City Council - Regular Meeting

No, not far. And I tried again yesterday and I did not try today. Just ring it.

We go. Everyone hooked up to the internet. Ready to go? We ready? Okay. You want to lead us in invocation when we do it? You want to lead us in? Sure. All right. Tell us when we're ready. Ready?

Yeah. We're going to go ahead and call the April 21st, 2026 city council meeting to order. I'll ask Councilwoman Mo to lead us in prayer. Gracious God, we are grateful for the opportunity to serve our community. Guide us with wisdom and strength and clarity in our decisions. Bless this meeting and our city and our shared commitment to the common good. To the flag of America to the republic for it stands one nation indivisible with liberty andice for all.

Okay. Thank you council morning. Uh any agenda amendments? Okay, we'll move on to our announcements. Uh May 5th, 2026 is our next city council meeting. Uh also had a couple items sent in as far as 4 day in the bay. It will be Saturday, April 25th from 9 to 4 p.m. at Tractor Supply. Uh, Hancock County Household Hazardous Waste Day is also April 25th from 8 to 1 PM and it is at the Hancock County Arena. Uh, I have no other announcements to make and we do have some guests here. We have Miss uh, Anita Warner and Miss Beverly here to Ogden about the depot beautifification.

Good. Good afternoon. um Anita Warner on behalf of the garden club and with me today is Beverly Ogden who is the new chair of the beautifification committee for the chamber. But before we get into what we're going to tell you, we do want to say that Katherine Omen has been the chair of beautifification for years and she has done a fabulous yman's job getting new trees put in and things put up all over the city. So we owe her a great deal of thanks. But today, Beverly is going to tell you about our plan to beautify the depot. Uh, this morning, we were actually working on, if you look at the depot, to the left, you will see a bed. There was a bed that had two crepe myrtles. And this morning, 10 of us old ladies were out there digging in the dirt and put in 12 rose bushes. And those rose bushes are of the same era as the building. They date back to the 1920s. and they're beautiful flowers. We also put in a chameleia and we'll do that more, but I'm going to let Beverly tell you about the rest of it. And I should note this is a joint prog um project between the beautifification committee of the chamber, the Bay Wavelin Garden Club, and the Master Gardeners Association. So, Beverly,

thank you for having us here tonight. We're really excited about this project. Do you have to state my name again?

I know you. Okay. Uh so anyway, we want to talk to you about a landscaping proposal that we have for the historic um Bay St. Louis train depot. And the history of the depot is really very interesting. It started in 1876. The original building was wooden and the D depot was crucial for shipping timber, produce, and ice, but it was also a passenger train for tourists visiting from New Orleans. Unfortunately, this structure was destroyed by fire in February 29th, 1928. But you can see how vital it was because in 1928 they designed a new building in a mission revival style and it opened for passengers on July 29th, 1929 within a year. It's listed on the National Register and was designated a Mississippi landmark in 1995. It was included in the publication Great American Railroad Station. So it's something we as a city are very proud of and we want to help improve its appearance. In 1929, from 1929 to 1971, there was an active passenger train. Um, but it actually stopped in 1971 when Amtrak bought the passenger line of Pan-American and Amtrak decided not to continue the line. I don't know why, but they didn't. But in 1984, when the World's Fair came to New Orleans, they decided to open up a temporary service to service the World's Fair in New Orleans. But fortunately, in 1993, they came back and they started a sunset limited service from New Orleans to Florida. And this functioned all the way to 2005 until hurricane Katrina. And we all know we were all excited last year in 2025 when Amtrak opened the Mobile Marty GR service that runs through New Orleans to Mobile. And today there was a crew, TV crew out there while we were planting flowers because the 100,000 passenger was on the train. So that was very exciting for us. The history of landscaping for the depot actually goes back uh as Anita said to Katherine Omen, there was an MDA grant that Mississippi gave to support the revitalization of the landscape after Hurricane Katrina. Liz Seal and Katherine Omen who was the chair of the beautifification committee at that time worked together on this project. And one thing Katherine did mainly for the city was most of the

