^….^ I thank you both for your honestly and assure you I am not a quitter.

^….^ I took it on myslef to be fully informed of what is / is not happening during this recovery phase. I have received some notoriety and public exposure because I am present at so many functions and speak up when my dander gets ruffled.

^….^ I honestly don’t know what is going to happen to our subdivision. I have devoted every ounce of energy to doing my part to make this neighborhood survive, though I’ve been stymied at almost every turn. I have made the personal decision to return but have done absolutely the minimum toward that goal.

^….^ I personally could care less about a formal organization as long as there are persons who wish to share the load.

^….^ No one has a right to expect anyone else to look out for their personal interests. Make your own decision, make it happen, and move on. It does take some effort and presence to get cooperation from others, i.e. concerted negotiations between consenting parties. We can agree, or agree to disagree, but our voices and our concerns have to be made known and understood. This can only be accomplished at meetings. E-mails are good at informing people but are absolutely useless as a means to discuss an issue.

^….^ The officers and directors of the *Kenilworth Civic Association* and the *Kenilworth Improvement District* are first and foremost volunteers. The public \(i.e. residents)\ chose to elect them \(or cause them to be elected)\ based upon statements \(and presumably qualifications)\ made at public meetings. An officer or director who fails to honor the trust placed in them by their peers, does not communciate, does not show up at meetings, doesn’t cooperate, and doesn’t care should voluntarily step down, or be forced out of their position(s). Again, these actions can only occur at meetings, not by e-mail or by telephone.

^….^ I don’t want to ever hear a complaint without there being some effort to correct the situation; I am not your employee. There is an expression \(to paraphrase)\ “Participate. *Be part of the solution or get out of the way*.”

^….^ I’m not proposing starting a new group, nor am I proposing I take over the existing organization(s). I want each and every person to be part of the solution, have their voices heard, cooperatively define areas of multual benefit, have it promoted and implemented. Every person needs to pitch in and make it happen, unless we choose to hire professionals to do it for us. Officers and directors are ideally suited for setting goals but they are not well suited for labor intensive projects.

Meetings weekly at St. Maria Goretti Parish Hall, Saturdays, 11:00 AM, Crowder Blvd & Morrison Road

* Citywide, *consistent application* of a) “blighted property” rules, b) *Expedited control* of overgrowth at all vacant properties, c) Weed and rodent control of (closed) *Osborne Elementary School*

* Completion of dedicated Lamb Road roadway from Morrison to Hayne, recouping full-width servitude and establishing soundwalls to block traffic noise, debris and afford security to adjoining properties.

* Removal of Hidden Lake Apartments (Lake Kenilworth) and creation of a *neighborhood park including a community meeting center*.

* Mainstreet coordination, Morrison Road (closing Morrison canal), Hayne Blvd, Downman Road

^…^The neighborhood sustained substantial damage due to Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005 but was not destroyed as first reports may have indicated. The “storm-surge floodwaters”:http://www.ND.edu/~adcirc/katrina.htm remained inside the homes for more than a week; that water intrusion originating from overtopping of the “earthen levees”:http://www.MVN.USAce.Army.mil/tfg/. The mayor of New Orleans issued emergency orders restricting access to certain areas of the City for several weeks; allowing residents daylight-only access to eastern New Orleans five weeks after landfall; full access at the first of the year.

^…^The Kenilworth Civic & Improvement Association, created in 1967 governs the activities of the subdivision. In 2004 the “Kenilworth Improvement District”:http://www.legis.state.la.us/leg_docs/04RS/CVT1/OUT/0000LV3P.PDF was created providing sustained operational funding via annual property owner assessments. Historically these funds have been used exclusively for supplemental private security patrols.

^…^Contact among the neighborhood’s residents remains extremely difficult. Even those who have returned full-time have difficulty communicating because there is no landline phone service. Other available services are reliable.

^…^The neighborhood recovery planning team has met regularly and consistently on a weekly basis since February [St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church, Saturdays, 11:00 AM]. Many who attend these meetings commute from surrounding communities, even from Baton Rouge in order to participate.

^…^Recovery and Planning are two distinct tasks but have areas of overlap. Every advance has to have a beginning, a direction and a goal. Thankfully, the “City Council”:http://www.NOHRAC.com/Portals/HRAC/Resources/Resolution.doc began recovery efforts in earnest and implemented valuable “assistance to neighborhoods”:http://www.NOLAnrp.com. locally, this effort was enhanced with the foresight and assistance of the “business community”:http://www.TheNOEBA.com.

^…^”Another initiative”:http://www.UnifiedNewOrleansPlan.org is just in the beginning stages with initial funding by the “Rockefeller Foundation”:http://www.RockFound.org. This effort expands planning opportunities to areas of the city sustaining less damage and will provide professional planning support to all other neighborhoods. Local “Gambit Weekly”:http://www.BestOfNewOrleans.com/dispatch/2006-06-27/cover_story.php published a very comprehensive overview on June 27, 2006.

It is *NOT THE NEIGHBORHOODS’ responsibility* to announce, promote and invite participation at any meeting with less than 30-days notice. This is the sole responsibility of the NOCSF and the “Unified New Orleans Plan” - “that is their purpose”:http://www.GNOF.org/.

The emphasis and reliance on “posting to the internet” does absolutely nothing for the 5,000+ homes in east New Orleans without telephone service to access the internet. We have found that the only means that works to contact the neighbors is by visual means, i.e. roadside signs.

We still have not been in contact with over 80% of our former residents. There is absolutely no way I, or anyone else can vote without their knowledge and consent. What is being done to help us contact them? Notification? The internet - don’t count on it - they have never heard of this initiative.