Robert Raymond, U.S. Flood Attorney U.S. Flood Rejects Council Offer
Matherne: "Company A FEMA Whore"
Lafourche DA Cam Morvant (left)
U.S. Flood Pres. Paul Vickers (right)
U.S. Flood Control officially rejected the Lafourche Parish Council's $1.2 million offer to settle the ongoing portable levee controversy at a special meeting held at the Barrios Center tonight. U.S. Flood attorney Robert Raymond, who also happens to be St. Charles Parish Government's attorney, stated the company had not come to the meeting to negotiate, but rather to explain the merits of their story that the company and the Parish had an agreement. Raymond revealed that the initial contact on behalf of the Parish was made by Chris Boudreaux, Parish Emergency Preparedness Director, contradicting Parish President Charlotte Randolph's recent statement that it was she who ordered the BAGS.
Raymond placed great weight in a FEMA Project Worksheet as the Parish's commitment to pay the entire amount claimed by the company since, he claimed, the Parish had completed the form. He was forced to change his position when Councilman Brent Callais asked who in the Administration had completed it. Raymond's new answer was that FEMA had completed it. (A third possible scenario previously suggested by this blog is that the form was, in fact, completed by a contractor for U.S. Flood who was a former FEMA employee.)
Councilman Mark Atzenhoffer raised a question as to U.S. Flood's pricing policy, as stated on its website, which provides a different pricing structure depending on whether the BAGS were actually deployed or on stand-by. Paul Vickers, President of U.S. Flood, stated that if you accept delivery, that is the same as deployment. This statement led Atzenhoffer to pose the hypothetical question - if St. Charles Parish needed the BAGS Lafourche did not use but Vickers proposed to charge it for, would Vickers charge Lafourche for St. Charles' use. Vickers evaded the question by stating that that scenario never occurred.
Atzenhoffer also questioned how many bags could have been deployed in the 18 hour period U.S. Flood claims 500 were placed in service.
Councilman Mike Matherne echoed the refrain of FEMA's Jim Steele when he stated it is the Council's responsibility to determine what a reasonable price for the BAGS was. Matherne summed up the general sentiment of the Council when he stated, to the surprise of many in attendance considering his normally reserved manner, that "[t]he company is a FEMA Whore."
The Council will decide whether to up their previous offer or cut off negotiations at the next regularly scheduled Council meeting.
Raymond placed great weight in a FEMA Project Worksheet as the Parish's commitment to pay the entire amount claimed by the company since, he claimed, the Parish had completed the form. He was forced to change his position when Councilman Brent Callais asked who in the Administration had completed it. Raymond's new answer was that FEMA had completed it. (A third possible scenario previously suggested by this blog is that the form was, in fact, completed by a contractor for U.S. Flood who was a former FEMA employee.)
Councilman Mark Atzenhoffer raised a question as to U.S. Flood's pricing policy, as stated on its website, which provides a different pricing structure depending on whether the BAGS were actually deployed or on stand-by. Paul Vickers, President of U.S. Flood, stated that if you accept delivery, that is the same as deployment. This statement led Atzenhoffer to pose the hypothetical question - if St. Charles Parish needed the BAGS Lafourche did not use but Vickers proposed to charge it for, would Vickers charge Lafourche for St. Charles' use. Vickers evaded the question by stating that that scenario never occurred.
Atzenhoffer also questioned how many bags could have been deployed in the 18 hour period U.S. Flood claims 500 were placed in service.
Councilman Mike Matherne echoed the refrain of FEMA's Jim Steele when he stated it is the Council's responsibility to determine what a reasonable price for the BAGS was. Matherne summed up the general sentiment of the Council when he stated, to the surprise of many in attendance considering his normally reserved manner, that "[t]he company is a FEMA Whore."
The Council will decide whether to up their previous offer or cut off negotiations at the next regularly scheduled Council meeting.
posted by Carl A. Chauvin at 8:54 PM
6 Comments:
Did the esteam parish president have anything to say? Was she there? They should sell tickets for this trial. Becasue of the dates, is any of this gonna fall on The parish prez personally? any ideas on this?
The President showed up late and remained silent.
Silence is about the best thing Charorge could do amidst all the contradictions and evasion from what appear to be rather simple,straightforward questions by the Council.As Mr.Chauvin once said,"TOO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS".
Way to go Mr.Atzenhoffer!Just what will they do if you start asking hard questions?
Looks like the gentile young Mr.Matherne has had a belly full of this bullfudge too.You ain't the only one Mike.
Poor Chris Boudreaux.Will he have to seek refuge at the LEPA colony?
TIME FOR CHARORGE TO PULL A BLANK-O. SIX P.M. TONITE WILL DO JUST FINE.
Chris Boudreaux's name was thrown around quite a bit in last night's meeting.Where was he? He's been flying under the radar for too long.I think the people need to know about "LEPA" (LOUISIANA EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ASSOCIATION).Is U S FLOOD a member?Are they a SPONSER? Is Mr. Vickers a member?
COST TO BUY 500 BAGS...$600,000.00
RENT 500 BAGS........$5,500,000.00
MR. RAYMOND'S STATEMENT QUOTED IN HIS INTERVIEW WITH THE DAILY COMET
...........PRICELESS..............
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