Notices

The next Board meeting of FOSTPL is on Thursday, May 22, 2008 at 6pm sharp in the Enid M. Baa Adult Reading Room. All are asked to be on time; the Summer Reading Program and the "Read a Book, Share its Treasures!" campaign will be discussed, along with other important information.

Rezoning Questions and the Tutu Library

May 9, 2008: At a public hearing which took place on May 7, Old Tutu residents turned out in force to voice their opposition to the Leonardo Trotman Drive bypass project and its impact on their neighborhood. With a rezoning from A-1, agricultural, to C, commercial, it is felt, would come increased traffic and noise, and the invitation to business types that would strongly influence the current flavor of the immediate environment. While the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) put in the application for the change, by the end of the hearing, Senior Planner Julius Jessup was reported to be rethinking this direction.

Senator Carlton "Ital" Dowe, a chief proponent of the rezoning request, took in all that he heard, and is willing to consider alternatives. Changes in the original plans are the result of an effort to conserve nearby wetlands along with an expansion in the actual property needed to complete the project, all while adhering to federal highway standards.

During the hearing, Friends of St. Thomas Public Libraries past president and advocate Carol Lotz-Felix was impressed by the issues raised by Old Tutu residents, including questions regarding public access routes to the planned St. Thomas Regional Library. This collective input has sent officials back to the drawing board to discover implementation methods for both the bypass and the new library that will provide for all interests.

Read the Virgin Islands Daily News article: Old Tutu residents line up against commercial zoning near new roadway

V.I. Constitutional Convention

May 5, 2008: As a public service, the Friends of the St. Thomas Public Libraries (FOSTPL) would like to contribute to the distribution of information on the 5th Constitutional Convention. V.I. Constitutional Convention 2008 logo
Visit the new Fifth Constitutional Convention website: VIConstitution.com. Here you can download previous drafts of the V.I. Constitution, communicate and share with your delegates.