He Hates White People!
Posted on 12/28/2008 9:57:59 PM PST by BellStar
County residents next week will have a chance to air concerns to state lawmakers and area leaders about Hurricane Ike recovery efforts.
The committee on Hurricane Ike will meet at 10 a.m. Jan. 7 at the Galveston Island Convention Center, allowing the public to tell state lawmakers and area leaders what issues and obstacles they face almost four months after the storm struck Southeast Texas on Sept. 13, causing catastrophic flooding from storm surge and displacing thousands of people from their homes. The storm was the third most destructive to ever make landfall in the United States.
The committee has met before, and local leaders have asked lawmakers to address such issues as temporary housing from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Last time the committee met in early December, more than 2,000 county residents still were living in hotels. Meanwhile, cities and county officials still are squabbling about where to house temporary trailers.
Some residents of mainland communities are strongly resisting temporary trailer parks, saying they fear crime. Many of the displaced are from the island’s public housing projects that are home to the poor.
Other issues include finding money to aid Galveston residents in elevating and rebuilding their homes to new codes that meet federal flood rules.
Lawmakers are considering initiating contracts with mobile home or travel trailer companies to provide immediate housing options for Texas residents displaced from their homes by disaster, allowing local officials to bypass what they say is a sluggish response from FEMA.
Some lawmakers, including state Rep. Craig Eiland, have criticized FEMA for its slow reimbursements to local governments attempting to rebuild their communities.
Rep. Sylvester Turner, the chair of a House of Representatives Committee charged with investigating the response and recovery after the hurricane, said the committee would recommend setting aside $100 million over two years for cities and schools to dip into as they await for FEMA reimbursements.
Other recommendations including creating a setback line as far away from the Gulf of Mexico and restrict people from building in front of that line.
Also, officials have recommended local governments find better ways to track resources and store emergency supplies year-round in cities such as San Antonio or Lufkin.
The list of government officials scheduled to attend the meeting include County Judge Jim Yarbrough, Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas, Port of Galveston Director Steve Cernak. Island developer and oilman George Mitchell, and with Landry’s Restaurants CEO Tilman Fertitta, whose company has massive investments on the island and Kemah. Texas Department of Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin and Texas Windstorm Association manager Jim Oliver also are schedule to attend the meeting, among others.
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At A Glance
WHAT: Committee on Hurricane Ike devastation meeting
WHEN: 10 a.m. Jan. 7
WHERE: Galveston Island Convention Center, 5600 Seawall Blvd., Grand Ballroom
Should be interesting...
Should be some dog and pony show. I should not be so cynical I will give them yet another chance!
Lot of Dems in that lineup of speakers. I expect a Republican blamefest.
“Other recommendations including creating a setback line as far away from the Gulf of Mexico and restrict people from building in front of that line.”
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Just don’t use my tax dollars to rebuild stick houses on shifting sand..........wise up people!
Build your house upon the sand and on the Gulf it will eventually belong to the Gulf. We know this yet we continue to do the same things over and over and expecting deferent outcomes. Wait....that is the definition of insanity! Doing the same things over and over and expecting different outcomes. Well this is insane!
The federal government does not rebuild houses, roads and bridges are rebuilt by the state of Texas, people rebuild their own houses.
Ron Paul, voted against Ike aid for his own district.
Think he will show his face down at the Island meeting? Bet he sends some poor hapless staffer!
I hope to ba able to get the time to attend this one...Will someone from Harris County be able to ask a question, or can I forward my question to one of you going to this that Wednesday???
I really have a good question for anyone with the guts to answer it...
Personally, I believe we need to get the Federal government out of the disaster relief business...But that is not my question, it is more of a personal opinion based upon direct observations and experiences with their system...
Bell, Anymouse, Gulfbreeze, anyone...You guys and gals are point on this one...I hope one of y’all can attend and get a question to them...
Ping!
SEE YOU TODAY!
Don’t miss this meeting!
Man, I just can’t peel away for this one...Need to see if they can possibly have one of these during a time where some of us can attend and participate in...
Oh, wait...I forgot...They don’t want that...And they certainly do not want to hear (field) my question...
Wonder if Harris County will get a chance to have one of these...
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