Flood victims decline FEMA money, get screwed by DES

[KBCraig]

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Kingston+family+battles+state+in+wetlands+dispute&articleId=8fb4aefb-8316-4675-a6b7-0a390d03ae24

Kingston family battles state in wetlands dispute

By JENNIFER DEPAUL
Union Leader Correspondent

KINGSTON – The Brouck family has a simple request -- they just want to live in their home again.

Melissa and Bill Brouck and their five children, victims of the 2006 Mother's Day flood, have been living in an apartment in Hampton since last August.

During the flood, Great Pond rose 3 feet, flooding the family's dirt basement and caving in the foundation of their 1950s cape-style home. The town told the Broucks they would have to tear down the house because the foundation wouldn't be able to support one snow load, Melissa Brouck said.

The Broucks have a sheaf of building permits and blueprints signed off on by the town. The Health and Building inspector also signed off on the location. The Broucks also had all of their immediate neighbors sign a release approving of the new construction. Work started on the house in September. In February, the Department of Environmental Services issued a cease-and-desist order against the Broucks for changing the house dimensions and violating the 1992 Shoreline Protection Act. Construction was halted.

"It appears that there are several issues in this case including expansion of the existing footprint, expansion of exterior dimensions, and conversion of areas to living space," K. Allen Brooks, assistant attorney general for the Environmental Protection Bureau, said. "It does not appear that DES or the town was ever properly informed of the actual magnitude of the project. The Broucks were informed of the provisions of the Shoreland Act but never asked for the waiver that would be needed for this project. The assertion that this is a repair of an existing structure appears to be in conflict with the facts known to DES."

Now the Broucks -- who both have long commutes to their jobs and spent the last year driving their five children to schools in the Sanborn Regional School District -- are hoping a DES hearing for their case can be expedited.

"I feel like we are criminals, like we did something wrong," Melissa Brouck said. "Every time we turn around it's another road block."

The family, which did not have flood insurance, decided not to apply for aid from FEMA. Instead, the Broucks took out a second mortgage, hoping to avoid any bureaucratic delays.

"We thought it was the right thing to do. Now we have a high mortgage, and are paying about $3,500 a month for a house we can't live in," Melissa Brouck said. "We lose money every day we aren't in the house."

The family had originally hoped the reconstruction would take three months.

"The community has been great," said Bill Brouck, noting the family received a 30 percent discount from Cyr Lumber.

For the entire 2006-2007 school year, Melissa and Bill Brouck drove their children to three different schools. Melissa Brouck said it was nearly impossible to get all of their kids -- Krista, 17, Joanna, 16, Kevin, 12, Michael,10, and Lily, 9. -- to school on time. As a result, they were late some 70 times.

"I am afraid the school system will say the kids won't be able to attend school this year because we haven't been living in the area," Bill Brouck said.

He had been looking forward to coaching another season of pop Warner football, but admits he and his sons won't be able to participate because of their housing complications.

Both Melissa and Bill Brouck -- she works 60 hours a week at Lawrence General Hospital and he owns Salem Sign off Route 28 in Salem -- said they are feeling overwhelmed.

"We just want to be home. We have commuted the kids so many times and they are so stressed out. The entire school year wasn't normal," Melissa Brouck said. "To even imagine them doing this for another year -- I just can't do it to them."

As Bill Brouck lays out all of his building permits and correspondence with the DES on the hood of his car, he said he is all for keeping Great Pond environmentally safe. In 1998, he said he put in a new septic tank.

"We are desperate and running out of money," Bill Brouck said. "I'm sure the state's position is valid, but we haven't even been able to meet with them."

The Broucks' appeal to lift the cease-and-desist order has been accepted by the DES and the Broucks are waiting for the wetlands department to review the site. The Broucks have since hired an attorney, Michael Hatem who has been fighting for an expedited hearing of their case so that they can start building again, hopefully in time for the new school year. Their hearing is slated for the end of August.

[error]

Wasn't this the same town that has nothing better to do than to set up prostitution stings?

[J’raxis 270145]

Wasn't this the same town that has nothing better to do than to set up prostitution stings?

Yep.

[Ogre]

Someone please explain to me again why we're supposed to love government?

[KBCraig]

Wasn't this the same town that has nothing better to do than to set up prostitution stings?

They didn't have a problem with the town. It's the state bureaucrats who shut them down.

[Dave Ridley]

would anyone be willing to do one or more of the following:

contact the family
make up a list of bad guys to contact and their contact info,
schedule a demonstration at DES or other perp offices
write an LTE to the Union Leader


?

sound off.....

I will do as many things as i can, as soon as i can.

[Dave Ridley]

sent this to

legal@des.state.nh.us

----

I read the Union Leader article about your persecution of the Brouck family, the flood victims of Kingston. 

I respectfully object to your unconscionable actions.

Dave Ridley
NHfree.com
Manchester

[Dave Ridley]

i'm tentatively planning demonstration in concord related to this. 



who is interested, and what day is good for you? 

My top priority is picking a day when russell/kat/lauren and company can make it.

[Dave Ridley]

sign idea

DES bankrupts
Flood victims
NHfree.com

[Tom Sawyer]

Family survives flood
to be
destroyed by government

[Dave Ridley]

possible monday demonstration against this, at the Department of Environmental Services:

http://newhampshireunderground.com/forum/index.php?topic=9836.0

details and confirmation 2 follow as soon as practical

[Dave Ridley]

posted  the following 2 calendar

<< possible monday demonstration against this, at the Department of Environmental Services:

http://newhampshireunderground.com/forum/index.php?topic=9836.0

details and confirmation 2 follow as soon as practical>>

[Dave Ridley]

ratty would u be willing to have yer number listed as a media contact for this proposed demonstration?  my cell phone is down.

[Tom Sawyer]

I would like to come help out, but am up against a deadline.

If/when we do it again I'll try to make it.

[Dave Ridley]

anyone else willing to be a media contact and have their number on the news release?