Thursday, August 19, 2010

At Least Someone Is Trying

As we all already know, FEMA said that their antiquated and anti-basement guidelines prevented them from helping individual home owners whose houses were damaged by the Great Flood 2010.

Governor Doyle immediately pledged to file an appeal.

Scott Walker shrugged and said that local leaders did all they could do and went back to full campaign mode.

Tom Barrett, who already has shown himself to be many times the leader that Walker wishes he could be, took action to support Doyle's appeal. Barrett and Common Council President Willie Hines made an announcement of a survey push that will aid Doyle's appeal:
City of Milwaukee Announces Survey Push in Preparation for FEMA Appeal

In response to historic flooding throughout Milwaukee County on July 22, 2010, the State of Wisconsin made an application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). While FEMA did make a declaration granting assistance for damage to schools and public property, it did not grant emergency status for individual assistance. Governor Doyle is appealing that decision, but the City of Milwaukee must work to arm that appeal with as much appropriate data as possible.

To that end, we are collecting information on damage to sleeping spaces, as part of the appeal process. Basements are NOT considered living units (even if they are furnished) unless they served as sleeping spaces. (This specifically means flooded basements in which individuals are or had been sleeping).

The City of Milwaukee is partnering with non-profits, community groups and neighborhood associations – especially in those areas hardest hit by the flood – to distribute surveys of homes with sleeping spaces that were damaged as a result of flooding. If you live in an area that suffered severe flooding, you will likely see people conducting surveys. NO ONE CONDUCTING THIS SURVEY WILL ENTER YOUR HOME. (However, an official FEMA representative may have to enter a home to verify the survey at a later date). Survey signatures serve as a type of affidavit, so it is not necessary for homes to be entered at the time of survey completion.
If your basement or flooded area served as a sleeping space for someone in your home, and you are concerned about not being counted via our public survey, we ask that you be counted for the city’s FEMA appeal by doing one of the following:
1. Call your alderman (414-286-2221), and he or she will arrange for you to fill out a survey, or
2. Come to the City of Milwaukee City Hall Rotunda (200 E. Wells St.) during one of two designated times; the survey takers will be stationed in the rotunda TOMORROW (Friday, Aug. 20), from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., as well as Saturday (Aug. 21) morning, from 9 a.m. to Noon.
**MEDIA ARE WELCOME TO PROMOTE THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPATION**

For further questions, please call Desiree Matel-Anderson, Homeland Security Fiscal and Compliance Monitor: 414.286.5744.

We appreciate your cooperation as the City of Milwaukee attempts to put itself in the best position for our appeal to FEMA. Thank you.
Thank goodness that at least the City of Milwaukee has a good leader. Maybe by 2012, when Walker loses again, the County will too.

2 comments:

  1. Publishing a survey is leadership?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Do you even bother to read the posts?

    And yes, trying to appeal the ruling with the necessary proof will do much more than Walker, who just doesn't care about his constituents.

    ReplyDelete