revitalization of green space in Bay St. Louis after Katrina. So all of that can be a credit to her. Trees on the highway, trees everywhere you see. So she was a leader in bringing the green space back to Bay St. Louis. Um there was a grant supported the development of the pond which we all love and it's so pretty around Christmas time. Slade Fisheries worked to with the beautifification committee and donated several species of fish that are still alive. The floating water fountain was donated by a local private foundation. Trees were donated through the life grows on memorial tree planting program at the chamber beautifification. This still exists. If a member or family member dies, you can donate a tree and we will plant it for you in Bay St. Louis and commemorate your loved one. The trees that were planted on the grounds of the depot were crepe myrtles, olive trees, live oaks, palms, and holly trees. And they're very they're very healthy. So when you go by there, notice them. Beautification committee also donated two wooden painted picnic tables. So the beautifification vend had a relationship with the depot for a long time. At our last meeting, we've had several people in the community come to us and say, "Why aren't you doing something at the depot?" So we said, "Okay, we will." So this project is a collaboration between the Hancock County Beautifification Committee, the Bay Wavelin Garden Club, and the Hancock County Master Gardeners Association. Jenny Littlefield is here. She's our president of the Bay Wavelin Garden Club. And Deborah Murphy is here. She's the president of the Hancock County Master Gardeners Association. Our proposal includes first phase, we're going to have multiple phases, but the first phase is replanting an existing garden bed on the left head side. I'm going to show you some pictures. We actually did it today. Uh, and we're gonna, and as Anita told you, we put in uh, antique roses that were available at the time of construction of the building. So, we thought that was a nice touch to bring to the think to the theme of the the design. We will actually have markers by each plant to let them visitors know what they are and their significance. Um, we also are going to landscape to the right of the building. I'll show you a picture of that, too. There's an empty green space. We need to put a new flower bed in there that we'll have to construct. And then also behind the uh comfort station there's a blank space and we want to put some plants

back there, possibly a mural on that wall and put two benches in there. So um these are very visible. I'll show you pictures how visible they are to to visitors and it really looks bad right now unfortunately. So we really want to welcome them. And today the Buxy mayor was there to take pictures for the 100,000 uh episode. He had Buxy News there and he was complimenting saying complimenting us thank you for doing this. He said our depot really needs a lot of work. can you come help us? And we said no, but you have a garden club, I think, in Buxy. So, get them to do it. So, this is a picture. I don't know if you We're not It's not going up on the thing. Oh, we just switched the Keep going. Sorry, I went fast. Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Here we go. So, this is the depot. On the left, there's a little skinny arrow showing you the semic-ircular P bed on the side. That's the one we planted today. And then you see the depot on the side. There's the comfort building. There's a little hour showing you a rectangular green space. We're going to put a 30x4 foot rose bed there and behind the comfort building. There's a shaded area which is really nice, but it's very blank. Here you go. One more. So, this is the area that we planted today. It's really very visible. Uh, and it looked better today. So, pass by. This is on the other side is the green space. You can see it's just very blank. And then there's the comfort station. What we planted? Go to the next one. We actually planted 14 antique roses on this side with the crate myrtles on the left and we want to do 12 antique roses on the right once we get our bed put in. There are two oak trees already on that property. We're probably going to throw some chameleas in. The roses we planted are continuous blooming roses. They'll bloom from spring to frost, but we're going to add some chameleas to add some winter color. So, one more. So, this is how bad it looks. Unfortunately, when you get off the train, you can see to the left. That is what you see the back of the comfort station. There's really nothing going on there. On the back, we want to plant some cast iron plants that we've actually propagated at the Bay Wavelin Garden Club. At the bottom, we may do

some trellising flowers or we may partner with the school to get some uh artwork put on that wall. We have two concrete benches that are going to go in the park area and we'll clean up those trees so they won't be so ragged. So, it'll be a nice welcoming space. Again, there's that blank space and nothing's going on there. So hopefully the roses will welcome them and get them to come out there. Our go to the next one. Our antique roses are really very interesting. We wanted to pick some that were at the time existing when the building was constructed. The RM bench is was uh designed in 1923 in Australia by Mr. Ronald Finch in memory of his wife is a polyanthrose which is important because it's very hearty, heat tolerant, disease resistant and it's continuously blooming and very fragrant. You can see the dark pink buds. It starts as a very dark pink flower. It turns pale pink and then turns to white when it ages. So, it's really beautiful. It um so it but it's a hearty plant. All of our plants are hearty. La Voness is actually a pioneer rose which is a new rose made by the antique rose emporium. It was taken from an antique polyanth rose and mixed with a very famous David Austin rose which I think many of y'all have heard about which is a very hearty beautiful blooming flower. So they mix those together in honor of VC contest Riso who was a painter and they got the idea from a flower that was in one of her paintings but again very hardy and heat resistant. These are these these design flowers are made to to be strong. Go to the next one. We have two more flowers. The Katherine Zat was designed in Germany and again it's a polyantha rose so it's going to be very hearty for us. It's called a double bloom because it has 26 to 40 petals. So it's really pretty and very fragrant. The last one we're going to have is a clio supoupe. It's very, very famous flower. Everybody loves this flower. It is a mixture between a polyantha antique rose and a t- rose. And it's famous for its cabbage bloom and it has up to 100 petals. It's white cream on the outside and pink on the inside. And it's barely thornless.

