P.O. Box 24378 New Orleans, LA 70184 504.324.2270
District Five Recovery News
Minutes Infrastructure Committee Meeting 4/18/06
Several members of our committee met with members of the Corp of Engineers at the site of the ongoing work being done on the 17th Street Canal. The report given at our meeting was impressive.
A representative from City Hall explained the training session for volunteers to work in the trailers to be placed in Lakeview. The sites are still not confirmed. Delgado is getting ready to do remediation in the area where the trailer is to be so they could commit for only 6 months. Mr. Robert Lupo has agreed for one to be place at his Robert E. Lee location. The second location has yet to be decided. The purpose is to put the trailers in neighborhoods to made getting permits easier. So far city hall has issued 30,000 permits. Volunteers to assist City Hall personel are still needed. By 4/21/06 you can get an interactive map of all permits issued on line at http://www.cityofno.com. Eventually you will be able to put in an address and get assessments and other data.
The City Planning Commission and The City Council will have to approve final plans of each District. They have provided the technical assistance of architects and planers to help present the plan for neighborhoods that have flooded. We met with our assigned team . They will be helping us prioritize concerns such as roads, landscaping or retail centers. A list of projects will be developed and than sources of fundings can be identified.
S&WB: They are video taping every manhole and line making repairs where necessary. They have said that by September they would not have a cash flow problem. Station D is working. They have cleaned most of the catch basins and sewerage lines.
POST OFFICE: The post office is still undecided about how they will deliver the mail. Discussions are ongoing regarding cluster boxes, curb service or door to door delivery. Whatever is decided will be locked in after 30 days.
ENTERGY: Entergy is working to disconnect meters. The problem is disconnecting gas lines to the street. They still do not have the crews to completely terminate lines.
FIRE STATIONS: The fire house on Harrison Ave. has structural problems. Cost to renovate is $151,920. The Robert E. Lee fire house did not have as much damage. It’s cost to renovate is $98.610. The committee is considering finding funding to help cover these costs.
ROADS: The Fleur de Lis road improvement from Veterans to I-10 goes to bid this month and work should begin soon. Phase 2 & 3 will not begin until mid to late 2007. Damage to all streets is being assessed. The city is short handed and wants to train volunteers to access FEMA damage to other damage. The city is working to re-lamping street lights and hopefully will be finished next month.
DEBRIS REMOVAL: Contracts for debris removal will continue through June 30. The Corps has 50 separate demo crews. They hope to be done demolition by March 2007. They will only tear down to slab. The city will take the costs from ICC.
COX COMMUNICATIONS: Cox has updated their hotline through the week of 4/17/06. (504-304-1148 or www.aboutcox.com) Most of the increased service has been in the MidCity area. No new work has been updated in Lakeview.
BELLSOUTH: The company is in the process of offering a fixed wireless voice service. More information on this service and what plans the company has for Lakeview has been promised for this coming week
AIR, SOIL & WATER: A Committee member met with a representative of the Common Ground Collective at its’ Gentilly bioremediation project site. Their project and directions are well described in the booklet written by this group, “ The 9th Ward Residents’ Guide To Do It Yourself Soil Clean Up Using Natural Processes”. Bioremediation of soil can be going on before residents are living in their homes.
A possible workshop for the area is being considered. Also if a large enough group is interested, lower prices for more extensive testing could be negotiated.