One of the most contested election cycles in St. John history is behind us, and the voters have spoken.

Over the next four years our parish will be led by some new and some familiar faces.

It’s our responsibility to mend the gap that we, as a community, have created that has divided us, not only politically, but racially as well. Congratulations to our newly elected and re-elected officials.

It’s time to work together as a team and not allow the division that once held us apart to keep us from growing and governing.

St. John, as a whole, truly has a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Over the last several years we have seen millions of dollars of critical infrastructure upgrades in the avenue of water, sewer, concrete, asphalt and facility upgrades.

We received a signed Chief’s report, which was a collaborative effort.

The next phase will be securing Congressional appropriations to begin construction on this much anticipated and much needed nearly $1 billion dollar project.

Your support is needed as officials from across the River Parishes will be working diligently to secure funding for this project. It is imperative that we continue to promote the significance of the River Region on a national scale.

We are the home to the Port of South Louisiana, the largest tonnage port district in the Western Hemisphere, and house some of the nation’s largest refineries.

We are the I-10 connector from New Orleans to Baton Rouge and the entrance to I-55.

Levee protection for the River Region cannot be an option, but rather a priority in the sustainability of our local and national economy.

President Robottom indicated in her last column that over $14.5 million has been invested in all three of the Parish’s water systems to fulfill administrative orders and new requirements by Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (LDHH).

We have committed to continue investing and to keep our water system improvements another top priority for the upcoming term.

As we enter the last few weeks of the year and enter the Thanksgiving holidays, I want to thank each and every one of you on behalf of the St. John Parish Council.

We thank you for your prayers and we thank you for allowing us to serve.

Public service can sometimes be one of the most challenging experiences, but with the guidance and prayers from a community that can unify after a time of controversy, we can also make public service one of the most rewarding experiences.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Michael P. Wright is St. John the Baptist Parish Council chairman and District 5 representative. Contact him at District5@sjbparish.com.