St. John residents usually have no central way to discuss issues, but the new St. John Summit website – http://stjohnsummit.webs.com/ – aims to fill that bill.
Put together by community activist and St. John Community Foundation Director Paul Devine, the website’s been running for nearly two months.
"It’s communication. There are an awful lot of ideas going on, but individuals have conflicts with other ideas," Devine said.
Rather than face-to-face interaction, which he said can result in confrontation when people disagree, Devine decided a website where they could air their opinions was the best bet.
Initially he wanted to bring people together at the Community Foundation office to discuss ideas, but he said that because of scheduling conflicts the plan never materialized.
Devine is compiling pros and cons on various issues to present to the new St. John planner, Stuart Smith, and to others interested in the island’s future.
"The website lets them get their thoughts on paper," he said.
Topics cover the gamut of St. John’s pressing issues. Parking, the Cruz Bay waterfront, a master plan for the Cruz Bay Creek, the planned location of a new post office near Enighed Pond, the lack of recreation facilities at Calabash Boom affordable housing, a community center, and Coral Bay development are all on the list.
So far, 51 people have registered so they can express their opinions. Devine acknowledged that most, but not all, of those people are "Continentals." However, he pointed out that nearly all have lived on St. John for many years.
"I’d like more diversity," he said, hoping that a broader cross section of St. John’s multicultural community will add their opinions to the mix.
Real names are not required, but some people have registered under their own names. Many of those who identified themselves often speak out at public meetings but others are anonymous.
St. John resident B.J. Harris is one of those writing under her own name.
"It makes it easier for me to participate and I can do it from anywhere," she said.
Harris, a Realtor, spends lots of time on the computer. She said it’s more convenient to just post her opinions instead of calling someone to discuss issues.
Setting up the website was a breeze, Devine said. He said a web-savvy friend did the job in about 15 minutes. He located a free website host with a template for putting up the St. John Summit website. Devine said he doesn’t have to solicit advertising to support the website because the host has its own advertising.
"But it’s all St. John advertising," he said, pleased at this addition to the St. John Summit website.
