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From YouTube: State of the City 2018: Happening now
Description
Here is Mayor Andrew "FoFo" Gilich's State of the City presentation, deliveredJ an. 30, 2018, during a Biloxi Bay Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino. To read more, visit https://www.biloxi.ms.us/sotc2018/
A
Make
no
mistake:
you'll
see
big
things
happening
in
2018
in
all
the
areas
of
our
city.
It's
happening
now.
Downtown
Biloxi
has
been
dormant
since
that
failed
experiment
known
as
urban
renewal
brought
us
the
boom
or
shake.
Let
the
word
go
forth
today.
There
is
no
boom
or
shake.
There
is
Howard.
Avenue
in
February
will
open
to
bring
two-way
traffic
on
Howard
Avenue
with
on
street
parking,
authentic
facades
and
the
street.
That
will
be
an
attraction,
something
we
can
all
be
proud
of.
A
The
restored,
Howard
Avenue
will
invite
residents
and
visitors
to
new
restaurants,
light
for
four
million
dollar
mug
shots
that
open
on
Main
Street
or
the
cafe
beignet
shop
in
the
old
Biloxi
public
library
or
the
Southport
Line
restaurant
and
they
restored
home
on
Howard,
Avenue
think
about
walking
into
a
happening
downtown
area
after
a
shuckers
game
or
show
it
to
Beau
Rivage
or
Hard
Rock
or
after
seeing
a
production
in
the
Saenger.
Yes,
the
Sangha
theatres
going
to
be
a
huge
part
of
our
downtown
restoration.
A
It's
a
gym
not
only
for
Biloxi
but
for
the
entire
Coast,
and
we
will
find
the
money
and
restoration
will
begin.
This
summer,
the
beauty
of
the
park
building
and
Rainer
and
Howard
was
covered
up
in
the
70s
and
is
mostly
vacant.
Now
we're
seeking
partners
to
restore
its
beautiful
facade
create
new
ground-floor
retail
office
spaces,
along
with
residential
on
the
second
and
third
levels.
A
For
years,
there's
been
talk
of
finding
a
way
to
attract
visitors
from
the
thousands
of
hotel
rooms
south
of
highway
92,
our
downtown
area,
but
first
we
had
to
give
them
more
to
see
and
do
and
I
think
we're
doing
that
with
our
restoration
efforts,
then
we
had
to
give
them
an
easier
way
to
explore
north
of
highway.
9
you'll
see
construction
begin
on
to
new
pedestrian
crosswalk.
The
first
one
will
be
built
at
MGM
fork
in
highway.
A
90
west
of
College
Street
work
will
begin
in
the
next
couple
of
months
to
be
complete
by
the
end
of
this
year.
The
second
currently
under
design
will
be
built
north
of
the
small
craft,
our
brand
highway
90
and
should
begin
by
the
end
of
the
year.
You
have
to
go
back
25
years
to
the
arrival
of
casino
gaming.
To
find
the
last
time
we
had
three
major
hotels
under
construction.
At
the
same
time,
that's
happening
now.
The
Hilton
Garden
Inn
northeast
of
the
small
craft
Harbor,
will
open
it's
100
rooms
late
this
summer.
A
In
just
next
door.
The
watermark
will
transform
the
dorm
at
Santa
Maria
into
a
beautiful
150
for
all
suites
hotel
about
the
same
time,
further
down
the
street.
Next
to
the
Double
Tree
site,
work
is
underway
for
the
LaQuinta
end
and
Suites.
The
four-story
66
room
Hotel,
obviously
develop
recede
the
opportunity
in
Biloxi.
They
saw
the
7%
growth
in
sales
tax
last
year
and
the
5.7
million
visitors,
the
finish
line
performance
cording
track,
will
open
in
June
on
Beach
Boulevard
in
West
Biloxi.
A
A
Many
communities
in
our
country
can
and
do
have
casino
resorts,
but
we
had
the
total
package,
the
history
and
culture,
the
casinos
with
great
restaurants
and
top
name,
entertainment
charter
boats
for
deep-sea
fishing.
A
sunset
sail
on
the
seafood
Museum
schooners
and
a
growing
lineup
of
family
attractions,
like
Margaritaville
all
set
against
the
backdrop
of
our
beautiful
shoreline.
A
That's
why
I'm
so
excited
about
the
vision
of
a
continuous
boardwalk
along
the
front
beach.
You
can
see
the
test
piles
being
driven
at
the
foot
of
veterans,
Avenue,
beginning
construction
of
a
joint
city-county
boardwalk
that
will
connect
the
coach,
Transit,
Center
and
all
the
restaurants
between
Road
and
Bergen
veterans,
to
be
completed
this
summer.