It doesn't have many thorns, which is nice for us when we're weeding. And it is also heat resistant. So, we love these flowers and we'd love to get your permission to put these beautiful flowers in our depot and to attract our um our visitors. One more. This is our financials. All this is being done by donations from the public. We actually have the money already for 20 antique roses as part of phase one. We already have the donations for the two concrete benches and tables. So, we're well on our way. Um you can we still need money though because we have other things to do, markers and uh additional work. So, we have a place where you can donate to the uh at the Hancock Chamber because we have a foundation there for that. One thing we would request from the city is in the new bed on the right, the rectangular bed that's not developed. It's very rock hard and as Anita said today, we were 10 of us. I don't know what the average age was. We're not going to tell you, but anyway, digging into that was really hard. We had a tiller and everything, but uh we would like the city to help us dig that 30x4 foot bed. Uh and then also the bed behind the uh facilities building and maybe possibly help us with the water supply. There is a hose uh fountain uh attached to that building. So the hose is right there. So maybe we if the city could help us dig those things and help us supply the water to that bed, we would appreciate it. But we're very excited about this project. I think it'll look really good. We're all proud of our depot and I think it'll make a good first impression when our visitors come off the train.

Any questions from Anyone want to tell it? I think it's exciting. It's very exciting. I got something one from Ronnie. Ronnie's got concerns with the area in the middle to the right. Yeah. That's where a big Christmas tree goes and putting rose bushes out there around that. The back. It's going to be to the back. We're not taking the front half of the It will be the back half of the propert. Correct. But that tree is about 12 16 foot diameter and that's a concern there. And then also with you know you would like to see it more around the building and then behind the building like you stated. Our roses actually need that's the only concern is is planting in that rectangle out there on the side.

I guess that's a consideration. Roses need um roses need sunlight so we'd have to put it there but the treerees only there for the win you know the the time for the summer so the visitors have got a bunch of kids running through there at events and all. That's the only concern he had with that with, you know, the kids and everything. You think we could have place the tree another place? Huh? You think we could place the tree in another place? I just think it's a very blank space and it's really where they come down off the ramp. You know, his concern is just with the road. You know, we can get together with him and look at it. Okay. And we can help him find another place.

The other was talking about this is like phase one, but phase two is we were trying to do something along the building. There's not a whole lot of space around the building and it's the same kind of thing. Yeah. I'm sorry. It's a couple feet out front and then to the left side. I don't think anything's to the right side along the building. No, it's empty. And in the back it's very blanket. Nothing. Yeah. And they're getting ready to redo some do some work in there as well with the stage, you know, loading area and everything. And um that temporary temporary uh ramp will come down.

Wait, this is like back. Yeah. Yeah. From the front. No, no color. So, you weren't directly like surrounding the depot building. Not yet. That's the second. If you look at the depot, if you go there, there is uh there small path of dirt that they have some palm trees in, but there's a lot of vacant space. On the left hand side of the building, there's dirt, but nothing there. And on the right side of the building, there's and there's nothing there. Potential. And that's why green space, right? park. Yeah, it's very

green space parking. Yeah, it's very busy. Yeah. Um help in enhancing this area. Um you know, one of the things you mentioned the water source, Mike, do we have So, we have direct access because the only thing that looks worse than just having nothing there is a bunch of dying plants. So, well, we don't do that. We don't do that as a garden club. So, we are actually manually watering now. So, do we have So, I want to make sure to have the accessibility and abilities that fall into parks and recre

they got hookups to I think there's one out the back of the bathroom. There is and that would fall on public works to keep those I do know that I mean no I don't know that's why I'm asking. No, there is one there potential for that and and there is graph so you could just do a nice the other side concrete and you'd have to dig that on that side. Yeah. We will you will or will not we will because we don't build something that

Yeah. No, that's what that that's the main thing. I want to see just the upkeep of it and make sure it stays there. So I do know that area that you're the grass area between the depot building and the B several festivals that have been fallen to St. Rose to ask where how the big I was going to say St. Rose is one of them that I've been to and they're they have a lot of their but the oak barbecue and all that right there in that main that where you have the arrow pointed.

Yeah, I have a call into them. The oak trees are already obliterating some of the space for them there now. They're getting bigger. But yeah, I have a call in to them to talk to the coordinator for that. But yes, as Linda said, that area we do use a lot with our tents, barbecue grills, even our city events there. I don't think that's going to be a great spike place for it. And then the back of the restroom areas does have a lot of trees. So, that's going to block your sunlight for the roses. I I I love the roses. I love the idea, but those two areas do concern me. Um the side of the track where it does say like welcome to Bay St. Louis, the Bay St. Louis Amtrak sign, I don't think That'll be a problem.

