Emergency agenda

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An emergency meeting of the Houston City Council has been called, and there are only four ordinances on the agenda. Summary of the items:

1. Extends the disaster declaration beyond the initial seven days authorized by Mayor White.

2. Creates the Hurricane Ike Aid and Recovery Fund for disaster relief and recovery; appropriates $5,000,000.00 out of the Limited Use Roadway and Mobility Capital Fund and authorizes borrowing to reimburse the fund, and provides for donations to be accepted into the fund.
a. Approves spending the $5,000,000.00 for disaster relief and recovery, including making contracts for goods or services to assist the residents of Houston, Texas, and other victims of Hurricane Ike in disaster recovery, and declaring the city will request Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement.

3. Appropriates an additional $20,000,000.00 out of the Rainy Day Fund (how appropriate…) and $5,000,000.00 out of Limited Use Roadway and Mobility Capital Fund for transfer to the Hurricane Ike Aid and Recovery Fund. It’s not clear if this is an additional $5,000,000 from that fund or not.
a. Amends Ordinance 2007-987 that approved a disaster debris removal contract between the City of Houston and DRC EMERGENCY SERVICES, LLC, to authorize application for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement; and creating a maximum contract amount – $98,000,000.00
b. Amends Ordinance 2007-883 that approved a disaster management recovery and consulting services contract between the City of Houston and BECK DISASTER RECOVERY, INC for disaster management services for the Solid Waste Management Department, to authorize application for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement; and creating a maximum contract amount – $15,000,000.00

4. Appropriates $1,500,000.00 from the TIRZ Affordable Housing Fund (2409) to the temporary emergency home repair program to be used for repair of damage caused by Hurricane Ike to qualifying single family homes.

Number 3.a. is the jaw-dropper. Nearly $100 million to remove debris? Wow. Just wow.


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Ubu Roi is a local civil servant who sometimes writes about what he sees.