Library hosts event on New Orleans recovery

By: Molly Petrilla
   Princeton Public Library will host a United New Orleans Plan Community Congress on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
   New Orleans residents who have relocated to New Jersey or the Philadelphia metropolitan area are invited to attend the session and watch live video feeds from town meetings in five cities: New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Dallas, Houston and Atlanta.
   The event is intended to maximize New Orleans citizen participation in a discussion about funding priorities and the best approach to rebuilding the city’s infrastructure.
   The unified plan will be completed by January and, once approved, passed on to federal officials and the Louisiana Recovery Authority, which is coordinating the state’s hurricane recovery efforts.
   "This Community Congress is an important opportunity for our citizens dispersed all over the country to come together to discuss and decide the most important investments for a smarter, stronger and safer New Orleans," Community Support Organization Chairwoman Vera Triplett said in a news release.
   The gathering will consist of a light breakfast and lunch, and participants will receive discounted or free garage parking. In addition, the New Orleans Saints have provided small souvenirs that the first 30 Princeton participants will receive.
   "This is a wonderful opportunity for participatory democracy in action," Mercer County Freeholder Tony Mack — who is sponsoring the event — said in a news release.
   He noted that Katrina victims who have relocated to New Jersey are "welcome to stay and thrive as long as they choose." But, he added, "It is natural for all, whether they plan to return someday to Louisiana or stay here in the East, to be vitally concerned about the future of New Orleans, one of our national cultural treasures."
   For further information or directions to Saturday’s event, contact the freeholder’s office at (609) 989-6961. For up-to-date information about the national agenda for Saturday, visit www.unitedneworleansplan.com or call 1-866-940-1095.