Editor, Gazette-Journal:

The June 4 Gazette-Journal story by Sherry Hamilton about the raising of the Brooks home is incredible. While Ms. Hamilton did a great job explaining what went on, I still don’t get the why.

1. Why did Bay Aging administer the grant? What in the world do they know about raising homes?

2. Why was Bay Custom Homes, a wholly owned company of Bay Aging, given the contract to oversee? Why? What was their expertise? 

3. The house raising company severely underbids, not required to be bonded, doesn’t get engineering designs or how about having a determination on even if it is a viable project? Regional VDEM has been known to play fast and loose with federal FEMA rules before (remember the septic system story in Gloucester). Has FEMA itself been contacted for input? I would. VDEM must follow FEMA rules. No latitude.

The relationship between local, state and federal entities when dealing with emergency management is tricky, I understand. But the st...