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From YouTube: 2022StateoftheCity
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A
I
am
pleased
to
introduce
our
speaker
today.
He
is
a
passionate
person,
always
has
been
and
says
he
always
will
be.
His
passion
is
one
of
the
things
that
motivates
him
each
and
every
day,
as
our
mayor,
ladies
and
gentlemen,
here
to
deliver
the
state
of
our
city,
please
welcome
the
mayor
of
biloxi,
the
honorable
andrew
fofo
gillitz.
A
B
B
So
look
I
want
to
thank
every
one
of
y'all
for
being
here
today.
I
appreciate
the
biloxi
bay
chamber
for
organizing
this
event
every
year.
B
There's
also,
I
want
to
thank
the
beau
rivage
for
always
making
this
event
this
gathering
top
notch.
Look
I'm
looking
over.
We've
got
every
board
remember,
but
I
want
to
thank,
of
course,
our
council
for
always
being
there
with
us
to
accomplish
the
things
we
did.
I'm
honored,
I'm
really
honored.
We
got
three
mayors
here.
You
know
from
the
east
mayor
kenny,
holloway
he's
here
somewhere
to
the
west,
my
brother
mayor,
billy
hughes
and
the
further
to
the
west
jimmy
rafferty.
Thank
you
all
for
being
here.
B
B
Many
of
our
team
biloxi
are
with
us
today
and
thank
you
for
what
you've
done
and
what
you
continue
to
do
every
day
for
our
beloved
city.
I
want
to
thank
all
the
businesses
who
represented
you
here
today,
especially
those
who
have
played
major
roles
in
some
of
the
projects.
We'll
talk
about
in
a
little
bit
later
on,
keisler
is
here
in
force,
always
is
thank
you
keister.
B
They
are
truly
a
force
and
I'm
proud
of
keisler
our
kiesler
cousins
and
team
kingston
for
the
hard
work
that
they
do
with
our
team
biloxi.
Thank
you,
team,
keisler
and
team
biloxi.
I
need
to
acknowledge
first,
my
team
bofo
they're
here
you
know
led
by
my
wife,
serena
and
many
family
and
friends
that
have
been
there
with
me
every
day
in
every
way.
B
B
B
B
A
big
part
of
the
state
of
our
city
right
now
we're
creating
jobs,
we're
solidifying
and
broadening
our
appeal.
We're
enhancing
our
quality
of
life
in
quality
of
place,
we're
creating
excitement
in
biloxin,
you'll,
agree.
Excitement
is
transformational
in
2021
cover.
19
cases
declined
as
vaccinations,
ramped
up
safety
protocols
loosened
up,
and
people
were
anxious
to
get
back
out
and
enjoy
what
biloxi
has
to
offer
evidence
of
that
gaming
and
sales
tax
revenues
were
phenomenal.
In
2021.
B
It
should
be
pointed
out
as
good
as
these
biloxi
numbers
were.
For
us.
It
was
even
better
for
the
state
of
mississippi
in
the
2020
census.
Biloxi
picked
up
5
400
residents
bringing
biloxi
to
right
at
50,
000
citizens,
that's
a
12
percent
increase
over
the
past
decade
and
we
picked
up
more
new
residents
than
any
other
city
on
the
coast.
B
B
It
was
turned
into
a
street
again
and
with
the
addition
of
that
parque
dance
floor,
the
table
was
set
for
economic
development
you're,
seeing
that
economic
development
move
forward.
It
covers
all
sectors,
residential
commercial,
mixed
use
and
all
the
things
you
want
opportunity
was
obvious.
There
hasn't
been
this
much
private
investment
in
commerce
on
howard
avenue,
since
the
days
of
the
union
bar
outdoor
events
take
place
on
a
regular
basis.
B
B
It's
not
an
exaggeration
to
say
that
the
most
exciting
opening
this
year
on
howard
avenue
happened
at
the
old
crest
building
ground
zero,
biloxi
blues
club
open
with
much
fanfare.
It
has
already
experienced
that
gravity
that
attracts
people
from
everywhere
like
the
original
ground,
zero.
In
the
mississippi
delta,
we
appreciate
that
the
principals,
including
morgan
freeman
and
the
late
bill
luckett,
saw
the
potential
on
howard
avenue
just
next
door,
repairs
and
renovations
have
begun
on
the
box
building.
It
will
provide
15
second
story,
apartments
with
first
story
retail
spaces,
all
the
way
from
raynor
street.
B
B
Progress
continued
over
at
the
sanger
theater,
the
jewel
of
the
coast.
The
exterior
work
is
nearing
the
end.
It
has
been
time
consuming
and
costly,
but
be
assured
it's
being
done.
The
right
way
contractors
are
currently
working
on
the
main
entrance
of
this
showplace.
