Live Blog of Rep. Millard Fernville Meeting

7:46 Meeting Ends

7:41 Resident reporting a past meeting with Army Corps of Engineers and their aversion to dredging because the waterway beds refill in just 15 years

7:40 Rep Millard said among his goals is to remove the worst of the debris along fishing creek

7:36 Rep millard asked for FEMA rep to be here tonight, but FEMA was unable to attend. Rep Millard said that FEMA will be presenting to the General Assembly and has a commitment from FEMA to attend at future meetings. These meetings with Rep Millard and FEMA will be advertised in the press and radio. Meeting will deal specifically with acquisition and shortening the time frame

7:35 Rep Millard asking for contact information from residents for follow up

7:33 Conversation turns from buyout back to the cleanup and dredging of Fishing Creek and the necessity for something to be done about that waterway

7:29 Resident asking about possibility of people grouping together for private demolition. Offers to ask around for his neighbors to see if this is possible

7:28 If there is a massive buyout, properties will probably be grouped and the TWP will put out bids for demolition

7:25 Rep Millard: in the past redevelopment authority was charged with administering buyout.

7:24 There is still general confusion over insurance money received and how that will affect eventual buyout money received, with different messages coming form Hemlock Township and Rep Millard

7:23 Back to Live blogging after dealing with video feed

7:11 Rep Millard: Eminent Domain can be used to forcibly acquire homes, but this is only used in extreme circumstances.

7:06 Resident asked if it is possible for him to sell his home outright. Rep Millard responds that he knows of no reason why that is not possible.

7:04 Rep. Millard looking to collect information from the residents in attendance so that he can follow the process along and help residents get the insurance coverage they’re due.

7:01 Residents cross-talking and generally angry at the whole project, that either a buyout was not done and the floodwall not built

7:01 Resident: Asking how long these flood wall feasibility studies are going to go on?

6:58 Rep Millard asking how many residents saw their flood insurance rates go up, general hand raising and agreement that rates for most did.

6:57 General murmuring “We’ll never see the Floodwall”

6:55 Resident: Wondering about keeping records from contrators when she has people just working on her property who are not contractors. Rep Millard says to just keep track of hours.

6:50 Stephanie Haney: Wed. Nov 2nd there will be a 2PM and 6PM meeting held at TWP. building to help residents with the acquisition process. haney@hemlocktownship.org

6:49 General Frustration from many people over the slowness of government insurance response and the futility of raising homes above flood level.

6:46 Resident asking about the necessity of making people carry $100,000 (for example) of flood insurance when there’s only $10,000 left on their mortgage.

6:45 Rep Millard: Hazard Assessment officer based in Stillwater, with PEMA, works with DEP.

6:44 Resident: Asking who determines value of house before flooding

6:40 Rep Millard collecting information from residents on which companies assessed their damaged properties so the information can also be forwarded to FEMA

6:39 Rep Millard: If there is success with the bond program to speed up the buyout process, he will make public notice about that.

6:38 Resident is frustrated at different answers from different government agencies.

6:37 Rep Millard emphasises that he will advocate on Residents’ behalf for all that want to be acquired.

6:36 Commissioner Kovack: If you feel the FEMA appraised value of your home is incorrect you may appeal. You can go to the DRC on Sawmill Road. Weekdays 10-7pm Sat 10-5pm 800 827 8112

6:34 Rep Millard: Isn’t sure of answer to that question. Will double check with FEMA on their position on this issue

6:32 Resident: If a floodwall is going to go through a person’s property, will those properties be bought out?

6:27 [Asked not to record this part – Private information]

6:26 Residents in agreement that in 2006 they got money a lot faster from State Farm than from FEMA in 2011

6:26 Residents interject that they are getting less money now for greater damage when compared to 2006

6:21 Resident asking about money received from insurance, if that money is put toward mortgage, how will that effect buyout if that occurs.

6:18 Residents ask about money received from insurance and then from posible buyout. Records must be kept of money received and from where. Buyout money received will be deducted from amount previously received from insurance.

6:16 Resident worried about the meeting not publicized well, learned about it from the Bloomsburg Daily.

6:14 Rep Millard says that more than 200 Ft. of the island the taken out Army Corps of engineers must be called in to manage project.

6:13 Rep. Millard says it is feasible and permits are rather easy to get

6:12 Rep Millard responds that Dept. Environmental Protection can issue emergency permits.

6:11 Resident: What would be possibility of private dredging?

6:10 Legislation for bond issue and stream clean up is being talked about.

6:09 Rep Millard suggests possibility of floating a state bond to speed up buyout process.

6:08 Residents frustrated over being homeless and having mortgages while waiting for checks

6:07 18 months to 2 years before checks would be issued. Anger from Residents over this

6:06 Rep Millard says that first we must know how much money is coming from the Federal government and then how it is divided before it will be disbursed.

6:05 Rep Millard doesn’t know answer but says that that question has been asked many times and it depends on where and when and if floodwall is built

6:04 What the future will hold for Fernville if a flood wall goes in after a home is rebuilt and the home is in the way of a new floodwall.

6:03 Opening up to Resident questions

6:01 Rep. Millard encourages residents to ask Twp. officials to use the higher value for buyout of homes.

6:01 There is the assessment value and appraised value of homes. Township can decide which value is going to be used.

6:00 Rep Millard looking for a list of names and addresses of resident adn the value of their houses of what the residents think the buyout value of their homes would be.

5:59 State is looking to find a way to shift dollars for buyout, but needs to know first what is available from the Federal Government

5:57 Meeting started early. Rep Millard talking about funding for buyout of homes in Fernville

Rep. Millard will be holding a meeting with Fernville residents tonight at 6:00 PM at the Bloomsburg Tech Center (the old Elks). We are going to attempt to live blog and live stream the event, as we did for the Bloomsburg Town Council Open Forum. Technology and other factors may change our plans, but we will keep you updated here, on Facebook, and on Twitter.