[StBernard] Government Decisions

[Westley Annis]

Craig,

Although I don't think I was comparing apples to oranges here, I think I was
at least comparing satsumas to tangerines.

Grand Forks is smaller than St. Bernard as a whole, but I think it would be
pretty close if you compared it to the upper-end of the parish (Arabi &
Chalmette).  

Insurance wise, I would think we were close, Grand Forks only had 20% with
flood insurance.  Did St. Bernard have less than 20% with flood insurance?

I agree we did have more water.  They talked about 6 feet of standing water,
while we talk about 10-12 feet or higher.

My point in sharing the story is that stronger guidance should be issued.
Residents should be told, "We think your house should be green space.  We
can't buy it right now and it may be five or ten years before we can, but we
want you to know what our long-term goal is."

Like I said before, there will be a lot of griping, as if there isn't any
right now, but if residents have a clear sense of where the parish wants to
head, it makes their decisions easier to make.

It may even help them to get involved on the federal level.  It is only my
opinion, but the fact that FEMA subtracts any flood insurance money from any
mitigation buy-outs totally negates the concept of insurance.  But hey, they
do that with Social Security also.

Westley

-----Original Message-----
  
Westley,
 
Your review of the Grand Forks issue is going to mislead people.  The
differences between Grand Forks and St. Bernard are monumental and your
review doesn't get to these issues.  The size of the communities and the
percentage of people damaged and needed to move and the level of insurance
for the owners, and the amount of federal support needed and the economic
impact on the community.
 
Very different situations.  The issue of just naming areas to move using a
program that is voluntary in its nature, without the funds to force the
issue adds some potentially insurmountable obstacles.
 
Craig