Repairing
and
replacing
the
damaged
bricks
and
facades.
Replacing
the
interest,
doors
and
awnings
repairs
to
the
ticket
booth
are
forthcoming,
hopefully
completion.
Also
in
may.
B
B
It's
been
a
lot
of
talk
about
all
the
new
and
exciting
things
that
are
happening,
but
never
should
we
forget
those
who,
for
generations,
have
been
the
pillars
of
our
local
economy
and
made
many
of
these
happenings
possible.
I
want
to
thank
our
long-time
businesses
downtown
for
the
investments
they
have
made
and
are
continuing
to
make.
B
What's
so
special
about
that,
this
project
was
a
team
effort
with
the
city
county
and
tourism
commission
pitching
in
to
hire
a
private
contractor
to
take
a
holistic
approach
to
beautifying
the
media.
Our
challenge
is
now
to
keep
it
looking
that
way,
more
than
100
truckloads
years
of
sand
were
moved
before
cruising
the
coast.
B
Since
then,
hundreds
more
truckloads
have
been
moved.
The
biloxi
lighthouse
landscaping
also
received
some
maintenance
and
some
revamping
took
place
in
the
lighthouse
parking
lot.
The
redesign
increased
parking
from
78
to
173
spaces.
At
this
popular
location,
a
new
statue
was
added
as
a
salute
to
our
most
famous
son
of
biloxi,
apollo,
13
astronaut,
fred
hayes.
B
The
public
dedication
ceremony
took
place
on
february,
the
13th
at
113
or
1313
military
time.
It
also
including
the
unveiling
of
a
moonwalk
which
adds
to
the
out
of
this
world
atmosphere
at
the
site
to
add
to
the
beautification
efforts.
Last
year
the
city
staged
operation
clean
sweep
to
aid
pelican
waste.
In
the
removal
of
excess
yard
debris
caused
by
hurricanes
and
torrential
downpours,
the
month-long
push
to
catch
up
on
storm
debris,
removal
resulted
in
3
700
cubic
yards
of
debris
being
hauled
away.
B
That's
almost
450
tons
of
debris
since
the
west
biloxi
boardwalk
was
dedicated.
The
area
established
itself
as
a
very
popular
restaurant
road.
The
boardwalk
is
a
favorite
location
for
visitors
and
locals
alike
on
a
two
acre
site,
south
of
highway
90
west
of
veterans
avenue
where
cuckoo's
restaurants
once
stood.
You'll
see
the
construction
of
new
homes
built
as
short-term
rentals
and
vacation
homes,
they'll
be
elevated
with
flow
through
ground
floors
and
they're
designed
to
meet
insurance
and
flood
standards.
B
A
one
foot
composite
breakaway
to
protect
the
structure
during
storm
surge
contractors
are
blowing
and
going
laying
the
concrete
walkway
with
the
knee
wall
and
composite
breakaway
areas.
The
sand
problem
has
been
talked
about
for
years
in
a
few
months.
The
viability
of
this
pilot
project
will
begin.
B
The
next
phase
between
oak
street
and
holly
street
contractors
are
installing
new
water,
deep
sewer
and
drainage
lines
check
out
the
paving
on
the
newly
rebuilt
oak
street.
A
design
goal
was
to
reduce
the
overall
number
of
lift
stations
throughout
the
system.
The
result
will
reduce
the
cost
of
maintenance
and
operations
and
minimize
the
vulnerability
of
the
entire
water
and
sewer
system.
B
B
B
B
B
Last
year
the
city
had
70.6
million
in
revenue
versus
61.5
million
in
expenses
for
the
year.
That's
about
9
million
to
the
good.
My
philosophy
in
running
the
city
is
much
like
that
of
any
business,
to
try,
increase
revenue,
decrease
expenses
and
manage
assets,
and
I
think
we're
doing
all
that
properly.
B
The
public
works
department
each
and
every
day
manages
streets
and
water
sewer
issues
throughout
the
city.
Last
year
it
completed
10
231,
work,
orders
and
continued
to
assist
with
debris,
removal
and
beautification.
Throughout
the
city,
the
department
scored
a
perfect
5
out
of
5
in
the
state's
evaluation
of
our
water
and
sewer
operations.
B
B
B
B
A
number
of
the
projects
are
designed
ready
to
bid
like
the
pops
ferry
extension
to
highway
90.
on
the
radar
are
a
number
of
water
sewer
and
drainage
projects
in
both
of
the
master
plants
for
west
biloxi
and
wool
market
also
included
are
recreational
projects
throughout
the
city
and
a
major
upgrade
to
the
aj
holloway
sports,
complex.
B
A
biloxi
fire
and
police
departments,
as
always
continue
to
provide
exceptional
service.
