VIDALIA — Nearly every square inch of the Concordia Parish Police Jury meeting room was packed full of bodies Tuesday evening for a special meeting regarding flood-related issues at Minorca, Deer Park and Old River.

The crowd filled the chairs, lined the walls and even spilled out into the hall to hear from and question jury members, Federal Emergency Management Agency officials, utility officials and other flood officials about how to get electricity to their property and themselves back into their homes and camps.

Concordia Parish was not under any type of federal flood plan prior to this year, but the jury opted to create an ordinance to sign up for the National Flood Insurance Plan earlier in the year, creating additional paperwork many parish residents had never had to use while recovering from a flood.

NFIP state coordinator Cindy O’Neil said because of the new ordinance, any manmade change to real estate, including things like new construction, improvements or drilling, must require a permit before the work is done.

Louisiana Institute for Building Technology and Safety flood plain manager Larry Walters said because of this, residents in the three affected areas must have a permit prior to the reconnection of electrical services.

Walters said the application to apply for the electrical services reconnection is $75, and can be picked up at the police jury.

Once the application is complete, Walters said there are two options for residents to take.

If any water at all entered and damaged a structure, Walters said an estimate must be obtained to see if any substantial damage occurred.

Once the estimate is obtained, Walters said a detailed cost estimate of the repairs from any licensed contractor, and the appraised property value from any certified appraiser must be provided.

Walters said IBTS is charging $300 for an inspection of the home, but residents can choose any licensed contractor they want to do the inspection.

Once that occurs, IBTS officials will inspect the property and make a substantial damage estimate, Walters said.

“From there, we are splitting it into people who have property damage less than 50 percent of the appraised value of the house, and people who have more than 50 percent property damage,” he said.

Walters said structures with more than 50 percent damage and with less than 50 percent damage can obtain a building permit at this time, set a temporary power pole and begin construction.

Those structures with more than 50 percent damage must also check to see if they are below base flood elevation levels in the parish, which differ depending on the area of the parish.

“If they are, you have to obtain a building permit and elevate the structure above the base flood elevation,” he said.

Walters said homes would be required to be above the elevation.

For structures that did not receive any water, Walters said residents must obtain a meter reconnection permit, pay the permit and get an inspection of the structure.

“If you pass the inspection, you will get your power back on,” he said.

Many residents said they already had their power back on in the affected areas, but Walters said that will be cut off so everyone goes through the permit phase.

“We need to be able to tell if the structure went underwater, and the only way we can do that is by checking through the power company,” he said.

Since the parish is under the new NFIP ordinance that requires the new permits, many residents in attendance Tuesday were angered by the extra steps and costs that came with them.

“We have been doing things the same for a long time, and I just don’t know why we have to change it now,” affected resident Bill Truman said. “All these new costs just seem like a quick way for them to make a buck.”

O’Neil said that the program is a great benefit to the parish, and if people do not abide by the rules of the ordinance, the coverage is gone.

“Everyone in the community has to meet requirements or there is no insurance available to the community,” she said.

Concordia Parish Police Jury President Melvin Ferrington said because the ordinance is new and requires upwards of $375 from each resident, the jury is going to work to try and alleviate some of those costs.

“We talked with some people with FEMA, and they said that we can train some people in the area to do the home inspections,” he said. “We know it is a lot of money and it is upsetting, but we have to stay in this flood program.”

Ferrington said the jury would begin working to do this immediately, and that the jury would possibly cover the costs as well.

“We just want to alleviate some of the expenses,” he said.

Concordia Parish has still not been declared a federal disaster area, and individual assistance is not available and may not become available, FEMA representatives said at the meeting.

Ferrington said anyone with any question regarding the whole process can talk with the police jury at the courthouse in Vidalia or contact them at 318-336-5953.