Citizens Meetings

Murphy Oil Citizens Advisory Panel (CAP)

Residents interested in serving on this citizens advisory panel would meet once a month with other community members and refinery officials.

Murphy Oil Buffer Zone Committee

All residents are encouraged to attend the Murphy Oil Buffer Zone Committee meeting Thursday August 28th at 5pm in the Council Office Trailer.

For more information on either group contact msherwood5@cox.net

HELP PLAN THE LIBRARY

6G THE TIMES PICAYUNE
THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2008
COMMUNITY REPORT by Kim Gritter

HELP PLAN THE LIBRARY

The St. Bernard Parish Li­brary received a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Founda­tion's Gulf Coast Libraries Pro­ject to help the Library Board bring back the public library as a stand-alone institution in the parish.

The Library Board of Control invites residents to visit with Ar­chitect Maureen Arndt to contrib­ute their vision and desires for the proposed new public library on Judy and Bartolo Drives in Meraux.

Arndt will be at the library's temporary location, 7701 W. Judge Perez Drive, Arabi, Aug. 21 from 2 to 6 p.m. to hear resi­dent's ideas. Arndt will present the potential options to the Li­brary Board at 6 p.m.

Suggestions also can be made in person to library staff or by email at library1125@yahoo.com

For more information, call the library at 504.279.0448

Town Hall Meeting On Hospital!

ALL ST. BERNARD RESIDENTS

You are invited to attend a TOWN HALL MEETING concerning HOSPITAL provided health care in St. Bernard.

WHEN: Mon., Aug. 18, 7 p.m.

WHERE: 7724 E. St. Bernard Hwy., Violet(Lighthouse Pentecostal Church)

Scheduled to speak are the Hospital Service District Board and our Parish Government representatives. Learn about current issues and future plans for our Hospital.

Sponsored by Eastern St Bernard Citizens

Its not about aesthetics or property value, its the lowering of safety and increasing the risks at the same time

Murphy Oil Meraux refinery is applying for state sales tax incentives through the Louisiana Enterprise Zone program. According to our reporting resident, Murphy's representative stated at the St Bernard Parish Economic Development Committee's July meeting that its application is to perform maintenance and upgrades within the fence line of the facility. By applying through the state it affords them the reimbursement of state tax dollars for materials purchased for the $60 million project labor excluded.

Summary No. 2174

Recommended for introduction by: EFC on 6/ 0/08
Introduced by: Council on 6/17/08
EFC recommended APPROVAL on 7/9/08

An ordinance to ordain Administration not to entertain any zoning changes in the Murphy Oil buffer zone/green space until a MasterPlan is presented by Murphy Oil USA.

WE Petition St Bernard Parish Council for no more zoning changes regardless of whatever plans the refinery may or maynot say they have. Refinery encroachment into our neighborhood not only lowers the buffer, but it places the next fire and explosion that much closer to our homes.

A true protective green zone buffer is supported by the Parish Master Landuse Plan recommended by the CRC , adopted by the Council and used in previous landuse decisions. Most residents are adamantly opposed to this concept of commercial use of buyout properties and disagree that a petrochemical refinery's facilities would serve as a buffer for their protection or benefit.

we are all for progress

A recent letter to the editor explains how We are all for progress and yet We are also for our neighborhoods. Given the information from the first buffer zone committee meeting , the parish's proposed code of ordinances change and the ordinance on zoning changes in Summary No 2174, perhaps our parish council will show support for our neighborhoods too. We have a longrange plan for our homes and our neighborhoods since early Fall 2005 and presented these plans to the full council at an EFC Meeting. Regardless of whatever plans the refinery may or maynot say they have, we are committed to our revitalized neighborhood. We petition the council to amend Summary No 2174 for no more zoning changes, to support our homes and our residential neighborhoods, our residential streets and to preserve our protective greenspace.