[StBernard] $1.5 Million oak tree?

[Westley Annis]

I learned something interesting this weekend.
 
Did you know we have oak tree in Chalmette worth $1.5 million?  No joke.
You're probably thinking maybe it's one of the beautiful majestic oaks near
Paris Road by the Packenham Oaks.  Nope.  This oak tree sits in front of the
old, soon to be new Lacoste school.
 
What?  I know, you've seen those oak trees - they're nice, but $1.5 million?
You're saying "C'mon John, you must be suffering from vitamin C deficiency
or something?  Well, let me explain.
 
I have a good friend who works on the project of the new Lacoste school.  He
started telling me about the project to construct the pedestrian walkway
that will span over Judge Perez Drive from Chalmette High School to the new
Lacoste School.  To make a long story short and to get to the crux of the
issue, the span originally was going to have a "straight across" design
which would have been efficient in both its design and cost.  But, in its
original design and location, someone realized it would require one of the
oak trees in front of Lacoste to be taken out.  Well, this certainly could
not happen!
 
So now, the design of the pedestrian bridge is going to have a big bend or
crescent shape to it, to avoid the trees.  What was the difference in design
and construction cost for this slight modification?  $1.5 million.  That's
right!  A million and a half smackaroos MORE!  This prompted them to
completely redesign the bridge.
 
But there's more.  Have you noticed how there are a lot of curved and
rounded sides to the new building?  Add another $14.5 million to
construction costs compared to have a squared or "right angle" edge to the
buildings.  I was told "you can't believe how much more curved metal
costs...it's major."  Oh, but John, we can't have our kids going to be
educated in a squared or rectangular building...God forbid, how will they
ever learn anything???
 
I learned from Lacoste school project contact that the new Lacoste school
could have been built for tens of millions of dollars less by "making simple
modifications to the design - plus with these simple modifications there
would have had more building square footage for less cost.  Not to mention,
profession tree relocation experts could have carefully pulled up the oak
and relocated it for less than $20,000.  That's when my friend looked at me
and said, "next time you're driving in front of the new school, take a look
at what a $1.5 million oak tree looks like, probably the most valuable oak
tree in the United States."
 
But hey, it's FEMA money, right?  It's not costing us anything.  Wrong...we
all eventually pay for it.  People used to criticize Lynn Dean when he spoke
this way, and we're all learning now the old man was right.  After all, a
Lexus with only 6 cup holders will operate just as effectively as one with 8
cup holders - minus the extra $1,000 for two more cup holders.
 
Personally, I would have preferred to build more school building for the
same buck being spent.  I just hope and pray after all the extra tens of
millions of dollars that are being spent on the current design, another
Katrina doesn't come along and wash it all away.
 
John Scurich
 
P.S.  For anyone who doubts or questions the accuracy of what I've said, it
took over 30 minutes for my contact to explain all the details.  Everything
said was backed up - this was not some off the cuff 20 second comment made
to me.  I believe he brought this to my attention because he wanted me know
how much tax dollars are being wasted on the specific design of this
project.