[StBernard] Storm Debris Removal to Restart and Way of the Cross

[Westley Annis]

Storm Debris Removal to Restart, and More 

April 1 , 2006

By: Steve Cannizaro


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St. Bernard storm debris removal likely to restart on Thursday, contractor
says; Annual Way of the Cross on levee is Friday, April 14
 
 
Curbside storm debris removal should restart Thursday, April 6, in St.
Bernard Parish, according to the main contractor who received some $23
million Tuesday from the parish that had been sent by the state as partial
payment for work already done. 
 
St. Bernard Parish President Henry "Junior'' Rodriguez and parish Council
members have been anxious to begin collection of debris again after it was
halted March 11 after the state said it needed to clear up paperwork before
FEMA money could be released to the parish as the first payment for debris
removal. 
 
The paperwork was taken care of last week and $23 million was sent to parish
government Monday night, officials said, and the money was forwarded on
Tuesday to Unified Recovery Group, according to its head, Lawrence Green. 
 
Another $ 6million from FEMA is under review and could come shortly,
according to state Sen. Walter Boasso of Arabi, who helped free up the money
on the state level. 
 
The pick-up, halted on March 11 because of accounting issues with the state,
is starting again after the state announced Wednesday the paperwork has been
cleared up and FEMA said some $30 million owed to contractors would be
released to the parish. On Friday, the figure coming to St. Bernard was
tweaked down to just over $23 million, with about $6 million still under
review, parish officials said. 
 
"We are recertifying the trucks now and the plan now is to restart curbside
debris removal on Thursday,'' said Green. He said he is hopeful of regularly
receiving more reimbursements from FEMA. 
Green's company said it is owed $70 million and has submitted paperwork for
about $45 million, but that is now under review and FEMA has balked at some
of the cost. 
 
Rodriguez, and council members have said it is imperative to get debris
picked up again before it becomes a health concern. About 1,000 homes have
been cleared of debris through a unique free parish program in which
volunteers from across the nation have been coming in to help St. Bernard
Parish residents, but because of the withholding of money by the state much
debris remains on streets. 
 
Some residents in Chalmette, Violet and other communities in eastern St.
Bernard have set some 20 fires in debris piles between March 31 and April 3,
according to Fire Chief Thomas Stone who said deliberate fires are a
dangerous and bad idea, especially in the dry conditions the area has been
experiencing. 
 
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Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church will hold its annual Way of the Cross
levee walk at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 14. 
 
The Way of the Cross begins on the levee across from N.P. Trist Middle
School in Meraux and ends at Our Lady of Lourdes on Colonial Boulevard in
Violet.