Biloxi City Council Budget Work Session - July 30, 2025
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Biloxi City Council Budget Work Session - July 30, 2025
The Biloxi City Council held a budget work session on July 30, 2025, to discuss the fiscal year 2026 municipal budget, focusing primarily on the police and fire departments. The meeting began with approval of the agenda, followed by no mayor's report, no council reports, and no public comments. The council then opened discussion on the police department budget, followed by the fire department budget.
Discussion Items
-
Police Department Budget – Chief Miller reported current sworn officer staffing at approximately 127–130 (with seven new hires soon to start), compared to a budgeted target of 147 positions and a long-term goal of 170–200 officers. The department faces a vacancy rate of about 12–13%. Overtime is currently around $800,000 and expected to approach $1 million. The department operates about 160 patrol vehicles, with an annual replacement need of 25–30 units; each new upfitted vehicle costs roughly $80,000. A proposed increase of 15 positions (including animal control, booking officers, intel research specialists, and part-time officers) aims to shift sworn officers back to patrol and reduce overtime. The cost to outfit and train a new officer is estimated at $100,000. Council members discussed recruitment challenges, retirement plans (35-year plan viewed as unattractive), employee insurance increases, vehicle leasing vs. purchasing, community policing programs (Citizens Academy), and potential housing incentives for officers. Chief Miller also noted that the department is exploring childcare benefits as a retention tool.
-
Fire Department Budget – Fire Chief reported a current staffing level of about 50–51 per shift (minimum 46), with 10 fire stations and a vacancy rate of approximately 3%. Overtime is estimated at $1 million annually. The cost to outfit and train a new firefighter is also about $100,000, with a 20-week recruit training period. The department is proposing a revamp of the training division, including adding training officers and a metal storage building for training props, to handle increased recruitment and advanced training needs. Fire truck costs have risen from $570,000 to $970,000 over the past few years. Four 2008 model engines are nearing replacement; EPA emissions regulations are causing engine failures (e.g., a $55,000 engine replacement). The department has applied for Safer grants twice but was denied; it will reapply. Training facility use is expanding, including partnerships with neighboring departments to reduce costs.
Key Outcomes
- The council approved the meeting agenda unanimously.
- No final budget decisions were made; the session was a review and discussion.
- A motion was passed unanimously to hold the next budget meeting at 4:00 PM on the 5th (presumably August 5, 2025), prior to the regular council meeting.
- A motion to adjourn passed unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
Y'all uh we've got a lot to go over. Um we're gonna jump right in to if you don't mind, we'll go ahead and do public safety. And then uh if we have any kind of time, we'll jump into fire. Is that okay? All right, you want to jump? You you want to bypass the administrative and executive? Yeah, is it can is that doable? Do whatever you want. All right, do whatever I want. Gentlemen, we we got a lot to do. The executive and the uh administrative is not too intense. I know I'm gonna uh kind of switch this around a little bit. Uh and if that's okay with everyone, let me make sure y'all y'all prepared for that, or would y'all I just want to make sure there's no major objections by anyone. Uh if we can go public safety. We're gonna we're gonna start with public public uh public safety, please. See you uh before and take the hot seat. I'll get we're rid of the finalities here. Call the meeting to order. So I have uh a motion to approve the agenda. By Mr. Tisdale. Do I have a second? Second by Mr. Creel. Any discussion? All those in favor, opposed, motion carries, mayor's report. Mr. Weaver, mayor's report. Nothing at this time. No mayor's report. Council reports. Anyone? Any council reports? Yes, sir. There being none, we'll move on to the uh public agenda, citizens' comments. There's 45 minutes. Uh anyone would like to speak, like to call you up uh now if you want to speak on any topic. You have three minutes. Anybody want to be recognized in the audience? There being none, uh citizen comments is closed. Uh, if the clerk would read the policy agenda. Purpose at the meeting is um to discuss the fiscal year 2526 municipal budget. Thank you. We'll go ahead and open it up uh for the police public safety. Opening comments. Uh, we're just here to answer the questions, and I think you I think we have the same spreadsheet that you have up there. Uh I will say that uh speaking to the mic, Chief, please. I will say that our objectives in uh 2026 uh certainly a major push for recruitment. Uh we'll continue to refine our operational plans involving large events in hopes that we can improve those events, maybe get them cheaper and make more people happy with the events. And then uh on a daily basis, uh we'll be reaching out to the community and community outreach.
openpublica.com