A
At
the
Biloxi
lighthouse,
we
introduced
an
appealing,
look
to
an
area
in
the
shadow
of
our
most
treasured,
landmark,
new
landscaping,
newly
paved
parking
and
the
unsightly
barricade
that
made
it
hard
to
access.
The
beach
is
gone
in
favor
of
new
decorative
bollards
working
with
Mema
and
FEMA.
The
lighthouse,
pier
damaged
by
Hurricane
Nate
will
be
up
and
running
for
this
summer.
A
Point
cadet,
the
same
thing:
I
hope
you've
heard
about
the
exciting
plans
we
have
for
this
area,
which,
in
the
early
1900's,
was
the
epicenter
for
the
seafood
capital
of
the
world.
Construction
will
begin
mid-year
on
boardwalks
from
the
Palace
Casino
Resort
and
the
point
cadet
fishing
bridge
under
the
Biloxi
Bay
Bridge
around
the
waterfront
of
the
point,
cadet
marina
and
the
Golden
Nugget
to
Margaritaville
and
onto
Oak
Street,
making
it
easier
for
pedestrians
to
experience
the
beauty
in
the
excitement
of
a
genuine
Biloxi
working
waterfront.
A
The
point
cadet
waterfront
is
our
golden
opportunity
for
economic
development
to
enhance
tourism
and
our
seafood
and
maritime
industries
in
authentic
but
modern
ways
embracing
the
future.
While
honoring
the
past
Biloxi
will
once
again
become
a
center
for
sustainable
seafood.
Wild
harvesting,
as
well
as
new,
cutting-edge
methods
for
food
production
like
art
aquaculture,
the
vacant
will
point
cadet
property
offers
a
beautiful
and
practical
sight
for
this
effort.
We've
asked
our
legislators
to
allow
the
creation
of
the
point.
A
Cadet
waterfront
enterprise
using
rents
already
been
collected
from
the
tenants
and
point
cadet
to
help
Biloxi
in
the
state
partners
begin
this
new
enterprise
based
on
authentic
Biloxi,
waterfront
experience.
This
is
not
recreating
the
factories
of
the
past.
We
are
learning
from
and
building
on,
our
history
and
natural
environments
in
new
ways.
We're
planning
for
an
enhanced
modern,
marina,
a
pavilion
for
fishing,
tournaments
and
festivals,
shops
and
restaurants
in
a
festival,
seafood
marketplace
and
a
public
off
loading
dock
for
fresh
oysters.
A
Think
about
what
we
already
have:
the
Gulf
Coast
billfish,
Classic
Tournament,
the
poker
run,
the
southern
kingfish
Association
Nationals.
No
doubt
there
will
be
more
added
to
this
list.
There
will
be
open
structures
on
ground
level
for
parking
and
pedestrian
access
at
ground
level
to
an
open
area
seafood
market
place
with
kiosk
and
mobile
sidewalk
cafes.
That
can
be
moved
before
a
storm
second
floor
structures
will
be
above
FEMA
flood
level
and
we'll
have
restaurants,
retail
shops
and
balconies
from
built
to
post
Katrina
codes.
A
Plenty
of
things
are
happening
on
the
point
golden
nuggets:
salt
grass
steakhouse
is
under
construction
on
the
north
side
of
highway
90
at
Myrtle
Street
opening
this
summer.
The
9,500
square-foot
Russian
will
provide
both
indoor
and
patio
dining
we're
excited
about
the
Betsy
end.
The
new
paddlewheeler
at
Point,
cadet,
marina,
offering
dinner
cruises
and
eco
tours
complementing
harbor
tours.
We
already
have
had
for
years
with
the
popular
sailfish
down
at
the
small
craft.
Harbor.
Yes,
we're
expecting
the
ship
Island
Ferry
will
sail
from
Biloxi
this
year.
A
Just
like
we
did
at
Point
cadet,
where
the
slips
were
deepened
from
4.5
to
7.5
feet
to
accommodate
the
larger
vessels
were
seeing.
Those
boat
owners
now
find
Wi-Fi
internet
access
at
Point,
cadet
and
small
craft
harbours,
and
we
also
redid
the
boat
launch
at
the
small
craft.
On
the
file
ferry
causeway
park
is
a
project.
That's
been
35
years
in
the
making.
A
We
have
completed
a
comprehensive
engineering
master
plan
to
guide
us
in
making
about
35
million
dollars
in
improvements
needed
to
bring
city
quality
services
to
this
area.
