re: So Mitch Landrieu Warns Of Harvey Flooding Because City's Pumps Aren't Ready

In addition to the incompetence shown by the leadership of the S&WB with him as its head, and all the others appointed by him, he's been sitting on over $140,000,000 from the HUD National Disaster Resilience Competition, which was given to the City after submittal of the design work to build what was supposed to be the Mirabeau Water Garden; a proposed network of retention ponds landscaped to resemble a water garden and designed to help Pump Station #4 alleviate flooding.

Interesting, all that money in response to a design submittal for a project that was to cost 30 million dollars.

The first phase of this project was supposed to be completed this year. But nothing has been done on it other than the original design.

It was supposed to be built on 25 acres of prime Orleans real estate at the corner of Mirabeau and St. Bernard Avenues near Bayou St. John, owned by the Congregation of St. Joseph who leased that property to the City for $1 a year for 99 years.

Wonder if they're second guessing themselves on that deal.

When recently asked why nothing has been done yet on the project, his response, "The project still needs an environmental study done on it," and that he was "worried Trump would take the money back from them."

Even if only the first phase had been completed, it might have lessened considerably the recent flooding on both sides of DeSaix Blvd. and much of the flooding along Harrison Ave.

Jefferson Parish has already shown the utility of retention ponds, and doing it with far less money than Orleans was given.

Money has been pouring into here since Katrina. Lack of funds should be way down on the list of excuses available to him. Notice, though, when his back's to the wall, he's always able to come up with the money.

The recent flap revealed that some of those pumps have been down since Katrina.