Jan. 29, 2009 – With photos, maps and lists in hand, 90 people showed up Thursday at the Battery to tell three top government officials what was on their minds.
Organized under the auspices of Gov. John deJongh's office, May Adams Cornwall, who is the director of the V.I. Waste Management Authority, Public Works Commissioner Darryl Smalls and Planning Commissioner Robert Mathes were on hand in the Battery's upstairs conference room. Sen. Craig Barshinger also listened to problems.
"People are satisfied with the responses and we're going to follow up," St. John Administrator Leona Smith promised.
Smalls said he welcomed the questions and input from St. John residents.
"And we can share where we're at. It's very productive," he said.
Many of the problems that needed attention were straightforward and easily fixed.
"I'm trying to get them to move trash. This has been going on for a couple of years," Francis Peltier said, whipping out his digital camera to show a reporter the trash piled up near the entrance to Power Boyd.
He soon got his turn at Cornwall's table.
Norm Gledhill was also waiting to see Cornwall.
"I want them to move those cars. There are thousands of them at the Susannaberg landfill," he said, pulling photos out of an envelope that showed huge piles of junked cars stretching as far as the eye can see.
Gledhill also planned to ask Smalls to get his department to widen Centerline Road and straighten out some of the curves so big trucks can navigate them better.
Calvin George came to complain about the storm drain that continually floods near the public tennis courts in Cruz Bay.
"The whole area cannot take that amount of water," he said.
Shirley Sewer was upset that the fence at the Cruz Bay cemetery was knocked over and about to hit the grave of her stepfather, Edward Moorehead, as well as that of former Sen. Theovald Moorehead. She said that cars parking along the road have caused the fence to move.
Speed bumps were Joan Thomas' issue. After pointing out St. John has too many, she went on to say the retaining wall on Route 107 near the Baptist Church needs rebuilding.
"And they took the garbage bins from Hard Labor to John's Folly," Thomas said.
Map in hand, Ernest Matthias was waiting to speak to Smalls about paving a road in John's Folly because it washes away in heavy rains. He said his map showed the road was government owned.
Terry Lamb was there to talk to Mathes about issues surrounding the St. John Community Crisis Center's building permit.
And Jane Johannes wants someone to put up a sign when the VITRAN bus doesn't run.
"So we don't have to wait two hours with no bus," she said.
She also wants the contractors who carry garbage to cover their loads.
Pam Gaffin said she planned to take up development issues with Mathes.
"I want to see his attitude. Hopefully, I'm not wasting my time," she said.
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