It's
a
lot
and
we're
not
going
to
get
there
overnight,
but
we're
going
to
get
there.
This
year,
construction
will
start
on
two
new
fire
stations
to
serve
the
world
market
and
see
the
lake
communities
construction
of
a
13,000
square
foot
fire
command
station
at
cedar.
A
Pops
will
begin
this
year
using
a
unique
form
of
financing
through
the
south
Mississippi
Planning
and
Development
District,
and
will
also
begin
the
construction
of
a
second
fire
station
on
property.
The
city
acquired
on
old
highway
67
I'm
excited
about.
What's
going
to
be
called
the
wool
market
city
center
located
on
property,
the
city
acquired
all
Kaleigh
code.
It
will
house
a
place
for
community
gatherings
in
a
larger
permanent
Harrison
County
Public
Library.
A
Two
significant
incidents
occurred
this
past
year,
Tuesday
March
the
7th
about
2:30
p.m.
a
CSX
freight
train
collided
with
a
charter
bus
carrying
50
passes
at
this
Main
Street
crossing
and
in
October,
as
we
had
over
800
Arby's
along
our
waterfront
and
thousands
of
visitors
in
town
for
cruising
the
coast,
hurricane
Nate
rolled
ashore.
We
know
when
hurricanes
are
coming
and
we
know
how
to
prepare,
but
the
train
accident
as
horrific
as
it
was
demonstrated
that
we
had
the
best
trained,
best
equipped
and
best
prepared
Fire
and
Police
Department's.
A
Multiple
acts
of
selfless
heroism
were
seen
that
day,
not
only
from
our
firefighters
and
police
officers,
but
from
neighboring
agencies,
clergy
and
citizens.
It
was
gratifying
to
see
that
our
thousands
of
hours
of
training
and
the
compassion
of
everyday
Biloxi
citizens
all
came
together
in
the
aftermath
of
this
tragedy.
Today,
we're
in
the
design
stage
to
build
connecting
streets
in
order
to
close
rail
crossings
at
each
port
city.
While
we
are
continuing
to
push
CSX
to
make
repairs
to
existing
crossings
in
Biloxi,
I
said
it
before
the
accident
and
I'll
say
it
again.
A
Twenty-Nine
crossings
in
an
8
mile
stretch
is
too
many,
and
21
of
those
crossings
are
in
a
two
mile
stretch.
That's
a
recipe
for
disaster,
especially
considering
that
CSX
rails
have
been
raised
over
the
years
to
a
level
that
causes
issues
and
many
crossings.
Our
part
is
to
create
connecting
streets
to
avoid
getting
roads.
To
do
that,
we're
going
to
reprogram
federal
money
that
HUD
said
we
couldn't
use
on
the
Sangha
theater,
then
Nate,
it's
relatively
small
size
meant
we
couldn't
have
federal
funding
to
engage
in
our
debris,
removal
contractor.
A
We
did
it
ourselves
with
plenty
of
help
from
our
garbage
and
trash
contractors
who
are
only
days
into
their
contract
when
the
storm
struck.
Pelican
wastes
brought
in
crews
from
as
far
away
as
Louisiana
to
help
pick
up
debris,
our
Public
Works
and
Parks
and
Recreation
Department's,
all
the
way
more
than
250
cubic
yards
of
debris
from
neighborhoods
enough
to
fill
more
than
20
dump
trucks.
Our
city
workforce
of
more
than
650
employees
handles
these
issues
and
also
provide
the
day-to-day
services
that
you
expect
and
deserve.
A
Last
year
our
Community
Development
Department
issued
nearly
3,000
permits,
including
391
for
commercial
buildings
and
714
for
residential
buildings.
We
saw
the
completion
of
the
new
Biloxi
junior
high
school,
which
welcomed
more
than
one
thousand
seventh
and
eighth
graders
back
in
August
a
function
Recreation
Department
using
a
grand
added
pickleball
courts
at
the
Pops
ferry
Recreation
Complex.
They
also
installed
new
heating
and
cooling
systems
in
dressing
and
restrooms
at
the
natatorium
in
this
year,
you'll
see
similar
improvements
at
the
Snider
Center.
A
Our
public
works
department,
processed
more
than
9,000
work
orders,
totaling,
3.2
million
dollars,
use
nearly
13,000
tons
of
asphalt
to
repair
roadways
and
installed
and
repaired
more
than
200
streets
and
traffic
signs.
They
also
maintain
more
than
50
city
buildings,
23
water
wells,
127,
lift
stations
and
more
than
5,000
fire
hydrants.
