[StBernard] MINUTES OF OPERATIONS BRIEFING - May 10

[Westley Annis]

MINUTES OF OPERATIONS BRIEFING
Wednesday, May 10, 2006, 8:00 a.m.

Dave Peralta, Chief Administrative Officer presiding.
Present:  24

Emergency Operations: Larry Ingargiola
1.  Continue work to refine the evacuation plan, expecting new
specifications from the state within the next few days, working on a
regional plan. Expecting notification from the State regarding emergency
shelters.  State has committed to 25 buses for St. Bernard Parish to be used
for evacuation.  SBURT (St. Bernard Urban Rapid Transit) should have total
of 12 buses by the end of the month, need to train 6-10 public work
employees for drivers for the buses during emergencies, need to activate
Fuel Man cards for vehicles which will be used during evacuation. Current
plans are for non-essential personnel who normally drive parish vehicles to
evacuate with parish vehicles in an attempt to save more vehicles.
Contacted the DOTD for permission to stage heavy equipment and vehicles on
top of the green bridge and the Violet Canal Bridge.  
2.  Preparing the EOC center for this hurricane season, security a major
issue, missing seven laptops.
3.  The National Weather Service predicts an active hurricane season this
year.
4.  Expecting radios on Friday.  State is bringing in satellite in OEP
office.  Fire Department will be using 800mh radios, mandatory by the state.
Radios are being programmed, 130 radios for the Fire Department, and 30
radios for OEP.
5.  Recommended obtaining cell phones from different providers incase one
service goes out.
6.  Attempting to secure two platoon boats.
7.  Reported the Reggio tower is one of the main antennas/towers for the
entire regional system.  The generator found will be transported to
Jefferson Parish to have switches installed and once it is returned to the
Reggio Tower site it will be raised 20’ from the ground.   There are
repeaters on the tower presently.  Ingargiola stated that he does not intend
to replace the tower on the government complex that was lost during
Hurricane Katrina at this site; he would like to use the funding from the PW
for the tower at the Reggio Tower site instead and inquired when he could
get the money from that PW.  Merkl stated that you can only get the money
once the work is done therefore he would have to do a version to that PW.
Ingargiola stated that Sheriff Harry Lee put the money up-front for us so we
have to replace his money.  Merkl stated that FEMA may not agree, Ingargiola
stated that FEMA already agreed to him in writing.  

Community Development:  Michael Hunnicutt.  Not present.

Public Works and Water and Sewer:  Chris Merkl.  Status quo.
1.  Demolition of the first home is scheduled for this morning.

Recovery:  David Dysart
1.  Expecting Camp Premier closure on June 1.  Waiting for answer from
school board whether alternate site will be St. Claude Heights School or
Willie P. Smith School for housing the volunteers.  Emergency
Communities.org/Love Café will close on June 15.  No alternative site for
free meals for the residents at this time.   
2.  Attempting to open community center at the college.  He will try to
assume some of that team to run the meal service for the volunteers at a low
cost or no cost operation but will still have to be on a donation basis by
the volunteers.  He anticipates that volunteers will begin donating $100 per
week to help offset the cost of them being here, the monies will cover
lodging, food and showers.  Most organizations have been happy to offer that
kind of donation for their volunteers.  He will ask the parish to provide
water free of charge, BellSouth for telephone service for the volunteers,
and he is still working on electricity and fuel.  FEMA will not pay for or
reimburse us for those costs.  

Public Assistance: 
Residential:  Craig Taffaro.  Not present.

Business:  Charles Ponstein.  Status quo.
1.  Attended the Regional Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday where the
Assistant Secretary of DOTD discussed the budget for coastal areas and
expressed they would like Merkl to be a board member.

Private Non-Profit:  Judy Hoffmeister.  Not present.

Volunteers:  Gidget McDougall
1.  Continue collecting volunteer hours.
2.  Documentary of St. Bernard will be aired on PBS at a later date.
3.  Expecting a media tour at the end of May showcasing the cultures of
Louisiana and St. Bernard will feature a segment of the Islenos culture.
Dysart stated the PBS group will create a documentary of all the appeal
process St. Bernard has gone through regarding the debris issue so it can be
presented to senators and others in a concise manner when our appeal comes
up.  He is expecting to receive a CD within the week and a mini segment will
air on PBS on June 1.

Agriculture/Wildlife and Fisheries:  Ricky Melerine.  Not present.
Lake Borgne Basin Levee District:  Bob Turner.  Not present.

Medical:  Dr. Bertucci.  Not present.
EMS report:  Janie Fuller.  Status quo.

Public Safety:  Sheriff’s Office & Military.  Not present.

LRA:  Mark Paxton
1.  Handed out flyers for the grant workshop on May 17.  Working on creating
a grant committee, one person from each office to attend meetings to
strategize grants needed to pursue.  

Fire Department:  Armand Buuck.  Status quo.

Environmental Issues: 
CDC and DEQ:  Not present.
EPA:  Not present. 

Murphy Oil Spill update:  Carl Zornes
1.  Homes cleaned to date: 1,430 exteriors, 386 interiors and 291,000 cubic
yards of debris have been removed.

Parish Government:  Dave Peralta
Council:  Lynn Dean.  Not present.
Parks and Recreation:  John Metzler, Jr. 
1.  Expressed concern about how the house demolitions would affect
neighborhoods and some of the ballparks.
2.  Summer program offered by Camp NOAH mid June, need contact person,
Peralta recommended Metzler.

Finance:  Geremie Loupe. 
1.  Reported receiving some small project checks on Tuesday.
Personnel:  Kevin Clark. Not present.
Insurance:  Mike Wiltz.  Not present.
Long Term Recovery:  V.J. Dauterive.  Not present.

General Information:
Next meeting scheduled for Friday, May 12, 2006 at 8:00 a.m.