[StBernard] issues

[Westley Annis]

 One has to wonder as to WHAT the root cause of problems we face as citizens
and displaced citizens of St. Bernard. Is it national government that's not
getting money to us fast enough to handle problems? Perhaps waiting for
additional money in the proposed/passing new bill to do it?

Is it local government that lacks leadership to get the job done? Perhaps
overwhelmed even though they have the money? Ineffective leadership to
demand, be proactive or take the realm into it's control? 

How is it that an entity in St. Bernard Parish like Murphy and lawyers like
Torres "dictate" how they want matters to go with hush-hush results,
basically leaving citizens who have great strength in numbers and voting
power ...powerless? Is everyone getting complacent--from the citizens who
have established their "right to burn-out" from Katrina fatigue, leaving
them ineffective to get results "one person at a time" when numbers have
been known to get positive results? 

There needs to be a collaborative effort to change things into people who
have gained an attitude of "you can't beat the system", or "what's the use?
They're win anyhow!" To start, we have leadership in Congress. Are they
getting the job done which will help us recover faster than by the year
2020? Are locals aggressive enough or just "I'll do what I will to get by".
It's almost 9 months. Even though we don't have fulfilment from insurances,
FEMA, and other matters, why are we plagued with the simpler things--making
"litter-ally" - a mountain out of what should be a mole-hill?

..We used to walk up to people, places or things and ask, "Who's in charge
here?"  Now we're doing the asking, ironically, "..Who IS in charge here
while we suffer?" Consider the source of the problems we now face.
Complacency is not an option, and shouldn't be an end result.

Pitiful.

--jer--

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Craig, there were two recent postings that piqued my concern:

Is FEMA really denying pickup of debris from commercial businesses in St.
Bernard? If so, what is the parish doing to get those owners to get it
removed. I know after awhile FEMA refused to pick up debris from
multi-family complexes over 4 apartments and businesses and I wrote a
message about that last month. The owners said they were never told by
Jefferson Parish that FEMA was no longer picking it up.

Has the fingerpointing between Murphy and FEMA/EPA/DEQ been resolved
regarding removal of white goods from the Murphy Oil Spill area and if not,
what will it take to bring it to a head? I don't understand the difference
between IRS telling Murphy it has to pay taxes and Murphy saying no to that.
Seems if the federal govt says you have to, then you have to or you appeal.
What is the status? These white goods have been hanging on since November.

Maybe these issues were discussed at the weekly recovery meeting this week
and will appear in the minutes.

Thanks,
Deborah Keller