A
fire
department
responded
to
nearly
7,500
calls
for
service.
Almost
a
10%
increase
year-to-year
medical
emergencies
continue
to
be
2/3
of
our
calls.
We
increased
training
and
now
have
70
EMTs
in
full
paramedics.
A
The
number
of
actual
house
fires
was
down
by
10
last
year
to
201
you're,
going
to
see
the
city
put
a
new
33
foot,
all
aluminum
fire
boat
and
service.
This
year,
replacing
our
17
year
old,
27
foot
fire
boat
in
the
police
department.
We
had
more
than
120,000
calls
for
service
three-quarters
of
those
calls
being
generated
by
proactive
police
officers.
We
gave
our
police
officers
new
tools
to
help
deal
with
the
panhandling
issues
that
plagued
our
city,
like
so
many
in
the
country.
A
A
We
had
three
homicides
in
all
2017
and
all
three
resulted
in
arrests
when
I
became
mayor,
I
had
a
goal
of
being
more
proactive
with
our
legal
department,
we're
not
afraid
to
stand
up
for
Biloxi
in
court,
but
I
wanted
more
and
I'm
pleased
to
report
to
you
that
last
year
we
recovered
more
than
three
hundred
thousand
dollars
in
money.
We
had
been
shorted
in
city
leases
and
by
updating
existing
leases
and
creating
new
ones,
mainly
for
cell
towers.
Illegal
Department
has
generated
another
$700,000.
A
The
legal
department
also
worked
with
the
Board
of
Supervisors
to
issue
a
pork
bond
that
will
be
paid
by
Harrison
County
without
raising
taxes
and
producing
6.5
million
to
fund
those
boardwalks
and
the
second
highway.
90
crossover
that
I
mentioned
earlier.
You
can
to
issue
a
1
million
dollar
tax,
increment
financing
bond
to
complete
the
streets
in
public
infrastructure
for
the
Walmart
Neighborhood
Market
one
Popp's
Ferry
Road
illegal
Department
also
obtained
1
million
dollars
in
tideland
grants
through
the
DMR
and
state
legislature
to
fund
the
West
Biloxi
boardwalk.
A
The
department
is
now
working
on
additional
sources
for
funding
the
downtown
Biloxi
restoration
plan,
Point
cadet
waterfront
marketplace
a
neighborhood
grocery
store
that
we
would
like
to
see
on
the
city,
property
and
division
in
college,
and,
yes,
we're
continuing
to
work
with
the
south,
Mississippi
Planning
and
Development
District
to
see
new
uses
for
the
vacant
Wal
Mart
site
on
peut
Road.
This
all
helped
our
bottom
line.
Financially
speaking,
our
major
revenue,
property
taxes,
sales
tax
and
gaming
catch
remain
strong
in
2017,
and
we
anticipate
this
to
continue
in
2018.
A
All
these
projects
at
some
point
worked
their
way
through
our
engineering
department.
We
saw
the
completion
of
the
widening
of
pasta,
Ferry,
Road
and,
of
course,
I'm
happy
to
report
that
Coast
Transit
is
now
offering
service
all
the
way
to
pass
Road
and
beyond.
At
the
southern
end
of
our
ferry
road,
we're
continuing
final
design
on
connecting
path,
Ferry
Road
to
highway
90.
We
hope
to
begin
property
acquisition.
A
Later
this
year
in
2016,
we
effectively
reorganize
the
engineering
department
creating
a
separate
Public
Works
Department,
allowing
our
engineers
and
staff
to
focus
on
the
many
challenges
that
have
to
be
addressed.
On
a
daily
basis
in
our
growing
city,
at
the
same
time,
the
program
management
division
was
created
and
now
manages
the
350
million
dollar
infrastructure
project.
That
was
a
heavy
decision
that
was
thrust
upon
us.
The
third-party
management
plan
from
2014
ran
out
of
steam
and
budget
we're
dealt
from
Mima
and
FEMA.
A
A
We
have
finalized
agreements
on
property
acquisition
for
phase
1,
which
is
the
area
inside
the
gate,
in
fact
we're
out
for
bids
and
expect
construction
to
begin
within
60
days,
design,
work
on
phase
2,
that's
the
area
on
Division
Street
from
Forest
Avenue
to
our
one
tent
is
still
being
done,
we're
looking
to
create
a
four-lane
Boulevard
with
the
center
median
and
the
streetscape
that
will
be
inviting
to
a
variety
of
new
businesses.
During
this
legislative
session.
We're
asking
the
state
legislature
for
the
final
element
of
funding
for
this
important
project.
