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

Over the next four years, our country will be led by some new and some familiar faces. It’s our responsibility to mend the gap that we, as a community and country, have created that has divided us, not only politically but along party lines.

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

We are actively continuing to make significant water system upgrades that will have a significant positive impact on our residents parishwide.

Our water bill system and meters have been experiencing technical problems for several months. Residents are encouraged to call our utilities department if you are experiencing billing problems.

Administration is actively pursuing system upgrades and replacements that we anticipate to correct the problem.

Our levee project is still an active and an extremely important topic to our parish. It’s imperative that we begin secure to Congressional appropriations to begin construction on this much anticipated and much needed nearly $1 billion project. Your continued support is needed, as officials from across the River Parishes will continue to work 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 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.

Although 2017 is near, we still have much work to do. The St. John the Baptist Parish Council is tasked with some important tasks that will severely impact the future of our parish.

Registrar of Voters Rita Jarrow has announced her retirement for the end of this year, and the Council is responsible for selecting and appointing her replacement.

It is our goal to guide a smooth transition to that office without disrupting everyday operations and ensuring a smooth spring election.

We would like to congratulate Ms. Jarrow on her retirement and thank her for her many years of service to the residents of St. John and Louisiana.

The 2017 Budget is up for review by the Council, and workshops have been set up to allow the Council and public to provide input on appropriations that will affect the fiscal year 2017.

We are looking forward to a prosperous 2017 filled with continued parishwide progress.

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 the Baptist Parish Council. We thank you for your prayers and we thank you for allowing us to serve.

Public Service is one of the most challenging and often controversial experiences, but with the guidance and prayers from a community that can unify behind leadership, it makes 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 District 5 representative and Council vice chairman. Contact him at District5@sjbparish.com or m.wright@sjbparish.com.