Biloxi City Council Meeting Summary - August 6, 2025
Biloxi City Council Meeting - August 6, 2025
The Biloxi City Council met on August 6, 2025, at 1:54 AM UTC (local time evening of August 5/early August 6). The meeting opened with a prayer by Councilman Creel and the Pledge of Allegiance led by the Mayor. The agenda was approved 6-0. The meeting covered the Mayor's report on international trade and a sister city, council reports on homeless encampments and park improvements, citizen comments, and several policy items including a zoning change for a retirement community, amendments to municipal facility booking rules for Mardi Gras groups, short-term rental approval, and adoption of the 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan. The consent agenda, code enforcement cases, and routine agenda were also handled.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Agenda: Moved by Mr. Tislow, seconded by Mr. Creel, passed 6-0.
- Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously with discussion on items including Nativity School drainage (Item F) and the Sanger Theatre project (Item K). The Mayor reported that the Sanger Theatre is near completion with carpet installation pending and that a 1972 Steinway concert grand piano was discovered and restored. No exceptions were taken.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Rebecca Muarrow (St. Baldricks Foundation): Announced the "Rock the Bald" event on August 17, 2025, at Ground Zero, raising money for childhood cancer research. Encouraged council support and noted that Biloxi police officer's son is a patient.
- Deborah McGee (201 Keller Avenue): Expressed concerns about unauthorized activity (hair cutting, cooking, sleeping) at the Beck's Park house maintained by the Second Link. Asked for increased police patrols.
- Lori Silvestro (181 Iris): Thanked Councilman Nail, Assistant Chief Chris, and Roy Anderson for responding to and clearing an encampment behind the old school property.
- Charles Forbes (39 Overbroach Road): Raised an issue with a drainage ditch installed outside its easement, causing erosion and loss of property. Stated the city will face an expense to fix it.
- Philip Frisbee (Pitcher Point Investments): Identified himself as representing the applicant for agenda item 4A (zoning amendment).
- Annette Agriguard (Ward 2 resident): Called for community ownership of property upkeep and asked about grant money for home repairs. Questioned the number of owner-occupied homes versus rentals in her ward.
Discussion Items
- Zoning Map Amendment (15039 Lorraine Road): Ordinance to change zoning from RS10 to RB to allow a certified retirement community. Director Creel explained the relocation of the retirement community to the north. Councilman Shoemaker supported, noting benefits. Councilman Tisdale noted the planning commission approval. The mayor mentioned future road construction (east-west and north-south connectors) to handle growth. Approved unanimously.
- Ordinance to Amend Chapter 2, Article 14 (Municipal Facilities): Pertaining to booking rules for Mardi Gras organizations. Councilman Nail proposed amendments: a right of first refusal clause (lesser of 10% of rental or $100) for future dates, and rental due 90 days before the event. Sandra Covode (Mardi Gras representative) voiced support for the amendments. The amendments were adopted, and the ordinance as amended passed unanimously.
- Resolution for Short-Term Rental (132 Duke Street): Conditional use approval. Director Creel described the property as surrounded by existing short-term rentals. Passed 6-1.
- Resolution Adopting 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and 2025 Action Plan: Required for CDBG grant funding. Councilman Tisdale noted the deadline and that the plan can be substantially amended later. Passed unanimously.
- Resolution for Just Compensation for East Biloxi East-West Neighborhood Access Road: Two parcels. Councilman Tisdale linked it to closing railroad crossings and improving first responder access. Councilman Nail raised concerns about funding source, but Director Creel clarified the $38,000 is already in the current CDBG budget. Passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda Approved: Unanimously, including authorization for work on the Nativity School drain and transfer of funds for the Sanger Theatre.
- Zoning Change Approved: Unanimous vote to rezone portions of 15039 Lorraine Road from RS10 to RB for a retirement community.
- Municipal Facility Ordinance Amended and Approved: Unanimous vote to include a right of first refusal (10% or $100, whichever less) and rental due 90 days before the event.
- Short-Term Rental Approved: 6-1 vote for conditional use at 132 Duke Street.
- Consolidated Plan and Action Plan Adopted: Unanimous.
- Compensation for Road Parcels Approved: Unanimous.
- Code Enforcement: Several cases resolved; extensions granted for 230 Baptist Alley (to September 2) and 0 Bayside Drive (to August 19). Cases closed for non-attendance: 1195 Judge Sinkle Avenue, 114 Cedar Street, 185 Jefferson Davis Avenue, 226 Iberville Drive, 274 Dewey Circle, and 218 Elmer Street.
- Routine Agenda Approved: Unanimous.
- Meeting Adjourned: Motion by Mr. Creel, second by Mr. Shoemaker, passed unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
Mr. Creel will say the uh prayer and uh let's have the mayor say the pledge today. Okay. Will you bow your heads with me, please, Father in heaven? Lord, we come to you tonight thanking you for your goodness, your mercy, your salvation, your grace, your forgiveness, and your healing. Lord, as we gather to conduct the business of the city of Belitzi, we just pray that you'd give us the wisdom to make decisions that would uh honor Belitzi, but also honor and glorify you and your will for everything you are and everything you do. We give you the praise, the glory, the honor, and the thanks, and we ask it all in Jesus' name. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag, the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right, play ball. Good move. All right, I'll just have to check Mr. Shoemaker. Are you ready? All right, Mr. Gray, are you ready? We're ready. All right, Council. Let's get to work. Um, I need a motion to approve the agenda. So moved by Mr. Tislow. Second. Second by Mr. Creel. Any discussion? All in favor. Those opposed. Motion carry 6-0. Mayor's report. Yeah, thank you, Mr. President. Welcome to from uh council Congressman Tisdale's office. Here we've been working on the last month. Welcome to our uh meeting. And I think Walt's back there with you, right? So and welcome everyone else to our meeting. And uh a lot of smiling faces. But uh uh I have a brief report, but I'd ask you as a matter of fact, to uh spread the minutes uh uh spread to the minutes the expenses of the boxy travel club travel credit card. Um and I think that's pretty much one question. Can you give us an update on what happened with the flowers and Columbia and all that kind of stuff? Well, it's back on the table. And uh this is in seven years ago. We had uh uh Mayor Rivas from uh they have three or four names, but I know his last name was Rivas, and we've had uh H C D C had opportunity to put a whole uh you know uh uh scenario together, but uh seven years ago we went down to uh actually Rio Negro uh uh Colombia, which is the sort of the uh international airport and trade center for Metay. And uh there was a tremendous opportunity to uh extend a shelf life on some of these flowers that are delivered to the East Coast that normally would come through Miami. Well, we had the opportunity to fly directly to Guffort and radiate and do all those things that you need to do to get them in the country and give you about another 48 hours of shelf life. We had the 757 with ability to take tons and tons of flowers, but we've had an issue of filling the plane with something to send back. But that has changed, I think, with pecans. And uh uh so there is some opportunity shipping tons and tons of cons to India.
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