Iberia Parish will file an appeal to FEMA for opting not to pay for workers to go onto private properties and remove large, fallen trees that were caused by hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

At Wednesday’s Iberia Parish Council meeting, Councilman Naray Hulin said the director of debris pickup for FEMA initially said the agency would pay for the service for residents like the elderly who are not able to remove it themselves. FEMA has since denied that specific service.

Hulin said he was told the trees would be removed as long as the property owner “showed intent” by chopping up as much of the tree as possible, and if the stump was not removed from the original fallen position.

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“I have one guy in my district with a tree in his yard that’s 50 feet in diameter,” Hulin said.

FEMA representative Jim Hufft said at the meeting the time it takes for appeals depends on the complexity of the situation, but this type of appeal “seems pretty cut and dry” and should take about a month.

In other business, the council selected Councilman Roger Duncan, former council vice chairman, to serve as the council’s chairman and Councilman Jerome Fitch to serve as the council’s vice chairman.

After a unanimous vote on a resolution to express condolences to the family of former Councilman George Gros, council members said the council should look into buying a plaque to place in the courthouse in honor of former Councilman George Gros, who died Dec. 20.

“He sure was an excellent councilman,” said Fitch.