Ken:

 I don't know if I can be any help (Electrical Issues), but I'll have my
mobile on (24/7) as always.

Jim Follett
(281) 734-0979 Mobile
(281) 438-1144 Home

-----Original Message-----
From: Gabriel Orgrease [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2006 5:58 AM
To: BP ICORS
Cc: Lisa Sasser; John Friedrichs; Glenn James; David Gibney; Camille Bowman;
Carole Briggs; Rudy Christian; Jim Hicks; Deb Bledsoe; Duffy Hoffman; Ken
Follett PCLS; David Follett; Monty; Jim Follett; Jeffrey Price; Witold
Karwowski; Mike Logan; Robert Cagnetta; Alice-Anne Krishnan; Kathy Follett
Subject: URGENT NOLA Help Needed - Work From Home - on this coming Saturday

Friends,

I received the following back channel from Alice-Anne Krishnan in NOLA. 
 From what I gather there will be a physical 'gonzo clinic' event in 
NOLA at which homeowners seeking grants will be provided with assistance 
in completing their grant applications. Alice-Anne is asking for our BP 
(and I extend to PTN as well) help as a long-distance back up.

As a few of you may be aware (though I do not particularly advertise it) 
my 'real' trade is estimating historic conservation work. Though I am a 
bit lite on residential and carpentry.

I am going to make myself available in my office on this Saturday during 
the time slot Sat 12/9 from 12pm to 2pm (NOLA time I assume) to assist 
long-distance in fielding any calls & queries re: providing $$ estimates 
for grant applications. I will have my Means Residential Cost guide 
nearby... but again, this is histo presto work and not steel stud & 
drywall we are talking here.

*If anyone would like to make themselves available on Saturday if I need 
back-up assistance please contact me at [log in to unmask] with your 
phone number that I may be able to reach at you in a hurry. I will be 
using Skype - and my PCLS business call in number is 631-731-1700. I 
will have my headphones on.*

I have volunteered to Alice-Anne that I will act as a distribution point 
for cost queries so that she can concentrate on the on-the-ground 
interface with the individual homeowners and her not need to figure out 
which one of us to call for what. I know all of you and trust me, if I 
feel stumped I will call you.

Please also confirm to me at my business e-mail your e-mail address so 
that if I do NOT need to call you for assistance that I can send you a 
report on the activity afterwards.

Thanks,
Ken

Dear Ken,
              
Something is wrong with my work email, so I am responding from my 
nonprofit email.
             
Again, many thanks for your nice email way back when.  It has been on my 
mind re contractors vs. the public.  We have a special "preservation 
grants" for hurricane damage that was announced with a very short window 
of time, and I and others have been scrambling to make sure the public 
know about it and apply.  The deadline is 12/15/06.  You can find more 
info at:  http://www.crt.state.la.us/hp/HBGrants.htm
             
I thought it was a good opportunity to spread around some of your 
educational material.   I think it is like advice re how not to meet a 
bad partner -- women read the lists, the warnings, but only really pay 
attention if they are about to get married.  When talking about grants 
for repairs, people readily took it, but under other circumstances they 
seem to consider it information overload...
      
Anyhow, I'm writing you with an urgent request for you to post on BP.  
We are having a gonzo clinic for the grants and I am wondering if anyone 
might be willing to volunteer from afar to help us dream up preservation 
work estimate numbers on the grant applications.  Yes, I know this is 
not ideal, but the state isn't changing the deadline and contractors 
aren't returning calls.  People need to get something down there on 
applications, even if it is an outrageously high guess.  The volunteer 
would need to be available by phone or email this Sat 12/9 from 12pm to 
2pm to respond to our inquiries, which will be based on whatever the 
public comes in with.
              
A tall order, but sometimes ya just gotta make it happen and 
preservation emergencies seem to be my specialty as of late...

Thanks,
Alice-Anne Krishnan

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