Biloxi City Council Meeting – September 3, 2025

The Biloxi City Council held its regular meeting on September 3, 2025, beginning with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance led by youth council member Amber Dubasson. The meeting covered a range of topics including community events, infrastructure updates, code enforcement, and consent agenda items. The council approved several resolutions and heard reports from the mayor and council members.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during the 45-minute citizen comment period. The comment period was closed after no one raised a hand to speak.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved the agenda as amended, which substituted item 5N (facility rental agreement with Me Version Shaker Social Club) and added item 5B (facility rental with Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce).
• The consent agenda – including multiple resolutions – was approved with exceptions noted by several council members. Councilman Shoemaker took exceptions on items F, L, N (Nora), and V (Victor). Councilman Tisdale abstained on item L (due to his board membership with the Biloxi Bay Area Chamber of Commerce) and voted no on items F, N, and V. Councilman Creel also took exceptions on items F, L, N, and V. Councilman Marshall took exception on item M. Councilman Tuesday took exceptions on items N and L.

Discussion Items

• Mayor's Report: The mayor welcomed the new youth council for the 2025-2026 term and invited Ms. Hunt to speak. She thanked the council for allowing the youth council to attend orientation. The mayor also acknowledged the school board president and noted her work for Biloxi Public Schools. He requested that minutes reflect expenses from the Biloxi Travel Credit Card.
• Council Reports:
  • Councilman Gray reported on a successful town hall meeting and upcoming events including the Shrimp Cook-off at Point Cadet Plaza and the Sports Hall of Fame ceremony. He discussed playground equipment at Cadet Park, noting a quote of nearly $50,000 just for equipment removal, and that a second quote was still pending. He expressed hope for completion by spring/summer.
  • Councilman Neil raised concerns about the Broadwater property (no cleanup activity observed), asked about renting the old concession stand near the former tennis courts, and suggested moving the dog park to that location. He also requested a look at road surfaces and Hill Park progress.
  • Councilman Creel announced a dog park event on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. benefiting Tired Dog Rescue, which will include adoptable dogs.
  • Councilman Tisdale asked about improving lighting on Howard Avenue between Lemuse and Reynard, questioned the condition of Fayard Street (noted as still a city responsibility despite IP redevelopment), and invited the mayor to his Ward 5 meeting on September 8 at 5:30 p.m.
  • Councilman Shoemaker flagged daily complaints about grass cutting, especially on main roads.
  • Councilman Marshall highlighted park conditions in Ward 2, including the need for gate locks at a park behind the concession building (to prevent loitering and drug paraphernalia), and requested maintenance of the concession stand. He commended police for respectful community interaction. He also asked for weed/grass cutting on streets and in sidewalk cracks, and announced a Ward 2 meeting on September 18.
• Infrastructure and Drainage Updates:
  • The mayor reported on Destiny Plantation drainage issues near the bridge and requested inspection. He also noted complaints at Live Oak by the Bay and gave an update on dredging in Christie and Brazil Bayou – the contractor’s smaller barge is in the shop but expected back by the end of next week. A drainage issue at Belmont Gardens (apartments for seniors) was flagged as a priority because flooding has made some units un-leasable. The mayor also mentioned a query from Sherwood Trailer Park about individual utility meters and billing irregularities.
• Consent Agenda Items:
  • Item 5A: Resolution appointing Robert Kyer as Ward 4 representative to the Biloxi Planning Commission was approved unanimously. Kyer spoke about his East Biloxi roots and commitment to revitalizing the area.
  • Item 5L (reappointing Deborah McGee to the Planning Commission) was also approved. Councilman Marshall expressed support, but Councilman Tisdale reminded the commission to remain objective.
• Weather Day Extension: For item 5S, staff recommended granting 27 additional contract days due to weather, based on Keesler Air Force Base data. Councilman Neil questioned work pace, and staff clarified that this was a routine contractual allowance, not a delay. Additional extensions (totaling up to 109 days) were noted for Camellia Street and Southern Avenue due to design issues and unforeseen subsurface conditions (e.g., a 2,500-cubic-yard creosote deposit found 19 feet deep, requiring hazardous waste disposal in Arkansas). Council members expressed frustration with contractor cleanup and timing on multiple projects.
• Contractor Performance: Concerns were raised about the same contractor working on St. Michael's, Beauvoir, and Popp's Ferry Extension projects. Staff confirmed St. Michael's is in punch-list status, with discussions ongoing about potential liquidated damages.
• Code Enforcement Hearings: The council reviewed 17 cases. Ten cases (A, B, C, D, E, H, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q) were resolved. Six cases (F: Team Raul LLC, G: Dina Properties LLC, I: Akron Cleveland Construction Group, J: Baptist Church of Biloxi) remained in violation; no representatives appeared, and those cases were closed. Staff noted that for two properties listed under Baptist Church of Biloxi, the church claimed non-ownership, but the parcels remain on the tax rolls.

Key Outcomes

• The consent agenda was approved with exceptions as noted.
• Seven code enforcement cases in violation were closed without appearance; resolved cases were removed from the docket.
• Council directed staff to inspect Destiny Plantation, Belmont Gardens drainage, and Fayard Street conditions.
• The council will follow up on contractor progress for St. Michael's and weather-day extensions.
• A motion to adjourn was passed.