The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

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January 8, 2008

Buyout trust anticipating $10 million to continue effort

By Wally Kennedy

wkennedy@joplinglobe.com

PICHER, Okla. — The Lead Impacted Communities Relocation Assistance Trust can expect about $10 million in new federal money this year for the relocation of families from the former lead and zinc mining field in the Picher area.

Blu Hulsey, state counsel for U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, told the trust during a meeting Tuesday night that the money would come from three sources: $3 million from the Environmental Protection Agency, $3.4 million in the omnibus bill recently passed by Congress, and $3 million from the reallocation of money already in the hands of the Army Corps of Engineers.

Hulsey said the money from the corps could be obtained by the end of the month. The state must take steps to secure the money from the other sources, he said.

Hulsey said the Water Resources Development measure recently passed by Congress also includes authorization for the EPA to spend up to $30 million on the relocation effort in the Tar Creek Superfund Site. No previous legislation, he said, permitted the EPA to spend money on the relocation of families from the hazardous-waste site.

He said the EPA could enter into a record of decision about the $30 million within the next 60 to 90 days. The money from the EPA would be channeled through the trust.

“The $10 million will keep the process moving until the EPA’s relocation can begin,” Hulsey said.

The federal government so far has committed about $18 million to the buyout, he said.

After hearing the report from Hulsey, the trust acted on several routine items and continued to field comments from residents who said they are disappointed in the way the trust’s appraisal company, Cinnabar, is handling its responsibilities.

Letha Redden, who owns a mobile home in Picher, said she was dissatisfied with the offer on her property when compared with other offers made on mobile homes in the community. She asked for the formula that is being used by the appraisers.

Another resident, Norma Pathkiller, said she was not happy with the appraisal of her property. The trust said it was aware of her concerns, and had withdrawn approval of her closing and acquisition to give it more consideration.

The trust voted to give extensions to about a dozen property owners for vacating their properties. The trust also voted to notify about half a dozen property owners that they will have until Jan. 18 to accept or reject the trust’s offers for their properties. Under trust rules, the property owners had 15 days to accept or reject after the offer was made. In the six or so cases, the offers were made 60 to 90 days ago.

The trust received a status report on the hiring of a contractor to dispose of the structures that have been purchased by the trust. Ten companies submitted bids for the demolition or relocation of 340 residential and commercial properties in Picher and Cardin. Two companies are the primary contenders for the contract, a trust spokesman said.

The properties are among those that have been purchased by the trust in connection with the first phase of the buyout and relocation of residents from the federal Superfund site.

The bid specifications require the contractor to completely clear the estimated 319 residential and 20 commercial properties that are expected to be acquired.





Cave-in impetus



The buyout was recommended by the Army Corps of Engineers after an analysis of maps and site surveys showed that many areas in the former lead and zinc mining field in Picher and Cardin could collapse.

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