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The Cordova Problem

May 26, 2011 By

When I was first made aware of the FEMA trailer issue in Cordova I thought, “Surely there is more to this story. It can’t be that the leadership of Cordova is failing to meet the immediate needs of the citizens.”

After going to the city council meeting I now know it’s worse than I had feared. I have checked around to see if there will be a special meeting called to address the issue. I am beginning to think the Mayor and City Council not only care nothing for amending the ordinance that is currently preventing FEMA trailers from being used by city residents but also don’t want to offer the people of Cordova real alternatives.

After the meeting a city official told me that there is a home builder who would be able to build 3 Bedroom homes at around $65,000 each IF the city could convince 15 families to build with this particular contractor. He said it was on the agenda for the meeting and presented it to me as a viable option to the FEMA trailers. I fail to see, however, why the residents can’t stay in a FEMA trailer until the 15 families come on board and secure financing. That, to me, seems like a time consuming process that would necessitate the use of FEMA trailers.

I honestly feel that there is more to this story than we currently know going on behind the scenes with the Mayor and city leaders.

I must ask: Why are the Mayor and City Council so adamantly refusing to budge even one inch on the trailer ordinance? Why do they so vociferously defend an ordinance that is currently hurting residents of Cordova? Why are they so dismissive of the demands of the people who put them in office? If the people aren’t being represented then who is pulling the strings of the city leadership?

Inquiring minds want to know…

Filed Under: Our States Blog Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Charity Auction for Alabama Tornado Survivors

May 26, 2011 By

I have tried to be creative in getting help for the survivors of the April 27th, 2011 tornado outbreak. Here we have an ebay auction for the Alabama cap I wore in the days I worked in Tuscaloosa and during an appearance on NBC Nightly News. Like I mention in the ad it’s just a cap but the idea is to help the Flat Rock Community Center. Please help spread the word!

Click here:

Ebay Charity Auction for Alabama Tornado Survivors

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Cordova’s City Council Meeting or A Stalemate Where Civility Went to Die

May 25, 2011 By

CORDOVA, AL - I entered the room where the Cordova City Council meeting was taking place. There were dozens of citizens in attendance and they were overheated- by the FEMA trailer issue and the 90 degrees+ temperature in the room. The tense energy in the room made it feel like a powder keg about to explode. I have to admit that I have never seen more FEMA or AEMA officials in one meeting with a town, especially one the size of Cordova. I’m just making an observation. Maybe it was the fact they know that a serious controversy is brewing in Cordova and, for once, they get to be the good guys.

The tone from both sides at the outset was anything but conciliatory. I know both side of the issue. I know that the city is facing a major rebuild unlike anything it has ever seen. I also know that the citizenry are homeless and want nothing more than to have a roof over their head. People asked me what was accomplished. Well, nothing.

The city council was defensive and often spoke to the citizens with a tone I reserve for my three year old. I know they are tired and have been given a tremendous task in rebuilding their town. Still, they should have shown more respect to the concerns of the citizens of Cordova. The citizens, however,  took shot after shot at the council and often talked over people while refusing to be quiet when repeatedly asked. I know they have an argument and they deserve a solution. They should also realize that yelling and booing accomplish nothing. I was disappointed when the meeting ended spontaneously before solutions could be introduced.

So there we are. No solution and no plan and no civility. The frustrations are understandable but until the city council confronts the issue head on and the people of Cordova contain their anger there will be no progress. The city seems almost dismissive of the citizens concerns and the citizens in their anger are giving the city leaders all the ammo they need to keep putting off a solution. To me that is almost as great a tragedy as the storms that terrorized the small Walker County town one month ago.

My take? I’m not sure why the city can’t allow people to temporarily use FEMA trailers on their property. The trailers, by definition, are temporary anyway. Here’s hoping this issue is settled and soon.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

In it for the long haul

May 23, 2011 By

The main reasons I have travelled all over the state is to (1.) Find out where unmet needs are (2.) help find resources to meet those needs and (3.) Make sure the rural areas aren’t forgotten in the weeks and months after the storms.

We’ve reached the stage in the recovery where a vast majority of the populace think everything is fine in most areas and that most of the needs are being met. It is simply not the case. The sad fact is that most of the effort is on the backs of local organizations who deal with their fellow citizens daily. They are quickly depleting their personal resources and soon the only distribution centers to some rural areas will cease to operate. I will endeavor to provide the general public with the information on these operations and it is imperative that they receive the help they need. Many of them are responsible for multiple rural communities where literally thousands have lost everything. We are struggling at this point to get everyone registered with FEMA while simultaneously helping the local leaders set up for long term rebuilding. They have no choice but to be in this for the long haul. They will work as hard as they have all along but they will only succeed with the help of others. This is where you come in.

Click the “How to give” link on stormHOPE.org and it will direct you to the local organizations where help is needed. They will be more than happy to explain the needs of their fellow citizens as many of them have worked 14-16 hour days on their behalf since the immediate aftermath of the storm

In other news…

As I watch Mike Bettis on The Weather Channel my heart hurts for Missouri. I know, however, that the work we have done since the beginning of the recovery has set many examples for them to follow on how to organize online. More importantly I know that the template we are working to build at http://www.ourstatesunited.com will allow states and their good people to be proactive IMMEDIATELY after something like the Joplin, Missouri tornado. With our online organization drop sites would immediately become active. Team leaders would be on the phone getting as much of an assessment as possible. Needs would be posted online, verified, and within the first 12 hours trucks would be set up and within 24 hours be on the ground to the affected areas.

The good updates…

Tiffany Watkins and the ladies of North Alabama Disaster Relief have been an absolute force in the days since the storms. I joined them this weekend as they delivered roughly $5,000 worth of supplies to the Hackleburg, AL area. These were immediate needs that were directly requested. When we arrived, however, we were pleased to find that one organization had plenty of baby food and formula- so much so that they loaded the truck we had just unloaded so that it could be delivered to a community 100 miles away. That same community was checking things they could send to Hackleburg. I know of no Alabama city or town that is hoarding things- even as understandable as that would be in some areas. They are sharing resources in ways that are unlike anything I have ever witnessed. The hardest hit areas are taking care of each other. They both know that they are in it for the long haul. Let’s join them and make sure everyone is taken care of and no one is forgotten.

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