Public appeal issued in Terrebonne for elderly heat health
March 22, 2011"The Metal Children" (Baton Rouge)
March 24, 2011Pending any impromptu scheduling conflicts or foreboding press reports, Gulf Coast Claims Facility Administrator Kenneth Feinberg has once again agreed to a public appearance in Lafourche Parish, this time on March 28 at the Parish Council’s BP Oil Spill Committee meeting.
E-mail correspondence between Lafourche Councilman Daniel Lorraine and Feinberg’s public affairs secretary, Amy Weiss, confirmed that the administrator of BP’s $20 billion claim fund for people affected by the oil spill would make his first public appearance in Lafourche Parish later this month.
“I think it’s past time,” Lorraine said. “It’s more than due. I’m sure they’re going to have some good questions that are going to be asked to him.”
Lorraine said he talks to people each week who charge that their claims are either being unfairly denied or are not substantial enough to accurately reflect their losses.
“Almost every day somebody calls me, you know, and the reaction I’m getting, it looks like people are just getting frustrated, it’s like some are giving up,” Lorraine said.
Lorraine released the proposed agenda for the March 28 committee meeting, which has time carved out for committee comments, a Feinberg discussion, general oil spill discussion and public wishing to address Feinberg or the committee.
The meeting is scheduled to begin a 6 p.m. and last until 7:30, when Feinberg will have to leave for another appointment.
Feinberg has made a spate of visits to South Louisiana since the New Year, including multiple stops in Terrebonne and Jefferson parishes.
Feinberg originally agreed to address Lafourche Parish citizens at a committee meeting in early February, but postponed nine days before the meeting and cited a scheduling conflict.
The day before Feinberg postponed, his press secretary e-mailed Lorraine and expressed concern about the meeting’s format, citing a news report that quoted Lorraine as saying he wanted several hundred people in attendance.
Weiss did not respond to an e-mail seeking confirmation of Feinberg’s appearance.
“He promised us the first time, and he didn’t come, but so far, it looks like he’s going to make it this time,” Lorraine said. “Hopefully, he will.”
