Oct. 17, 2006 — The continued lack of reliable emergency services and crumbling roads are just a few of the topics on the agenda when the West End Alliance meets Sunday during its general membership meeting. Alliance members are calling upon West End residents to attend the meeting and let government officials know that the status quo is not an option.
Sheri Meyers, alliance president, said this week that the continued absence of emergency services justifies the skepticism of those who were wary when, a month before the primary elections, politicians flocked to the Bordeaux/Fortuna Emergency Service Center to celebrate the grand reopening. (See "West End Residents Guarded About Emergency Center Reopening").
She said the center still does not have the firefighters that were promised; nor are there any emergency medical technicians, ambulances or police officers at night.
"I don't feel like any of the promises that were made have been kept," Meyers said. "We're still waiting in limbo."
Raul Carillo, alliance vice president, agreed in a phone conversation Monday that there seems to be little movement on getting permanent emergency services in the area.
These are not the only topics Meyers hopes to cover Sunday. The integrity of the single road to and from the remotest part of the island is another item on the agenda. Meyer said in one area the road is collapsing, and she worries that an earthquake could completely cut residents off from the rest of the island.
Meyers said that since the primary, it seems as if no one has been paying any attention to the West Enders. "There are candidates with six or seven posters out there, but they haven't spoken to people in the western area," she said. "It's not smart. I would want to leave office knowing I'd kept my commitment."
Lt. Gov. Vargrave Richards was the point man at the July 29 reopening. He since lost his bid to be the Democratic candidate for governor in the Sept. 9 primary.
Meyers said she would also like to know what happened to the $1.2 million that had been appropriated by the Legislature to hire more Fire Service personnel and purchase equipment specifically for the Bordeaux center.
She is hopeful that the community will get some answers at Sunday's meeting, which begins at 4 p.m. at the center. Membership includes, but is not limited to Estates Bonne Esperance, Bethesda, Bonne Resolution, Sorgenfri, Hope, Bordeaux, Botany Bay, Fortuna, Pearl, Perseverance Bay and Santa Maria.
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