Yeah, we've already done that. Actually, we've maintained that with other things during the year. We see the police. Yeah, I'm just worried because it's blank most of the time. It's just what they see right when they come off it. All right. But it's going to get damaged because we have a stone border. But that's going to stop us from using that space is what I'm saying. Because we always put tents, we grill, our national night out, we're set up there. St. Rose events, we're set up there. Yeah. I was going to ask in the middle of Well, I'd like to just say thank you all for putting this together. I know there's some concerns in that uh one area. Um I know I ran into you in the

grocery store and and talked about how we need to add some color uh to the depot. I know this is phase one, but maybe in future plans the duck pond and like a backdrop behind it with some color would be nice. But I would love that.

Yeah. So maybe we can work towards that. But as far as this, I I I think 50% of the plan uh is there. I just I agree with some of the concerns about the placement of uh the flower bed next to the facility being that is used a lot. A lot of unknowns with what could be moved around just yet. Um I'd be I'm good with approving half of it now and then the the rest can be addressed another time. Uh what we need to talk front. Yeah, exactly. See what's on there. Yeah, right.

Yeah, we can find out how big those tents are. We can measure them out and we can make sure we could be I think the city tents are huge. The city tents and the fire department trees now wouldn't want to plant a palm tree. No, no, thank you. Too many palm trees. No, no more palm trees. Well, we'll look at the size of the tent. Maybe it's something we can work around. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. No other guests. Uh do we have I guess we'll find out if we have anyone signed up for No one signed up for public forum.

I'm excited about the history lesson we got. Yeah. From New Orleans from 1876. I thought we just ruined the city in the last four or five years. Me? No doubt. We'll move on to minutes approval. I'll call for a motion to approve the minutes of April 7th, 2026. Do I have a motion? Motion. Motion by Councilman Smith. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Councilman Dalvo. Any discussion? The motion. I I I I I I motion carry 70. Moving on to the consent agenda. Uh did anyone have any issues with the way it was presented? I was going to ask if we can maybe take off

section A. 6A. Likewise, uh, I'll pull off item 6A. Anything else need to be pulled off for discussion? Okay. I will call for a motion to approve the consent agenda, items B through M. Do I have a motion? Motion. Motion by Councilman Smith. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Councilwoman Davis. Any discussion? Vote the motion. I I I I I motion carries 70.

Okay. Consent agenda item 6A. Um I personally would like to make a motion to table this item. I don't know how anyone else feels about it. Uh so we had back on the meeting February 17th we uh approved the agreement with Tetratech you know in that packet uh after reviewing it and went back and looked at it there were three firms I don't know if that was the top three that were presented to us but I just wanted to see I'm not disagreeing with the city's recommendation and not asking the city to alter the recommendation I just would like to review or or see if we can see all the applicants that were put in for it rather than a top three.

Yes, Jordan. I'm I'm fairly certain that was the only three that was the only three. I know they were the three that was interviewed. I'm I'm 98% sure that's the only three that put in. And that's what uh that's what when I I when I reached I was want to see if there were any more that put in for that or or not. That was the only three that was up. I'm um I'm fairly positive find that on that one they were there only three. Could we table it until we find out? Is everyone comfortable with table that until we find out that second motion? Everybody have a second by Councilman Smith. Uh any discussion?

Well, actually I can unrelated but I think you probably had a score sheet with when you so go back and look at whatever was presented. I didn't see one in February. I looked for the I only saw they had three companies uh put in for it and out of those three windows. No doubt. Yeah. Then that would have been the only Okay. U we'll call Well, we already have a motion and a second. Any other discussion? Vote the motion. I I I I motion carries 70. Okay. Moving on to project updates.

Good evening. Um we don't have any action items tonight. Um but we did have some updates to give to you uh regarding some projects or potential projects that are funded through GRPC. Um I believe at one of the meetings in March asked us to update the cost estimates for the old Spanish trail lighting project, um Ranch Street sidewalk extension and Pine Street. Um, so I wanted to go through those costs tonight just to give you an idea of where we're looking at. Um, you know, budget-wise, um, the whole Spanish Trail Lighting project, the the total amount of funding, including the local and federal match, is $793,000. And this is all these are all through GRPC. Um, our current estimate um for those there's 108 lights that we would need. Um, basically this goes from Main Street all the way to the city limits along Old Spanish Trail and a little section of St. Francis Street. Um, but we're looking at about $1.4 million for for the lights there. The overwhelming majority of the cost is just the lights themselves. The quote that we have for the decorative bay St. Louis lights is about $6,600 per light. That's just to buy the lights. That's not anything installed. So, we're looking at a significant increase in the cost on on that project. So again, uh the budget on that is the total cost $793 from the funding agency and about 1.37 million for the total project cost.

