[StBernard] Christian contractors

[Westley Annis]

Christian Contractors May Demolish Again For Free
By: Steve Cannizaro
June 22 , 2006
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Private Christian Contractors Association could soon be demolishing homes
again for free; and Parish Council members criticize pace of parish's own
contractor in its demolition program

 
The private Christian Contractors Association appears to be near an
agreement allowing them to again demolish storm-damaged homes for free in
St. Bernard Parish, and with the parish receiving FEMA reimbursement for a
contractor to haul away the debris, after a meeting Thursday in which the
Parish Council brought together federal and state agencies to discuss the
matter.
 
But St. Bernard Parish Council members criticized the pace of the parish's
own demolition contractor, Unified Recovery Group, although the company has
torn down more than 600 homes since May 10.
 
The Council held two separate committee meetings Thursday in which
demolition of homes and collection of debris were main topics.
 
In one meeting, the Christian Contractors Association, a non-profit group,
worked out a demolition plan for the state Department of Environmental
Quality, which recently questioned the group's methods, and the federal
Environmental Protection Agency. The agencies have to approve a plan before
FEMA will reimburse St. Bernard Parish government for the parish's
contractor, URG, to take the housing debris off a street and haul it away.
 
Robert McKee, coordinator of the Christian group, had to agree to a plan to
separate household hazardous wastes and other white good such as
refrigerators from regular housing debris. He said his group of volunteers
have demolished more than 300 homes that owners wanted torn down, including
tearing up the foundations, but some 250 of the torn down residences haven't
been brought to the side of the street for hauling away by URG pending
clearance that FEMA would reimburse the parish.
McKee said after the meeting he kept tearing down homes, although not
opushing them to the crub, "to make a point but also to let people know
we're here and we are going to help them.''
 
He said the group, which also is gutting homes for residents who want to
rebuild, said he won't tear down any more homes until FEMA approval comes
through.
McKee has said more than 4,000 St. Bernard Parish homeowners have asked his
group to demolish their storm-damaged homes. Separately, more than 3,000
residents signed up for free demolition through the parish's free program
operated by URG, which isn't able to break up foundations because FEMA won't
reimburse for that.
 
The private group started taking down storm-damaged homes on May 18 and
applications are still available at the Parish Information Center, a trailer
office behind the parish government building. The Christian group hasn't set
a deadline.
The number at the group's national office is 1-800-278-7703.
 
Several Parish Council members, including Vice-Chairman Joseph DiFatta and
members Craig Taffaro, Judy Hoffmeister and Mark Madary, said they wanted
FEMA, EPA and DEQ to come to the meeting to iron out any questions about
what it would take to make sure FEMA will reimburse the cost of the
Christian group's demolition debris.
 
McKee agreed that DEQ would get advance notice to examine a home to
determine if the Christian group had properly separated debris.
 
After the session it appeared EPA and DEQ would agree to the plan and turn
it over to FEMA for a decision to approve reimbursement.
 
Afterward, DiFatta said getting the groups into the same room for disuccsion
was important. "It appears we have a process in hand that will get us where
we want to go,'' he said, adding, "I think we're on track.''
 
"This should speed up the process,'' Taffaro said. "We've got to get the
debris knocked down and taken away.''
 
Madary, who has praised the Christian group for cutting through red tape,
and Hoffmeister, who frequently has said she was concerned aobut the pace of
recovery efforts, said the parish can't move on and rebuild until the
demolition process is well underway. Council member Ricky Melerine has said
he believes the demolition process may be the most important part of the
parish's recovery effort. 
 
But in a second committee meeting on Thursday, Council members said they
weren't satisfied with URG's demolition of 616 houses since May 10. URG
officials have pointed out that there are many regulations involving tearing
down homes including tests for asbestos materials and looking for historical
value. Those with asbestos must be handled in a different way.
 
"616 don't get it, it just don't,'' Madary said, emphasizing that too many
more homes need to be torn down and there is a deadline of June 30, although
it may be stretched to Aug. 29, for FEMA to reimburse such costs at 100
percent. "I'm an unhappy camper.''

Both Taffaro and Hoffmeister said they didn't want more excuses for delays
in reaching at least 100 demolitions a day.
 
Council members also said they don't understand why some areas of homes
built in recent decades have to be cleared for historical value before they
are razed, saying it could be done with blanket approval rather than
individual approval. "Abe Lincoln didn't sleep in any of these houses,''
Madary said.
 
Parish President Henry "Junior'' Rodriguez pointed out that one problems
hurting the process "duplication of effort'' by URG and the Christian group.

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Huh Junior?  "duplication of effort"?  It appears that the Christian
contractors are doing better than the hand-picked contractor of choice.  Is
URG charging by the hour?