Mayor urges residents to lobby for flood mitigation funding.
By: John Patten
If any of the dozen local, state and federal officials assembled at last week’s town meeting at Weston Elementary School weren’t picking up on the frustrations of residents affected by the April 15 nor’easter, then Boesel Avenue resident Heidi Davis cut to the chase.
"FEMA has not done one damn thing for me," Ms. Davis, nine-months pregnant and very emotional, said. "And I want to know why."
Ms. Davis’ comments followed about an hour of explanations about the procedures, claims processing, responses to the flood and plans for preventing another one from the panel of officials and residents questions on flood insurance claims.
Although officials could answer nearly all of the questions posed by residents, Marshall Mabry of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said he couldn’t answer Ms. Davis as to why she has not been contacted by an insurance adjuster or FEMA representative since the flood.
"That’s not good enough," Ms. Davis said. "I want an answer now not next week, not tomorrow now. You shouldn’t be sitting there if you can’t give me an answer."
Ms. Davis said she has received help from the American Red Cross, but funds for housing assistance are running out and she’ll need help since her family’s home was heavily damaged by the flood.
Ms. Davis and others connected the government’s lack of funding for flood control and emergency relief on the Iraq war comments which the approximately 130 residents present applauded.
"I called my congressman, I called my senators I have a call in to the president of the USA," Ms. Davis said.
Mayor Angelo Corradino urged residents to write to members of Congress urging them to fully fund the flood mitigation study with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is studying options for flood prevention methods in the area.
John O’Connor of the Corps of Engineers said the study is about one-third completed but does not having any funding in next year’s federal budget. He said about $2.4 million is needed to complete the study. He did not have an estimate on the costs for the flood mitigation work.
"We went through four floods in 10 years if we don’t get the money, we’re going to end up a ghost town," Mayor Corradino said. "The key is to make sure we get the money to finish the project."
Mr. O’Connor said the study will probably recommend a series of levees and dikes to prevent flooding in Manville and Bound Brook.
When asked how long it would take to do the work if fully funded, Mr. O’Connor said about four years 12-18 months to complete the study; 30 months to build the levees.
Residents asked if any more properties would be bought by the government, and Lt. Donald Barlow of the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management said his office was reviewing "repetitive flood" properties to recommend any purchases. Following 1999’s Hurricane Floyd, the state purchased and demolished 38 Lost Valley houses.
When Lt. Barlow said there may be more such purchases in the future, Boesel Avenue resident Milton Fernandez said, "It’s idiotic to fix these houses then buy them out."
The meeting did include lots of praise and not just complaints. Residents commented on the prompt responses from PSE&G crews and the Red Cross, and thanked their neighbors for help when needed.
"Thank God for the people of this block," Ms. Davis said.