Little short, huh? A little short. Get about halfway there. Are you sure?

The other project, Ranch Street, um the the construction budget or the the total grant amount, federal and local share is about $150,000 again through GRPC. This is for about 600 feet of sidewalk along Ranch Street from I think that's Esplanade to Pine Street. Uh total cost on that one and this is really based off the buyer drive project which we just completed uh is $284,000. So again, I'm looking at about halfway half funded on that one. The majority of the cost in that is going to be uh some drainage and utility conflicts that we know we're going to have with the sidewalks in that area. Um so estimated cost 284,000 and the construction budget of about 150,000 or total budget of 150,000. Pine Street we get a little closer to the to the total budget. Uh that one is $175,000 with the federal and local share. Um and then our estimate is $182,000 for that section which is about 500 feet. Um and this is in the se the area of Deontlin um basically from Blue Meadow Road not quite to Carol but that section of Bay's um parking lot is where we would have those sidewalk installed.

Can you say that again? Where would they be? Uh basically from Blue Meadow Road to um just past the Demison Avenue, not quite to Carol, but the section of Bayoth parking lot on the west west side of Pine Street. So would it wouldn't cover where like the band practices because it's stopping at it would stop at the end of the parking lot. There'd be some some striping. There's already a sidewalk near that fence. Okay. So we would just put some add some striping to tie that in. So the sidewalk and drainage would just be along the perimeter of that parking lot.

Right. There's a lot of kids that cross right through there. That one's to me that was an important one. I think there is a call for projects out for GRPC right now. Yes, sir. That's going on right now. So

could could we do these same projects and does that like ranch street? I'd hate to not connect ranch street after doing buyer and I don't know if we can reput in for that see if they'll give us more funding on that. I think that one I think but pine is obviously the a priority but I'd hate to see ranch fall through after doing buyer. It would be nice to connect that would connect that section. Yeah, that I mean that was ultimate that was the ultimate goal is connect the whole area all the way to the complex complex. Yeah. So ranch you know piece there. I think we need to get reach out.

Yeah. They may be able to shift some funds for some of those other projects, you know, to make these two whole and let's focus on those two. Was it buyer for buyer and Washington? They reallocate they allocate additional funds. Is it Felicity GRPC? It is. Felicity and Subie are both GRPC, right? Maybe we can shift some of that to get information for the next meeting. Yeah. When is their deadline for GRPC? I don't know roughly. I don't know the exact date. I got an email. I think it might be June or July, Jordan. I can't sometime this time.

Yeah, we can find out the process on how to if we can request to shift some of the funds from those other projects to ramp and pine at least to make that into one project and consider the other ones later. You think we can incorporate crosswalks into that pine, the pine sidewalks with that like towards the pharmacy? Yeah. Or even coming off of Carol. Uh I know there's crosswalk by Carol already, but yeah. Behind No, for Deont. Yeah. Yeah, we have.

I mean, I'd hate to I'd hate to put a crosswalk from the parking lot because that's encouraging people to cross from the parking lot. But parents do drop their kids off there. They do. I mean, it's practice. Part of what's concerning is if you look at the manual on uniform traffic control devices, the crosswalk really shouldn't be at a midblock area. Yeah. Even at Carol, it would be better to have it at Carol because you have, you know, some some traffic control there with a stop on Carol. Um I wouldn't want to put anything at the park. Yeah, that makes sense. In that parking lot and then like you said, promote folk to cross there, right?

The crosswalk that's already there um that they use to get to fire. Is there any way to do like a flashing cross? Because normally they do have a police officer there to help like especially like the younger kids, the elementary school kids, but people still don't pay attention and those are the ones that I'm really concerned about because they're really small kids walking from the elementary school that way through higher home. I actually reached out to GRPC probably about a month ago to find out if we can do a safety study incorporating from Blue Meadow Pine for the whole neighborhood all the way through uh I guess to the football fields athletic and uh and even Dumbar to that point. They said they could do it. it would just be a 20% match and they could give us some uh you know pointers as to for safety items, speed control, stuff like that to that neighborhood. So just

yeah I think that would that would be good that would be good to do. So guess we'll get back from I need to reach back out to GRPC and see what they need from us and to get that going. Maybe we can bring that back to us. I think that would help address that. Anything else?

That's that's our main items we wanted to to update you guys on. If you have any other questions about any other project and this is just more overarching and this Jason might be able to provide light shed light on this administration, but I know the governor Reeves had some recent vetos some for the Gulf Coast funds. Did I know we recently had Representative Anderson here $200,000 to help repair of city hall. Was that impacted at all by any of these vetos? Are you aware of that? Not tomorrow. Yeah, I don't think so. I think that looked at it the last couple days, but GCRF loan that he veto some type of a loan program like a golf coast fund deal.

