ST THOMAS:

A novel idea with a creative approach is how the Reverend Marjorie Fairweather-Wilson, priest in charge at the Trinityville Anglican Church, described the July monthly meeting of the St Thomas Parish Council, as she gave the benediction to the people's forum held last Thursday.

The regular monthly meeting of the parish council, for the second time in three years, was having its formal sitting outside the official meeting hall, taking its deliberation and decision-making process to the people in the districts.

Needs on the table

At its July sitting, residents from Trinityville and adjoining communities came out in their numbers to air their concerns and put their needs squarely on the table to the local elected representatives.

It was a full slate of items which forced the procedural standing order for extension of time to be moved on two occasions so as to facilitate the number of community representatives making their presentations before the council.

Some 14 presentations were made, representing 11 communities, namely Mount Vernon, Bethel Gap, Cedar Valley, Muffat, Wayne Pass, Georgia, Mount Lebbonous, Spring Peace, Davis Mountain, Font Hill and Danvers Pen.

They covered a wide range of issues, including street lighting, domestic water supplies, road conditions, gullies, bridges, river training, fire services and emergency shelters.

It took the best of councillor L. Rawle, the sitting local government representative, to navigate the myriad of issues and concerns that came at him.

Residents commended

In the end, council chairman and mayor of the St Thomas Parish Council, Harold Brown, commended the residents for their interest, participation and involvement, noting that the process of local government reform was truly alive in St Thomas, as the initiative to take the council to the people would continue in the coming months as his own division of White Horses will host the August meeting while the September meeting will see Bobby Sephenstein in the Bath division playing host.