City Recovery Updates
MAYOR NAGIN AND CITY OFFICIALS DISCUSS RECOVERY NEEDS WITH BOARD OF LIQUIDATION
(quoted from Mayor’s press office, APRIL 30th press release)
Ed Blakely presents recovery plan focused on public safety, Infrastructure & target zones.
NEW ORLEANS, LA (April 30, 2007) - This afternoon, Mayor C. Ray Nagin, Executive Director of Recovery Management Dr. Edward Blakely and members of the administration attended a special meeting with the City of New Orleans Board of Liquidation, a city agency that manages city debt, to review recovery needs and to request that the Bond Issue cover the gap between estimated rebuilding costs and funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“We want to utilize bonds authorized by voters in 2004 to initiate and continue the repair of the city’s facilities that include public safety buildings and roadway infrastructure repair,” said Dr. Edward Blakely.
The City requested that the City of New Orleans Board of Liquidation begin the process of selling bonds to provide funds for the city’s prioritized capital projects that include public safety, infrastructure repair and the 17 target recovery areas identified by the Office of Recovery Management.
Since March 2006, the City has transferred more than $25 million in capital funds from other city departments to initiate and continue critical infrastructure repairs to storm damaged city facilities to keep existing projects in progress due to the public assistance program’s reimbursement process put in place by FEMA and the State.
To date:
Number of Worksheets Total Value
834 written by FEMA $327 million
813 obligated and sent to state $311 million
379 paid to city by the state $160 million
Once the Board of Liquidation approves the start of the sale of the bond, the New Orleans City Council and the City Planning Commission can appropriate the funds for projects scheduled for repair.
New Orleans residents voted in November of 2004 to approve a $260 million Bond Issue to reconstruct and restore major and minor roadways, regional parks and playgrounds, libraries, senior centers and multi-purpose facilities, health clinics, and for additional projects that include public safety. The administration will adhere to the purposes of the 2004 bond propositions.
The Board of Liquidation has exclusive control and direction of all matters related to the issuance and repayment of the City’s general obligation bonds. At the conclusion of the meeting, the board members directed their financial advisor and bond counsel to begin preparing the proceedings for the issuance of general obligation bonds of the City of New Orleans Board of Liquidation in the amounts requested by the city administration. The city requested approximately $75 million in 2007 and $80 million in 2008.
The meeting was held today at 4p.m. in City Hall.
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MAYOR’s APRIL ONE NEW ORLEANS NEWSLETTER
(APRIL 27th, 2007)
April 2007 - Volume II : Issue III
Imminent Health Threat Ordinance Demos Dangerous Property Structures in 30 Days
Mayor Urges Residents to Register for Free Home Remediation Services
Algiers Streets Receive Repair Through New Technology Pavement
City of New Orleans Strengthens International Presence
Save Louisiana’s Vital Wetlands
Businessman, Educator, Coach Larry Barabino Leading NORD’s Recovery
Parks And Parkways “Re-greens” New Orleans
Mayor Nagin Hosts 10th One New Orleans Conversation with Women of the Storm
It’s Festival Season Once Again
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OPERATIONAL DEPARTMENTS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE UPDATES WEEK OF 4/27
NEW ORLEANS, LA (April 27, 2007) - The following is an update on the progress of the recovery of core city services in the City of New Orleans. Updates can be found on the city’s website at www.cityofno.com <http://www.cityofno.com/> in the Community On One Page.
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
Week ending 4/27__________ This year,
Potholes repaired 1,125_______ 25,975
Storm drains cleaned 27_______ 4,312
Street lights repaired 319_______ 5,856
Street signs replaced 232_______ 5,317
Street signs repaired 27_________ 528
Total footage of drain lines cleaned 914,886
DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION
Week ending 4/27 ________Total
Trash cart registration 80_____ 72,851
Trash carts delivered 600______ 71,200
Cart delivery is complete in the following areas:
* Algiers
* Lower and Upper Ninth Wards
* Gentilly
* Mid City
* New Orleans East
* The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has completed approximately 98% of debris removal (not including demolition and reconstruction)
* The USACE will continue curbside debris removal until June 1, 2007
* Citizen debris drop off site:
* 2829 Elysian Fields Avenue
* To date, total of 17.39 million cubic yards of hurricane-related debris has been removed from the city
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND PARKWAYS
* The department removed 40 trees on Fleur de Lis Dr. and grinded 93 tree stumps on Veterans Memorial Blvd. at Fleur de Lis Dr.
* To date, 7,605 salt and flood water damaged trees have been removed throughout the city
NEW ORLEANS RECREATION DEPARTMENT
* Norman Playground, 3201 Eton St.
Fifty volunteers from the Friends of Shriners organization will descend upon Norman Playground at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 28 to spread red clay across the baseball diamond and collect refuse.
* Pontchartrain Park, 6039 Press Dr.
Riverdale Middle School in Jefferson will send 35 youths to help paint the facility at Pontchartrain Park on Saturday, April 28 beginning at 9:30 a.m.
To date, NORD has provided recreation, enrichment and cultural services to 9,246 citizens in the city this year.
Available NORD facilities Residents serviced
3 stadiums______________________1,600
5 multi-purpose community centers ____2,576
33 playgrounds that host NORD events___ 4,475
Seasonal special events______________ 550
Aquatics_________________________20
Ty Tracy Theatre___________________ 25
CITY FEMA PROJECT WORKSHEET UPDATE
Summary based on the data compiled as of 04/26/07
Number of worksheets______ Total Value
834 written by FEMA ____________$327 million
813 obligated and sent to state ______$311 million
379 paid to city by the state ________$160 million
For more information on any of these departments, contact the City of New Orleans information hotline at 311 or (504) 658-2299.
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