March 27, 2006
Minutes of General Meeting
Present: Kären Nady, Interim President, Frank Lamb, Vice-President, Glenn Robinson, Treasurer, Cathy Barnette, Governmental Affairs, Ernest Berger, Membership and Louie Nady, Finance. Absent: Lon Johnston, Utility Board
Guests: Sen. Bradley Byrne, County Commissioner Wayne Gruenloh, City Councilman Ron Scott, Congressman Bonner's staff Rachael Kaiser (Baldwin Co. office, Foley) and Fraser Crane (Mobile Co., Mobile), 27 guests and the press.
Guest Speaker: US Congressman Jo Bonner
Ernest Berger called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. He commented that the regular business format of the meeting would not be used and the October 4, 2005 General Meeting minutes and the current Treasurer's reports were on an information table. (See attached copies). He thanked Congressman Bonner for attending and made background remarks regarding the congressman's district and constituency.
Program: Making Lemonade Out of Lemons: Challenges and Opportunities for Daphne and the Eastern Shore in a post-Katrina World.
Congressman Bonner prefaced his comments of the evening by saying the Gulf Coast and Mobile Bay area have faced special challenges with Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina. He applauded the efforts of OTDA to keep this issue in the spotlight.
He provided statistics: 6,000 new people have moved to Baldwin Co. in the last year, unemployment is 3.3% in Daphne and was 5.6% after Hurricane Ivan (better than state or country). Companies are having a difficult time finding employees. Good schools, churches, housing, and access to Mobile Bay and the Gulf.
Katrina was the largest natural disaster in 229 years of American history, 87 billion in costs to date and still growing. Prior to Katrina, 9/11was the largest disaster in the country and in Alabama there were also the costs of Ivan. With 275,000 homes lost or damaged, he expressed concern for the solvency of the Federal Flood Insurance program. He also commented that our country was not prepared for such massive losses.
Congressman Bonner asked that citizens be pro-active:(1) Visit Waveland or Bay St. Louis. Look at the challenges and opportunities that face those communities. How can their experiences strengthen Daphne? (2) Start at the local level and then work with the state and Federal governments to seek grants. Be realistic about projects/goals. Competition for funding will be great. (3) Work/plan with the entire Eastern shore. (4) The Federal government can not provide the only help, work with faith based or community organizations. (5) Look for opportunities. He used a prop, made by a Katrina victim who sold part of their ruined home, to say "when dreams turn to dust--vacuum."
Questions:
All states work with others, but how can any be financially prepared? There is no adequate "rainy day" fund and a growing weariness in Congress about Katrina. As to specific problems with Katrina, the American Red Cross is doing its own investigation of problems in the storm.
After a question about shrimp boats, Congressman Bonner discussed southern Mobile Co. and Bayou le Batre. There is a chance for some assistance getting boats back in the water. It is needed for the economy of the area. Portions of Dauphin Island remain damaged. He is optimistic about the future.
With Katrina was there inter-agency cooperation or failure? Congressman Bonner responded that Gov. Riley had an evacuation plan. There was a surge of 16' of water in the bay and in Mobile, but it was not standing water. We did not have the real test in this storm. He stressed the importance of communication.
Future shelters? Possibility of using state community colleges up state, need to put funds into equipment. For example, in New Orleans cell phone towers washed away and generators were flooded.
A question on illegal immigration and workers in Baldwin county. Federal government does investigate. Immigrants are currently cleaning in tourist areas, working in shrimp etc, and there are wage issues, but no need to reward illegality.
Will the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) remain strong and funded? In 1978-2004 14.2 billion in claims and program was pay as you go. In 2005, 23 billion in claims and the program borrowed funds to pay. Thousands had no insurance. Maps need updating, flood zones need to be re-evaluated, private insurance covered some claims.
Question about building New Orleans. Katrina was not a cat 5 storm and perhaps the 9th ward should not be rebuilt as before.
Conclusions: The NFIP needs to be re-thought and a need to expand the coastal flood insurance pool. We as a nation have set a troubling precedence. Project 500 billion storms in the future. How can we continue to pay? Discussions will be difficult and there is a need to be frank. He concluded by holding up a mirror and saying part of the solution is in the mirror…everyone in the audience.