By Ed Somers
October 3, 2005

On September 15-16, Conference President Long Beach Mayor Beverly O’Neill led a fact-finding mission to the Gulf Coast area devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Along with Executive Director Tom Cochran and Conference staff, O’Neill meet with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and a dozen other mayors from cities that have been severely impacted by the hurricane.

As O’Neill stated in a letter to her colleagues, the purpose of the fact-finding mission was twofold. “First, I wanted to express to my fellow mayors that their colleagues across the nation are totally committed to helping them recover now, over the next few months, over the next year, and for as long as it takes to rebuild the cities and towns,” she said.

“Second, we wanted to get an assessment directly from the mayors on what they need most now, and what they will need in the coming days. As you know, communications with the impacted region has been extremely difficult and only by going to the area was it possible to make a personal connection,” the Mayor added.

On September 15, the delegation met in Baton Rouge with Nagin, New Orleans Council Members and key city and state leaders to get direct input on what will be needed in the Louisiana recovery effort and how mayors across the nation can help. The Conference sent staff to Baton Rouge for almost two weeks building this connection.

In addition to Nagin, Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu, New Orleans City Council President Oliver Thomas and other local leaders participated in the meeting.

In a press conference following the meeting, Nagin said, “I stand here thankful that Mayor O’Neill has come down and pledged the support of The United States Conference of Mayors, which is one of the most powerful organizations in America, to help us in this rebuilding effort.”

For now, he has asked that the Conference help with three specific concerns.

First, he asked that the Conference conduct a census of where New Orleans residents now reside throughout the nation. More on this will be announced soon.

Second, Nagin asked that his colleagues help lobby Congress so that there is a minimum formula that ensures most of the federal rebuilding aid goes to cities heavily impacted by Katrina.

And third, Nagin asked that the Conference help work with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to make sure there is enough flexibility in regulations so that as many people as possible returning to New Orleans can become homeowners.

On September 16, the delegation flew by helicopter over Alabama and Mississippi to witness the massive nature of the destruction. They then met in Gulfport (MS) with Mayor Brent Warr, Biloxi (MS) Mayor A.J. Holloway, and mayors or representatives from smaller communities devastated by the storm including Bayou La Batre (AL), Dauphin Island (AL), Ridgeland (MS), Pascagoula (MS), Ocean Springs (MS), Bay St. Louis (MS), Waveland (MS), Pass Christian (MS), Gautier (MS), and Long Beach (MS).

The host on this mission was Mobile Mayor Mike Dow, who arranged the helicopter tour and meeting in Gulfport. Working with Dow and Meridian (MS) Mayor John Robert Smith, the Conference is putting together a mechanism to conduct a needs assessment for these cities and then get resources directly to them.

The meeting on the 15th was the first time that most of these mayors had been brought together and as O’Neill said, “It was extremely helpful to get their collective thoughts, as well as for them to be connected to each other as the recovery process continues. Their needs are varied and ran from cleaning supplies to wall boards to funds to continue city services.”

In addition, newly-elected Mobile Mayor Sam Jones, who will assume office in October, also participated in the mission and will be active in this effort.

Almost all of the mayors expressed serious concern that their local tax bases and economies have been destroyed, and they will soon be unable to pay first responders, public works staff, and other critically needed city personnel. These mayors asked that the Conference help them seek fiscal assistance from the federal government so that they can continue to function through the rebuilding process. O’Neill assured them that the Conference would help on this priority, which was a major point of agreement during the Fall Leadership Meeting held in Long Beach (CA) on September 22-24.

The mayors also expressed serious concern that they and their city governments be the coordinators and recipients of federal assistance so that they can make sure that the rebuilding effort is bottom up, not top down.

The Conference is also continuing to focus on other key issues related to the ongoing needs of impacted cities, continued questions regarding the ongoing federal response, the growing needs of evacuees related to housing and other assistance, and what must be included in the next federal aid bill.