[StBernard] Christian contractors/DEQ and Junior's mouth

[Westley Annis]

>From nola.com:

 

Nonprofit quickly razing homes

Pace outstrips that of parish contractor Wednesday, June 21, 2006 By Karen
Turni Bazile St. Bernard/Plaquemines bureau 
 
At no cost to government or the homeowners, a national nonprofit group
bulldozed 250 St. Bernard Parish homes in two days, 42 percent as many as
the parish's paid contractor has knocked down since it started demolitions
May 10. 

Though Parish Council members said they are tired of the slow pace of the
federally financed demolitions by its own contractor, Unified Recovery
Group, they expressed concerns about whether the federal government will pay
to haul off debris from the houses demolished by the volunteer group. 
 
Robert McKee, who is coordinating demolitions for the nonprofit Christian
Contractors Association, said the group has been meeting with parish, state
and federal officials to address as many concerns as possible, including a
midmorning meeting Tuesday with two parish officials and four officials with
the state Department of Environmental Quality. 
 
The DEQ officials said they approved McKee's efforts after he agreed to
follow a plan to remove household hazards similar to the one Plaquemines
Parish is using for its demolitions. 
 
The demolition work, however, was halted again at midday by a DEQ inspector
concerned about the way the volunteers were containing freon from the air
conditioners removed before the demolitions. By the end of the day, McKee
said that, too, was resolved. 
 
The council -- tired of the delays and finger-pointing among the agencies --
voted its regular meeting Tuesday to call a special committee meeting of the
whole council Thursday at 10 a.m. 
 
Councilman Vice Chairman Joey DiFatta said he wants all the agencies at the
table to say publicly whether FEMA will reimburse the parish for having URG
pick up the debris from homes demolished by the Christian Contractors
volunteers. FEMA has said it wants the DEQ and the Environmental Protection
Agency to approve McKee's procedures before it decides about reimbursement. 
 
Although some Parish Council members acknowledged the volunteer effort is
not hog-tied by bureaucratic procedures required of URG, they question how
Christian Contractors can do it so much quicker. 
 
Both McKee and J.S. Lawrence Green, URG's chief operating officer, said the
delays are in large part because of the numerous levels of government
approvals needed to get federal reimbursement, such as asbestos testing and
getting historic clearance to destroy the property at the federal and state
levels. 
 
Because McKee is working for free with a signed contract from each property
owner, he doesn't have to abide by those and other regulations, although he
must follow the general rules for protecting the people in the area and the
environment, such as removing the household hazardous waste and certain
appliances when possible. 
URG told the council it had demolished 695 homes as of June 19. That's 18
percent of the 3,300 homes whose owners have voluntarily signed up for
demolition with the parish. Officials said there likely will be forced
demolitions of abandoned flood-ravaged homes, beyond those on the list. 
 
On Monday, McKee said he had 14 crews working in Carolyn Park in Arabi,
where he knocked down 192 homes. Crews continued Tuesday, but they were able
to knock down only 58 homes in Arabi and Violet because the DEQ temporarily
stopped the work at one of the sites. 
 
McKee told the council that he left the homes demolished Monday and Tuesday
on their slabs, rather than pushing them to the curb, where they would be on
the parish right of way. Leaving them on the slab means the debris is still
the property owner's liability. McKee said his group will push the debris to
the curb, where it becomes Christian Contractors' liability, once the parish
government can promise the debris will be picked up quickly. 
 
The debris pushed to the curb from his other demolitions remained for weeks
because of the uncertainty about FEMA reimbursement. 
 
Before the demolitions Monday and Tuesday, McKee's group had knocked down
about 60 other homes since it started taking requests about a month ago,
about 7 percent of the 4,400 demolition requests he has received. 
 
Although the council has consistently supported the Christian Contractors'
efforts, Parish President Henry "Junior" Rodriguez chastised McKee at
Tuesday's meeting.
 
"I want FEMA and DEQ to tell us (the debris from the demolitions) would be
eligible. I am sure our contractor is not going to be hauling off debris
that is not eligible for FEMA reimbursement," Rodriguez said. "You are
making it a lot worse, young man." 
 
To request a demolition by McKee's group or to volunteer to help, e-mail him
at robertm at ccaministry.org or call the national office at (800) 278-7703. 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
Junior hasn't recognized one of Deborah's first rules:  Don't argue with the
man who has the toys.  McKee has the toys and crews...don't p*ss him off!
Rather, help mediate whatever problems exit between DEQ and the christian
contractors.  He's apparently doing something good since his rate of
demolition is faster than URG's - the *chosen* contractor.
 
JLY