After several years of trying to find a planner for St. John, Gov. John deJongh Jr. announced in his Monday State of the Territory address that one had been hired.
"With respect to our continuing efforts to improve the quality of planning and land-use regulation, I am pleased to announce that after several false starts, we have hired a principal planner for St. John," deJongh said in his address.
The planner’s name remains unknown. Planning Commissioner Robert Mathes said he’s reluctant to reveal his name because he doesn’t want to jinx his arrival. Mathes expects him to arrive by mid-February.
This is the second time the government announced that the long-awaited planner was hired. The first announcement was in July 2008, but that prospective planner turned down the job due to family issues.
"I’m keeping my fingers crossed he gets here," Mathes said of the new planner.
Mathes, who personally interviewed the new planner, said he was from North Carolina, in his early 30s, single, and no stranger to St. John, since his family vacationed on all three islands for about 20 years.
"He’s a regular guy and down to earth," Mathes said.
According to Mathes, the new planner is experienced in both planning and development.
The new planner will earn $75,000 a year, Mathes said.
He’ll be based with the rest of the Planning staff at the Marketplace Shopping Center office.
St. John Administrator Leona Smith said that St. John faces many planning issues, but she said parking is at the top of the list. Particularly in the busy winter season, motorists drive around and around Cruz Bay looking, often unsuccessfully, for a place to park.
Sharon Coldren, president of the Coral Bay Community Council, applauded the appointment but said she wished there was "citizen input" into the selection.
From the Community Council’s perspective, Coldren said the planner’s arrival was timely because it was working on storm-water planning issues. She said the organization will use its storm-water engineer’s expertise to identify appropriate areas for long-term water and sewage facilities.
"So we have the opportunity to be good stewards of the environment while allowing appropriate economic development," Coldren said.
