CRUZ BAY – At least 100 St. Johnians came out last week for the third community meeting of Governor Kenneth Mapp’s Hurricane Recovery and Resilience Task Force.
During the meeting at the Julius E. Sprauve school, Mapp’s Chief of Staff Eugene Farrell pledged more communication between the St. John community and the Administration.
“This meeting was an opportunity for candid, critical dialogue that will help us build a better community and ultimately, a better future for the Virgin Islands,” Farrell said. “It was a tremendous step forward as we strive to work closer together with communities on all islands.”
Immediately following the meeting, Task Force CEO Dina Leroy appointed Kurt Marsh of Coral Bay, St. John, to the Task Force as a community liaison to bolster representation of St. Johnians in the recovery.
“I stand ready to ensure that our concerns and ideas are addressed during the recovery process,” said Marsh.
St. John Administrator Camille Parris said, “The meeting was a great opportunity for the community, local business owners and leaders to come together to build a foundation for better resiliency and recovery.”
Task Force Chair and West Indian Company Ltd. CEO Clifford Graham commented, “Work is already underway to provide St. John with more electricity independence, as well as a comprehensive (emergency preparedness) plan to evacuate residents from the eastern and western sides of the island. The meeting gave us valuable feedback that helps shape our future project recommendations.”
The meeting was part of a series to incorporate community feedback into the future of recovery planning. Other participants included Celia Kalousek, Executive Director of the St. John Community Foundation, as well as representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the VI Housing Finance Authority Emergency Home Repairs program.
The Task Force is conducting a qualitative and quantitative assessment of hurricane damages and will also outline future potential risks from natural hazards, including those brought on by climate change.
The next community meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 2 on St. Thomas at Charlotte Amalie High School’s Auditorium from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Those interested in more information about the Task Force can email usvihurricaneresiliency@gmail.com visit www.usvihurricanetaskforce.org , or follow updates on Facebook @usvihurricanetaskforce.