Biloxi City Council Meeting – September 15, 2026

The Biloxi City Council met on September 15, 2026, with a quorum present. The council suspended rules by a 6-0 vote and adopted the amended agenda. The meeting included a childhood cancer awareness proclamation, council comments on parks and homeless encampments, public comments on a multifamily construction project, adoption of the fiscal year 27 municipal budget, and approval of a bond-funded engineering services resolution. A workshop on bond money projects was scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 4:30 PM. Note: the raw transcript is partially garbled; some names, vote tallies, and agenda items could not be fully reconstructed.

Consent Calendar

• Motion to suspend rules approved 6-0; agenda adopted as amended.
• Policy item A, described as a beautiful tree, approved 7-0 with a council member hoping for unanimous support.
• Item B approved 7-0 (the transcript reads "70 vote," which appears to be a typo for 7-0).
• A two-week extension for a parcel was approved by motion as part of the consent agenda.
• Council member Glavin was noted to be out of the room for the entire consent discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• A resident who previously appeared before the council on September 1, 2026, returned with concerns about the construction project on Banackey Avenue, known as Banacki Multifamily. The resident provided each council member with a package of information about their concerns and what had transpired in the two weeks since the last meeting.
• A speaker praised Chick-fil-A for going "over and above" with trees and described homeless individuals gathered at a barbecue restaurant on restaurant row.
• A council member relayed a resident's request for more patrols under a bridge, where people sort through bags of clothes and discard them.
• A representative from an organization said they are partnering with the City of Biloxi this year and were present to answer any questions.

Discussion Items

• Parks and grass maintenance: Council members discussed prioritizing grass cutting ahead of park usage, with one member noting crews said they check sites but insisting encampments are "not gone." Another member stated that property owners bear some responsibility for abandoned sites and campsites, and noted park bathroom doors are still needed.
• Bond projects workshop: The council scheduled a workshop for Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 4:30 PM, prior to the 6:00 PM council meeting, to discuss bond money projects.
• Fiscal year 27 budget: A council member stated "we must protect our residents from additional tax burdens at this time." Discussion referenced a public safety amendment covering police and fire (Chief Gaiser), approximately $9 million in self-insurance payouts so far this year, and a $1.5 million allocation to non-departmental accounts. The resolution approving the municipal budget for fiscal year 27 was approved.
• Item F: Discussion referenced a 2030 date and a cost roughly $100,000 higher than presented, with concern that "one emergency could" offset it. Members discussed employee career paths, positions assured with a new company, and a larger pool of staff able to move from project to project. The item was approved unanimously.
• Policy agenda 4G (bond-funded engineering services): The resolution was open-ended because the specific projects on the bond list are not yet determined. The council discussed differentiating between 9% and 3% fee structures and confirmed the city is not committing to 9% of the full $16.5 million bond; fees would apply per project. The project is needed for roofs, generators, and HVAC, especially after the city recently lost two in-house engineers. A phone number typo in the resolution was acknowledged. A council member expressed hope for unanimous support.
• Mower purchase and fund transfer: A council member questioned the lack of an exhibit showing the vendor, invoice, and what was being purchased. Staff explained the transfer must be approved first, and the mower purchase would appear on the next council agenda for approval. The mower cuts a little over two acres, has a cab and docking station, and follows a GPS path. Local maintenance would be available. Discussion addressed grass cutting two to three times a week in some areas and the goal of returning to once a week, plus moving employees to Bush Park, the international fields, and other city sites.
• Online billing: Councilman Creel, working with staff member Shane, said the city will take a hard look at changing mail outs and enabling online payment; it was noted that someone "already paid over two thousand and something."
• Future presentation: A council member said they would like to know more before voting on an item and asked for a presentation. Staff said they would reach out to a presenter, who could give a 15-20 minute opening statement or short presentation at the next council meeting or the following week.

Key Outcomes

• Rules suspended 6-0 and the amended agenda adopted.
• A proclamation was read stating that more than 15,000 children under the age of 19 in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer in 2026, including more than 130 in Mississippi (the transcript contains a garbled age reference).
• Policy items A and B each approved 7-0; fiscal year 27 municipal budget approved; item F approved unanimously; the 4G bond engineering resolution approved; consent agenda approved.
• Workshop on bond money projects scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 4:30 PM.
• Two-week extension for a parcel approved.
• Staff will arrange a presentation or demonstration for the next council meeting or the week after, and the mower purchase will be placed on the next council agenda once the fund transfer is approved.