Yeah. Okay. That that I wanted to try to make GCRF into a loan program. I think a revolving fund. Revolving fund. Anything else? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Thanks. Okay. Nothing for ordinances. Moving on to the city clerk's report. I will call for a motion to approve the docket of claims 26-019 dated April 21st, 2026 and the amount of 1,414,857.73. Have a motion. Motion

motion by Councilman Smith. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Councilman Dalvo. Any discussion?

Yeah, just a point of discussion here. Um, so I not so we've got the cruising the coast bill that's invoice I think we had discussed back in January um you know I wanted any discussion amongst the council my thought is this is the first mechanism in which we're directly funding cruising the coast versus having it as a pass through through Hancock County Tourism so I would like to have further dialogue just obviously we we've had a pretty due diligence process with a lot of the other nonprofits that we've had come um whether it's asking for the use of a city building at a decreased rate or that we're directly funding which would be this case here that we're directly funing Cruising the coast, which is a nonprofit. So, I would like to have because I don't think in my five years we've actually had Woody Baylor, a member of the the cruising board, come address the council collectively. So, I would think this is a great opportunity in doing our due diligence kind of hearing from Woody or a representative from the board for cruising the coast kind of better understand the dynamics, the dos and don'ts. Um, would love to understand kind of the metrics on their end of what this brings into the city. Not questioning at all about, you know, the the schedule, but just wanted to hear from cruising. Um, so I just wanted to get that out there, kind of see see what the dialogue and feel is amongst the council on that. Um, like I said, this is the first time we're going to be directly paying cruising on this um, in the past probably 15 20 years or 18 years, whatever it's been since we've supported this event. So, just wanted to kind of have that that dialogue amongst the council and have somebody come and speak to us.

I don't think back in January, I forgot. I think we requested I asked for somebody just give us a general presentation. Yeah, but I'm thinking it might have been right around last goound. So, it may have it was maybe we can extend the invitation out for that. Would you all want to pull you pull the invoice and once we have a discussion vote on it? Yeah, I'll just call chair.

I uh I'll call for uh A motion to approve the docket of claims 26-019 removing the $20,000 invoice approving the codes. Is that how I need to reward it? If you want to if you want to pull the invoice, if somebody wants to make the motion to approve it, pull in that invoice. Are you all good with that? Well, we've so that gives a little bit of leverage to Yeah, we've requested in the past to come. So, we want to hear from you and then we'll get you paid. So, it gives us a little bit of leverage to get somebody in there. Drive them with a check.

Well, no, but I think it's important for us to hear from them. um considering this is straight obviously going straight to cruising for the first time and the uh I mean the money is obligated to them I believe since we approved it but um I mean think a month try to get someone in here won't hurt and then go from there we've done a lot of our due diligence I said in the past with the nonprofits understand where the taxpayers money spent so just having a better overview from from Woody or somebody with cruising the coast When is it generally due? The due date was March 1st. Yeah, there was not a net terms on when it was actually due on invoice.

Would it cause any problems pulling it up? No, that's what I'm concerned about. Guess guess not really. Can answer that. Don't want to jeopardize it for sure. Right. Concerned. I didn't see any terms on it. 16 March 1st. I will hold it for now, but I don't want to hold it for too long if scheduling conflicts come into play for them to come here. I would hold it because definitely want the event to be here still.

Yep. Did the math. You got that? Can you please follow up with probably Kim tomorrow to make sure that No, no, not that. I mean, well, yeah, that too. But to make sure that communication is sent to what he asking him, sending the next two um council meeting dates and seeing maybe he's available for one of them.

So, do we need to vote the original motion uh let fail or do we need to just amend this one? How do we just Okay, I will call for a motion uh motion uh guess I'll amend the motion to approve the docket of claims 26-019 dated April 21st 2026 in the amount of to be the amount of 1,394,857.73 for moving the $20,000 to Cruising the Coast. I have a second. Second. Second by Councilman Lewis. Any discussion? Motion.

I I I I I motion carries 70. Okay. Councilwoman Holmes has left the room. Motion to approve the docket of claims 26-020 special dated April 21st, 2026 and the amount is $750. Motion. Motion by Councilman Smith. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Councilman D Salvo. Any discussion? Vote the motion. I I Motion carried 6.

Councilwoman Holmes has re-entered the room at 610. A motion to approve the docket of claims 26-021 special dated April 21st, 2026 and the amount of $250,000. Have a motion. What is this? I'm sorry.

