[StBernard] Operations Meeting 1 May 2006

[Westley Annis]

MINUTES OF OPERATIONS BRIEFING
Monday, May 1, 2006, 8:00 a.m.

Craig Taffaro, Councilman District D, presiding.
Present:  29

Emergency Operations: Larry Ingargiola.  No report.
Community Development:  Michael Hunnicutt.  Not present.

Public Works and Water and Sewer:  Chris Merkl
1.  Recent rainfall has set back debris pick-up.  Curry, URG, reported
continuing to add crews and reallocate crews to handle debris.  Presently
have 44-46 crews; expect daily debris pick up to be at 16,000 cubic yards
per day, hauling 12,000 cubic yards per night to Riverbirch landfill,
including white goods.
2.  Buuck inquired whether the water was potable, stating the Love Café was
circulating a report that the water had high levels of mercury and arsenic.
Merkl stated his department has tested the water with the proper equipment
and the water was indeed potable up to the Eastward Manor and the water
treatment process was the same as Orleans and Jefferson parishes.  He
suggested that the other samples were probably taken in used containers
which would not a considered a quality sample. 

Department of Recovery:   John Rahaim
1.  Homes gutted to date = almost 1,200.
2.  Continue to seek housing for volunteers, working on extension of base
camp through August.
3.  Hilltop organization will serve meals only to the volunteers, not the
public/residents.

Public Assistance: 
Residential:  Craig Taffaro
1.  Stated that for reporting purposes minutes are being taken and are
public record, therefore, anyone who reports information of a sensitive
nature that should not be included for public release should notify Donna so
that the information is not published in the minutes.
2.  Trailer damage is being assessed today; reported falling trees from rain
and wind.

Business:  Charles Ponstein
1.  Art in April was a success on Saturday, thanked everyone who showed
support of the event.

Private Non-Profit:  Judy Hoffmeister
1.  Camp Katrina at the Auditorium has many items available and working on
water and ice.

Volunteers:  Gidget McDougall.  Not present.
Agriculture/Wildlife and Fisheries:  Ricky Melerine.  Not present.
Lake Borgne Basin Levee District:  Bob Turner.  Not present.

Medical:  Dr. Bertucci
1.  Meeting May 3 with public health; May 11 with LRA.
2.  Requested number of transports for emergency and routine from Acadian
ambulance.
3.  Reported seeing an average of 80 patients per day during the week and 30
patients on weekends.

Public Safety:  Sheriff’s Office & Military.  Pete Tufaro
1.  Reported the Sheriff’s Office is patrolling aggressively to keep our
streets safe.  Reported a much larger volume of drugs in the parish and
there appears to be drugs of a more serious nature than before.  Reported
one shooting incident on Sunday where a man shot someone, it turned into a
pursuit and then he shot himself, both people are reported in critical
condition.  Neighborhood Watch is back in force, contact person Joe Kramer
504-271-2501.  Important to get more people involved, especially in heavily
concentrated areas.
2.  Expressed concern about the amount of water that came in during this
recent rain and inquired about the operation of the locks since hurricane
season is approaching.

LRA: Mark Paxton
1.  Grants workshop scheduled for May 17, 8 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., will provide
details at next meeting, urging all departments to send at least one person.

Fire Department:  Armand Buuck.  Status quo.

Environmental Issues: 
CDC and DEQ:  Wayne Desselle
1.  Reported that on Wednesday, May 3, 60 EPA reps mostly from Washington DC
will be visiting the area for a tour of the disaster and the Inter-Harbor
Navigational Canal, 9th Ward, St. Claude, and New Orleans parish.

EPA:  Not present.

Murphy Oil Spill update:  Matt Dobson
1.  Homes cleaned to date: 1,383 exteriors, 360 interiors, 18 yards scrapped
and 284,700 cubic yards of debris cleared.
2.  Reported meeting with DEQ regarding illegal dumping in area and piles of
roofing shingles being dumped in area, submitted list to Desselle, DEQ, to
try to resolve.

Parish Government:  Dave Peralta
1.  Asked all non-St. Bernard Parish government employees to briefly meet
with him after the meeting.

Council:  Craig Taffaro
1.  Reminder: Council meeting Tuesday at 11:00 a.m.
2.  Reminder: Anticipate Monday, May 8, a Council panel review of the
disaster response with all areas involved.  Advised anyone who was part of
the disaster response to contact Polly Boudreaux, Clerk of Council, for an
outline format and to schedule a time.

EDC: Gary Huettman
1.  Update on grocery store: Working on interim financing for weeks, Billiot
brothers must meet deadline today, if they do not meet the deadline today,
EDC is working with an alternate group that is interested and does not need
interim financing.
2.  Working with rep from UNO business center today, and the group is also
working with Arabi Food Store on Friscoville Avenue.

Parks and Recreation:  John Metzler, Jr. 
1.  Reported registration for summer baseball will begin May 15 at the
Information Trailer.

Finance:  Geremie Loupe.  Not present.
Personnel:  Kevin Clark. Not present.
Insurance:  Mike Wiltz.  Not present.
Long Term Recovery:  V.J. Dauterive.  Not present.

General Information:
Next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 3, 2006 at 8:00 a.m.