Eunice Marie Dupre
August 26, 2008Stephen Michael Eschete
August 28, 2008
Record breaking sales tax collections, an upward swing in building permits and a new tourist attraction where FEMA trailers once stood – it’s three years after Hurricane Katrina and Morgan City Mayor Tim Matte is smiling because his city is buzzing with activity.
“The figures show it,” Matte said. “For the 36 consecutive months after Katrina, Morgan City sales tax receipts are breaking records.”
In 2005, Morgan City’s one percent sales taxes were just over $1.48 million. By 2006, the total had risen to $1.9 million. Last year, the city generated $2 million. And as of June, the city had collected $1.2 million.
“When offshore activity increased after the storm here – coupled with the rise of the price of oil, because we have so many diving-related businesses here in Morgan City – tax revenues started on the upswing,” Matte said.
The value of building permits issued is also on the climb.
Through July, the value of permits Morgan City issued was $16.88 million, compared to $1.2 million in 2005.
According to Matte, Morgan City’s “first blessing” came about 48 hours after Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast.
With much of New Orleans still under water and the coastal cities heavily damaged, FEMA called with the multi-million dollar question: Is land available to house evacuees in a trailer park.
Matte said FEMA spent roughly $8.7 million to run water, sewage and electricity to 198 trailers to the site, located at the north end of Lake End Park adjacent to Lake Palourde. The 30 under-developed acres housing the trailer park were leased from Morgan City for $2,000 monthly through early 2007.
Between rent and other costs – trailers, installation, grounds maintenance and security – Matte estimates FEMA spent approximately $15.4 million to temporarily house evacuees.
FEMA was heavily criticized for moving so few families – fewer than 50 – in the park, which was equipped to handle upwards of 200 trailers.
Today, the site has been turned into a camping site at Lake End Park. It offers 258 camping spaces.
Matte said the city plans to line parts of the former FEMA site with 12 lake houses – similar to Cajun log cabins – as an added tourist attraction.
“What ways a huge tragedy for many has really been a blessing for Morgan City,” Matte said.
However, the mayor is thinking ahead, should a major storm pose a threat to Morgan City.
“If a storm poses a major surge, then we will be at the mercy of water from the Gulf pushing tides up the Atchafalaya River into Bayou Chene and Bayou Boeuf,” he said.
“Seven, nine, 10 feet – who knows. But we would get water, according to some, who believe a surge coupled with wind shear would push water out of Lake Palourde and into the city.”
That concern has prompted St. Mary Parish Director of Homeland Security Director Duval Arthur to form an evacuation plan. When the storm is as far as 36 hours out, the evacuation plan – which includes those without transportation, including their pets – would go into effect.
“We’re prepared now more than ever to get people out of harm’s way,” he said.
Buses from the parish’s five St. Mary Community Action sites would be used to evacuate those needing rides to a state shelter, Arthur said.
Getting storm victims to safety is what the Rev. Marty Harden, secretary treasurer of the East St. Mary Parish Ministerial Alliance and pastor of the Bethel Pentecostal Church of Patterson, remembers most about Katrina.
“In all, I think we gave out about $25,000 in gas vouchers,” Harden said. “I don’t know if we could have done any better than what we did. We helped lots of people living in hotels – without any money – to stay two or three more days.”
At the suggestion of the Berwick Mayor Emmett Hardaway, Harden and other area pastors, including the Revs. R.L. Lamury of Word of Life Church and Randy Plessala of Riverlife Church, ran a shelter at the Berwick Civic Center for thousands of evacuees.
“I lost count,” Harden said of the number of people they helped. “No entity can meet the needs of people like the churches can. It’s unbelievable the response, as well as the response from people and businesses. It was breath of fresh air I will never forget.”