Fund from the general fund and tax. Thank you. Have a motion and a second. Motion by Council Smith. Have a second. Mo. Any discussion? Vote the motion. I I I I I motion carries 70. Mayor's agenda. Good. Good. Council business.

Oh, yeah. Real quick, Mike, I know the um the long time coming, the Romanita lift station repair, they're under their way last week. Glad to hear we didn't do the open cuts. They went the other direction of doing the underground boring, right? not having to go and open cut and get into people's driveways. Do you know um I know they got believe they got the first step in that. So they working on that with the the contractor. Do you have a time frame window? I'm not sure. Okay. All righty. Thank good.

I uh I did want to touch on I know we a couple meetings ago we touched on setting closing the public comment on the 21st, which is today. I spoke to Bob um with Orion uh maybe about a week and a half, two weeks ago, and kind of came up to a game with a game plan because I know we were having some requests of having running comments and uh I think Jeremy's been trying to do something with that, but uh as far as on O'Ryan's end, it wasn't really a feasible thing to do. So kind of coming together and recommendation from his standpoint was go ahead and close the public comment on the 21st. He'll compile a list to kind of give us a hard stop and he can send us uh the compiled list back and from that date uh we can pick how long we want to go off of it. Two weeks to give us some time to review additional comments uh before they move into the second draft. Is that something Does that make sense with what I was saying? So, we'll close the public comment. It'll compile a list, send it to us, we can make additional comments to it for whatever we want to set. I think two weeks

so we have a urgency and then we can go into will we get a red line copy or from the as far as the the draft from the first to the second draft? Yes. But from our old one to new, right? How we decide what's going to be implemented in the second draft. Yeah, that's that's going to be I guess only I mean I don't want to get another draft and it be that final draft and be not we want again then we out the money you know I'd rather implement the changes the votes or whatever we have to do before we get a second draft so we get more of a version we closer to one I think would be our recommendation

I mean once we get list we have to say people want right a B and C in here and some people might not. So they got to figure out how maybe we can get suggested changes that proposed changes and then prior to it and then see if we agree disagree. I'll reach out to

I just want to reiterate too that remember when the changes go it should go to your planning and zoning. Your planning and zoning is really the body that has the I don't want to say power, but this is the document that belongs to planning and zoning. So, it really is planning and zoning's role. You guys are also commenting and you're providing feedback, but planning and zoning is the the body per pursuant to law that this this is their document for them to look at and start incorporating. Should they have the host a workshop for it? They they will. Yeah. When it's when it's presented.

And then I mean it'll get remember there's still public hearings. I mean there's there's a lot that's still left to be done on this.

Right. Um, I do have a concern with that if it's been addressed, but once we do go through the PNZ workshop and we go through all the public comments and we get our I guess our final draft, is there going to be a grace period for people to adjust who have houses and property that are changing with the new ordinance to maybe implement if they want to build say something commercial but it's changing to residential. Is there like a grace period or we just adopting and it goes in effect that day? it'll go into effect the the date that it's adopted, which is typically 30 days after the ordinance is adopted. So, if somebody's property is changing, um, and and I I don't I don't I don't know as far as uses. I mean, there's a couple of little tweaks, but not there's not a lot of huge tweaks that I could think off the top of my head, but if somebody was wanting to do that, they would need to to pull their permit before the zoning changes or have everything submitted under the the new zoning. I mean, the old zoning, sorry. As as far as tonight, are y'all good with closing the comment period like we planned on tonight?

Yes. We'll go ahead. I'll let Bob know that's closed. Uh tell them start compiling a list from all comments received prior to the 21st. Once we have a compiled list that from the date of receiving two weeks, is that everyone good with that? And then that I'm sure we'll have a council meeting between receiving it and the next two weeks and we can always adjust if we need to. But then two time period he's just going to be answering and clarifying any questions and comments right in that two week time frame. Are we going to we add

and then and I don't know how that's going to work. So he's going to say that square footage. Okay. That's been the resounding issue with the So, so he explained to me once he gets a once we close the public comment off completely and two weeks is over, he's going to have a compiled list of comments and then he'll have a recommendation that'll be and that'll be on the next page the next the next or or what what they did to address the comment or why they didn't address the comment. So that's my understanding that I have from my conversation with them. Do we need a motion to stop the comments today or they just stop?

Yeah, that's what I mean. I believe you guys took a motion to to do that. So I don't I don't think there's any reason to do that unless you you want further documentation for some reason. But I think more so that just putting uh putting everyone aware that we'll receive a compiled list, but we're not going to move to the next step until we get that review it. I guess that's what I was getting at. Did he give a comment on when he can get all those comments and questions answered? No, he I didn't or I didn't ask him for one.

