NORTH SALT LAKE - Mayor Kay Briggs of North Salt Lake - city official by night, humanitarian by day - has been aiding Hurricane Katrina victims for the past few months, and he's still going. Much of the time Briggs would have spent campaigning for his 2006 re-election was bumped aside for the immediate needs of victims of Hurricane Katrina. The Mayor of North Salt Lake works for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as the Temporal Affairs Director in the North American Southeast area. Within days of Hurricane Katrina, Briggs met with the local Latter-day Saint leaders in the Gulf states to discuss their immediate temporal needs.

He spent his first few weeks coordinating the distribution of food and supplies to victims of the hurricane.

Two and a half months later, after assessing damage done to the Latter-day Saint church buildings by the hurricane, Briggs is coordinating the repair, clean-up and restoration of church buildings.

Reports say Briggs was not only leading but also lending a hand in the "trenches."

"Mayor Briggs takes a very hands-on approach as well as directing the relief efforts," said Bennie Lilly, Area Welfare Manager who worked alongside Briggs.

"His only concern was alleviating suffering while he was there," he said.

"Kay is a very compassionate person. His involvement in the relief efforts was invaluable."

Briggs recently returned from a trip to New Orleans where 10 feet of water was still inside of a church building; he had to make a decision on whether or not to restore the structure or rebuild.

Elder John Anderson from Florida, who lent a hand to the spiritual relief efforts, teamed with Briggs in the temporal relief efforts. Anderson had previous experience in hurricane relief.

Anderson and Briggs are still meeting with church members in order to assist the victims in their continuing temporal and spiritual needs.

"There is still plenty of work that needs to be done," said Lilly. "It is a big coordinated effort.

"Recently, counselors have been brought in to help with employment problems. Right now the members need help finding jobs."

Up to this point a total of 288,000 hours of volunteer relief efforts have been put in by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to Lilly.

Despite lost campaigning time Briggs won the election with double the votes of his opponent Juan Arce-Larreta.



sclarke@davisclipper.com