[StBernard] Local government welcomes Katrina dispute panels

[Westley Annis]

Local government welcomes Katrina dispute panels

Chris Miller Reporting
 
The Obama administration is setting up three judge panels to hear disputes
between local governments and FEMA over funding for infrastructure repairs,
as communities continue to rebuild after the 2005 hurricanes.

St. Bernard Parish Craig Taffaro says the creation of this system is
something his administration and other local governments have been watching,
and while he thinks it's a move in the right direction, he says it wouldn't
be necessary if Washington bureaucrats would trust their underlings a little
more.

"It's much more efficient, obviously, if the local FEMA authorities actually
are given the green light to resolve things at the local level," said
Taffaro.

St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro on the new FEMA arbitration
system:

In the meantime, Taffaro says they do have some differences with FEMA on
outstanding big ticket repairs.

"Our gravity sewer system," said Taffaro. "That's a major issue for us."

The goal of the new panels is to decide matters within 60 days. Decisions
would be binding. An administration official hopes to have the process in
place by month's end, around the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.