My co-workers

When I started this blog I fully intended to make fun of my colleagues mercilessly. As I asked in one of my first blogs, who can take three months off with no notice? I predicted new graduates, weirdoes that can not hold down a job, and the twice blessed. Despite my best intentions, I have been foiled. The members of the team are professional, intelligent and committed. What’s worse is that the office is free of negative political jockeying or gossip! While I am excited to be working with such great people in such a positive setting, I am a little disappointed that my blog is suffering.

There are 15-20 people that work in Jefferson Davis County on Long Term Recovery. There are a number of people we can call on who are shared between different county teams.

The breakdown goes something like this
1 team lead
1 admin. assistant / office manager
4 engineers
2 planners
1 outreach person
2 HUD staffers
1 Wetlands person
1 USDA rural development person
1 Louisiana National Guard liaison
1 HUD community change specialist
1 Economic development person that is joining the team shortly

The answer to who can take three months off are:
1) Local hires who lost there jobs due to the hurricane
2) Retired people that now do temp jobs like this
3) Federal government staff people that are temporarily stationed here
4) Me (Ironically I am the only one that fit any (or all) of the categories I laid out.

One other note, almost everyone on our team is middle aged with a family. ( I, at 30, am the youngest staff member). It is hard on them, considering we work 10-12 hours a day, 6 days a week.