I am writing this letter on the behalf of Vanessa Carlisle.  Maybe you know her and then again I don’t believe you do.   She’s the heart and soul of the Belle Haven community.  She’s one of your most dedicated employees who care about our children within the Belle Haven community.  She’s the most qualified employee to run the center and treat our children as if they were her own.  It seems as if we have wasted our time once again fighting over the same issue.  Why do you ask us to attend these staged/ fake city council meetings to express ourselves?  When we speak you turn a deaf ear.  Why is it so difficult for the city council to hear our desperate cries for some type of stability within our community?  We feel like those survivors on the rooftops in New Orleans during Katrina waiting to be rescued.  WILL YOU EVER LISTEN?   

What happened to slowing down the process?  27 years of experience means nothing to the city council.  I would hate to work for someone that long and get kicked in the teeth for doing a GREAT job.  What do we need to do to keep Vanessa within our community?  WILL YOU EVER LISTEN?

Everyone heard about Vanessa’s upcoming departure via the media.  Are you that chicken that you cannot give us enough respect to deliver the news yourselves?  This is ridiculous and you should be ashamed of yourselves.  I don’t even know why I am wasting my time once again fighting over the same ridiculous issue, but if Rosa Parks would have given up her seat and stopped fighting we would still be in the back of the bus.  WILL YOU EVER LISTEN?

We will continue fighting for Vanessa and we will continue to fight for our community in hopes that one day you to will finally LISTEN!

Sheila Raines

Beechwood Parent