman. Whether they act upon it is
another matter, but she does receive it and hopefully channel it
appropriately. 

--jer--