A
Let
me
say
again,
one
of
the
biggest
endeavors
that
engineering
with
program
management
division
is
overseeing
the
infrastructure
work
in
East
Biloxi
north
of
the
CSX
railway.
This
is
126
million
dollar
project
that
covers
55
miles
of
roadway.
Today,
I
can
report
to
you
that
more
than
30
miles
of
asphalt
has
been
laid.
The
Train
is
picking
up
steam,
but
we're
still
a
ways
from
the
station.
That's
little
consolation
for
those
homes
and
businesses
are
still
on
the
20
miles
of
milled
up
roads.
After
seeing
mistakes
that
were
made
and
the
misery
caused.
A
I
pushed
for
temporary
paving
of
the
major
roadways
in
the
area
which
we
did
I
continue
to
push
the
contractor
for
more
work
for
more
progress
and
I
promise
you
that
you
will
never
see
those
types
of
miscalculations
and
mistakes.
On
my
watch,
we
will
begin
the
infrastructure
work
south
of
the
CSX
railway
this
month.
It
will
cover
the
area
from
seashore
Methodist
to
just
east
of
our
110.
A
It
will
proceed
logically
and
orgl
it
there
going
to
be
any
conveniences,
because
it's
made
you
work,
but
this
time
we
built
into
the
contracts,
farm
or
city
control,
work
in
an
area
must
be
75%
complete
before
the
contractor
can
move
to
the
next
area,
and
only
if
the
city
approves
I
want
to
acknowledge
and
applaud
some
of
our
partners
that
we
have
here
with
us
today.
The
Keesler
Air
Force,
Base
and
team
Keesler
continues
to
demonstrate
why
it
is
the
best
base
in
the
entire
United
States
Air
Force
worldwide.
A
Last
year,
peaceful
graduated
more
than
30,000
students
from
163
career
fields.
Let
the
Air,
Force
and
cutting-edge
training
methods
treated
more
than
800,000
patients
through
the
world-class
medical
care
and
the
Hurricane
Hunters
flew
more
than
800
hours
across
more
than
90
missions
and
into
12
named
storms.
A
The
Biloxi
Housing
Authority
this
year
is
celebrating
nearly
eight
decades
of
providing
safe,
decent
and
affordable
housing.
Today,
more
than
1700
families
are
served,
and
last
year
it
finalized
its
transition
to
rental
assistance
demonstration
program.
This
allows
public
housing
units
to
move
to
a
section
8
platform
ensuring
that
units
remain
as
permanent,
affordable
housing
of
the
10
developments
owned
and
maintained
by
the
Block
C
Housing
Authority
three
are
designated
specifically
for
seniors.
A
The
Biloxi
Veterans
Administration
is
Biloxi's
second
largest
employer.
It's
top-notch
and
continues
to
grow.
I
want
to
make
note
of
the
tremendous
service
that
continues
to
be
provided
at
the
Biloxi
VA
to
veterans
all
along
our
Gulf
Coast.
Be
assured
that
the
Biloxi
Public
Schools
is
the
best
bang
for
the
buck
around
the
new
junior
high,
along
with
the
newly
created
Biloxi
alpha
Elementary
for
fifth
and
sixth
graders,
our
state-of-the-art
facilities
and
their
highly
qualified
staff
will
preparing
our
students
to
compete
on
a
global
level
in
college
career
and
beyond
Susan
hunt.
A
How
could
you
have
a
State
of
the
City
address
without
mentioning
Susan
hunt,
a
beloved
career
educator,
Biloxi's,
outstanding
citizen
and
along
with
her
system,
author
or
matrix
of
Mardi
Gras
and
for
Fat
Tuesday
Susan
is
designated
as
Biloxi's
official
streetwalker
last
year,
purple
Luxy
excelled
by
five
open,
its
Family
Resource
Center
and
families.
First
for
Mississippi
at
the
Lopez
school
Susan,
whose
love
for
Biloxi
is
unrivaled,
is
a
guiding
light
for
parents
of
children
under
age
5.
A
They
know
what
you're
talking
about,
whether
it's
through
Keesler,
our
casinos
or
cruising
or
our
colorful
history,
we've
stepped
it
up
and
as
we
move
forward
on
this
ambitious
program
of
work,
we
cherish
and
appreciate
our
good
fortune.
The
fact
that
God
has
given
us
a
beautiful
community
and
its
majestic
seascape,
the
water.
The
islands,
the
oaks,
the
miles
of
living
shoreline,
this
innate
beauty,
is
something
you
cannot
buy
or
build.
Yet
it
is
a
great
source
of
wealth.