[StBernard] Question for Westley

[Westley Annis]

TJH,
 
I know that you were asking Westley, but I'll try to give you some
information.  As far as people signing up for the gutting list- since June 9
is the deadline there are people who have not informed the parish of what
they were planning to do.  Those who sign up for gutting now are not likely
to be gutted by the volunteer program unless they are disabled or elderly.
Houses that have no record of intent will be identified as the first
properties to be addressed as blighted so by signing up it serves as a
notification of the intent to gut the home.  Immediately after June 9 the
official list of which houses will be gutted in the parish government's
volunteer program will be posted.  Those houses not on that list will be
required to complete the gutting through other means (private or other
volunteer agencies).  We will give the list that we have to other groups who
have stated they will be here and let them contact people who they may be
able to help.
 
As far as demolition in the oil spill area- the Christian Contractor group
is doing the demo work, but the problem has become FEMA not approving the
demoed house to be picked up so there is that snag that is being worked on.
Our position has been to let the CCA tear the house down while FEMA works
out a way to solve the pick up problem (maybe more quickly if there are
piles of demoed houses building up).
 
Sorry about the confusion- I do not think anyone is trying to mislead you,
but there are many workers who may not get all of the information right or
say something one way that seems to contradict another statement.  Sometimes
I think the workers are answering one question for one person and another
question to another person and the difference was in how the question was
heard and answered.  Anyway, I have requested that a script basically be
followed to avoid small changes in wording that could mean big differences
in how answers are given.
 
Good luck and God Bless,
Craig
 
-----Original Message-----

Westley,
 
Last week I made the 3-hour ride to St. Bernard to check on the gutting and
demo list.  I was told that if my house had not been gutted by now that it
would not be.  I had been on the list since Nov.  I then put my name on the
parish demo list and was given a confusing answer about being in the oil
spill and FEMA -- I'm on the Christian Association's list for demo, but put
my name on both to be "safe."  I then checked on a family friend's house
(she's 84) and was told that her house is in zone 6 and the people are still
in zone 1 (I'm assuming that's Arabi??) and was told the same thing
regarding her house and that her family from out-of-town should make
arrangements because they would probably not get to her house by the
deadline.
 
My question:  Why are they still allowing people to sign up for the
"gutting" list if they are not going to be gutted? I know that they are
still accepting names because another friend placed her name on the list on
May 30th.  And why are they not letting people know that they are NOT going
to be gutted?  I explained to my friend who just signed up that I was told
that people are not going to be gutted and her reply was that well they
never told me anything like that.  Could you find out what is the true
answer and let me know?
 
Once again, it seems that people are not getting the complete truth on
matters going on in the parish.  It appears to me that people are still
getting fed false hopes.
 
TJH