He said he kind of had a running list um going. So I don't know. I I assume our next meeting is I mean We'll probably from him that if if we have it before then and we can set a date at that next meeting. When it's P&Z getting this, right? After the PNZ the list will go to PNZ, right? Yeah, it should. I mean you you all can have a copy of it too if you want a copy of course, but yes, it will go to planning and zone.

And how is he now doing how he is? Is he going on the website. You put a comment in Jane put a comment in they will be able to see what the answer is on on the website or how compiled. So so once it's compiled I guess I need to dig into So I know he said a compiled list with recommendations come from come from this. So I don't know what the stat he's making the recommendations from the compiled from the compiled list how to

yeah there were supposedly I think he mentioned categorizing you know where similar complaints were like lots in one category and then recommendations from that I uh I can get maybe we get Bob to send an email out to everyone on the council make sure we're all on the same page yeah just anticipate what kind of next steps what the next steps where it'll go TNZ from there. So, I just I wanted to make sure even though we're closing it now, we're still going to have an additional time frame for receive comments. All right. So, I don't think we need to make a motion on that. Okay.

We'll just hold hold up process until then. Right.

All right. I didn't have anything else. Any anyone else have anything? Moving on to public forum regarding non-aggenda topics. Mr. John Hov, John Omen, better known locally as Mr. Katherine Omen. 110 Deonten Avenue. Uh primarily this evening, I wanted to publicly express my gratitude to Councilwoman Moan for quickly addressing a problem and in conjunction with the mayor and uh police chief Alvin Kingston rectifying it uh in very short order. Uh also as today is officially closing our comments for uh the new ordinance uh I'd like to take this opportunity just to say again that don't pass up this opportunity to establish a tree board or at least look at it very closely before you adopt a new ordinance. that could be the thing you're best remembered for. And I mean that in all honesty, even though there are seemingly so many more important things involved, I have a minute and 50 seconds left to say treeboard, treeboard, treeboard, treeboard, treeboard as often as possible. And I think it's because I was rereading the Lord of the Rings and

I came across the character of Treebeard, the ant, the shepherd of the forest. And Treebeard sounds so much like treeboard. I was inspired. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. John. It was entertaining.

Mr. Cliff Rilelet 7023rd Street. I want to first thank all city council members who held their public meetings. I think it was very important. Even as late as last night, there were people who were, "Oh, I didn't know this was out there." So, but I also look because I do keep track of the public comments. Thanks to Mr. Larry Smith that finally got them where you could see them. There were only three comments made to date at least on the public forum. If any of you have looked at your emails, you already have a compiled list of every comment that's been made if and truly they've been made public like they were supposed to be. If they got made public like they were supposed to be. And there's a 30page legal page length document that y'all got emailed and a summary. I took it and did just what Mr. Bob So y'all already have what Bob Barker is going to do.

Did you look at your emails? Any of Yeah, I did see it. Mr. CL, thank you. Thank No, thank you.

The uh there is a lot of consistent comments. I've s my I I put my summary, but I also put a copy of every comment that was on my website and every comment that I got emailed to me that was didn't make it to the website. So, you can look at my bias summary and you can look at the actual thing and it's by page number by document. You go right down right down the uh proposed ordinance and see what it's referring to. So, you already have that. You don't need to wait, Mr. Barker because I'll be honest with you, I wouldn't trust him. Josh, what you said is dead nuts on. You guys need to look at these comments and decide what you want to send back to them as the draft to be redone. They took public comments supposedly for this first draft from what was presented to us. They didn't pay attention. So y'all need to send it to PNZ and let P&Z have the thing and then decide what of those comments that have been made by the public need to be incorporated before you send something back to Orion because if you don't what they going to send back to you, we're going to be right back where we started. We're going to have to go through page by page. See, did they or did they not include this comment? We don't know. And you're going to let them make the decision what the citizens of Bay St. Louis want. when you've got 30 pages of comments that you and the planning and zoning commission ought to be making those decisions. So, but I do appreciate the amount of effort that some of y'all all of you have put in to getting that public comment and getting people aware of it. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Cliff. Did you send a copy to PNZ? I sent a copy to about a hundred people and yeah. Okay. Kayla had a copy. Gotcha. Cliff, I just want to say I've received your email. That took a lot of effort to do that from a concerned citizen standpoint. So yeah, just want to say it is really messed up. I need to go out. Thank you, Mr. Clint. Thank you. Okay. Nobody else has signed up for public forum. We'll move on to attorney's report.

None. Executive session is not needed. I will call for a motion to adjourn the meeting of April 21st, 2026. Motion. Motion by Councilman Smith. Do I have a second? Second by Councilwoman Davis. Any discussion? Both the motion. I I Motion carries 70. Meetings adjourned. Thank you.