Two recent milestones have been reached in our ongoing challenge to ensure proper flood and hurricane protection for St. Bernard Parish: the formal decision to install a sector gate at the Caernarvon Canal and the final 66 foot pile being driven at the surge barrier which further reinforces the closure of the MRGO. One set back was also experienced recently with a contractor challenge to the Army Corps of Engineer's awarding of LPV 148 (the reach of levee that crosses LA 46 in Verret). This challenge will likely cause that section of levee work to be delayed. The Southeast Flood Protection Authority is working to address preliminary work to attempt to decrease time delays for completion of this segment of the Chalmette Loop system.

We recently received news that the Redfish Cup series is planning to not run in 2010 as a national event. We are committed to producing the Redfish Cup locally and will host the event as planned in conjunction with the Knights of Columbus' Louisiana Crawfish Festival. Anyone interested in participating in a working committee to produce this event can contact Ms. Gidget McDougal in our Tourism office at 278-4242. Additionally, on the agenda this evening, there is the permit approval for the return of the St. Bernard Christmas Parade to be held Saturday December 5, 2009 at 3 p.m. Ms. McDougal is looking for volunteers to walk or ride as parade characters and can be reached at her office as well.

On the Recovery front, there will be several openings for recovery projects over the next month or so. Final acceptance on Paul Noel, Sammy Frichter, Cypress Gardens and Gauthier gyms, Fire Stations #2 and #7, the Water and Sewer Administrative Offices, several Water Towers, Booster Stations, and several more miles of roads are lining up for openings between now and the end of the year. A schedule of events will be forwarded as the openings are scheduled. With the Chinese Drywall issue continuing to be an obstacle for many residents, there are few answers and even fewer sources of support that seem to be in the near future for our residents. With this in mind, I have made a request of our Assessor to reassess any home that has been verified by a licensed testing company for containing tainted Chinese Drywall. I am pleased to announce that in making this request, Ms. Vinsanau has assured me that she is accepting requests on a one on one basis and individuals with tainted drywall should contact her office at 279-6379 to get specific procedures for a possible reassessment. It is hoped that due to this extraordinary burden that homeowners will be relieved from property taxes until the drywall remedy is reached. Ms. Vinsanau expressed complete interest and concern for our residents and has already begun the process of evaluating some of these claims. I have also begun the process of requesting an expansion of the Home Mortgage Authority's First Time Home Buyer Program to include soft seconds for homeowners affected by the Chinese Drywall issue.

On the grass cutting front, our crews continue to make positive strides, despite the almost two weeks of rain. There are still several hundred lots remaining to be cut and the goal of being complete by Thanksgiving week is still in our sites. The crews are averaging about 15 lots a day.

Finally, as part of the ongoing recognition program for our employee base, today we recognize the team members of the Community Development Department, the Legal Department, and the Insurance Department. Combined these departments have processed over 5,000 permits, claims, and filings since January 2008. We would like to take a moment and let these team members know that we appreciate their service.

Respectfully submitted,

Craig P. Taffaro, Jr.
St. Bernard Parish President