The
administration,
along
with
the
city
council
in
the
current
2023
budget,
recognized
the
importance
of
their
dedication
to
public
service,
focused
and
provided
significant
compensation
increases
to
the
departments.
B
We
need
to
keep
our
fire
and
police
rated.
At
the
top.
Last
year
we
saw
the
retirement
of
fire
chief,
joe
boney
and
assistant
chief
mark
granay.
The
fire
department
welcomed
nicholas
geyser,
as
its
22nd
chief
and
jason
earl
davis
as
the
assistant
chief
in
august.
In
addition,
11
new
firefighters
were
hired
and
three
new
fire
trucks
are
in
the
works
to
serve
stations.
Seven
eight
and
nine.
B
B
B
Our
police
department
is
no
different.
The
department
also
saw
its
share
of
retirements
resignations
and
hiring
13
sworn
officers
left
the
department,
but
13
new
officers
were
hired.
Four
dispatch
positions
were
also
filled.
The
department's
bomb
squad
remains
the
premier
unit
in
mississippi
the
investigations
divisions
continues
to
be
above
the
national
average
in
resolving
felony
cases.
This
year
the
department
began
its
citizens
police
academy,
designed
to
give
citizens
insight
into
how
the
police
department
serves
the
community.
The
inaugural
10-week
class,
wrapped
up
last
month,
graduating
more
than
a
dozen
participants
from
the
program.
B
In
the
engineering
department,
employees
continue
to
oversee
50
capital
projects
from
concept
to
design
and
construction.
They
completed
more
than
1
000
work
orders,
including
videoing,
sewer
and
strong
drains,
inspecting
ditches,
paving
and
by
way
of
gis
technology,
drew
maps
and
plans
for
utilities
and
easements
department,
also
oversees
online
road
closure
notices
and
street
sweeping
schedules.
B
B
B
We
also
saw
the
opening
of
the
blake
assisted
living
and
memory
care
community
off
of
cedar
lake
road,
the
legends
hotel
on
highway
90,
a
new
starbucks
in
front
of
the
edge
water
mall,
just
to
name
a
few,
don't
write
off
the
u-music
broadwater
development
or
the
tivoli,
or
the
former
margaritaville
casino
on
fifth
street
from
new
orleans.
Rizzuto's
italian
restaurant
in
the
redding
house
is
on
the
way
single
family
residential
development
is
off
the
charts
in
development.
B
B
Vendors
got
paid
and
biloxi
was
reimbursed
by
fema
and
we've
repaid
most
of
the
money
that
was
borrowed
most
of
our
storm
damage.
Piers
have
been
reopened.
The
colosseum,
pier
forest
avenue,
t
pier
and
ice
wharf,
porter
avenue,
north
and
oak
street
north.
The
lighthouse
pier,
will
not
be
rebuilt.
The
same
way.
B
B
We've
also
opened
bids
and
will
shortly
award
a
6
million
improvement
project
at
point.
Cadet.
The
project
will
replace
the
old,
fixed
piers
with
state-of-the-art
floating
dock
systems,
all
along
our
beautiful
back
bay.
Everyone
remembers
the
ugly
rocks,
weeds
and
scrub
trees
along
bayview
between
forest
avenue
and
kensington
drive.
That's
all
gone
now.
The
new
promenade,
a
two
million
dollar
project,
is
a
few
weeks
away
from
completion.
B
B
B
I
should
mention
a
couple
things
before:
wrapping
up
this
presentation
from
the
podium
after
the
video
I'll
have
some
updates
regarding
the
biloxi
beach
florida
and
the
much
debated
pops
ferry
bridge
challenges
a
great
benefit
to
being
my
age.
Things
are
recognized
for
what
they
really
are.
Many
have
heard
me
say
in
this
business.
Everything
is
not
what
it
seems.
It's
the
rule,
not
the
exception
that
experience
is
used
every
day,
like
leveraging
judo
in
making
biloxi's
case.
B
It
also
takes
innovation,
cooperation
and
collaboration.
We've
demonstrated
all
of
that
to
the
state
of
mississippi
and
to
all
of
our
neighbors
over
the
last
323
years.
That's
how
biloxi
was
built,
and
it
is
what
it
is
not
by
saying
you
can't
do
this
or
you
can't
do
that,
but
because
we
nearly
always
offer
how
can
we
help
you
do
it?
Please
don't
take
this
the
wrong
way,
let
biloxi
be
biloxi,
everyone
will
benefit.
B
We
look
back
on
the
roller
coaster
of
the
year.
We've
had
we
realized
too
the
opportunity
it
has
presented,
we've
seen
record-breaking
visitor
numbers
and
we
want
them
to
come
back.
So
where
do
we
go
from
here?
For
you,
your
children,
grandchildren
and
their
children
will
keep
working
relentlessly
for
them
and
will
keep
standing
up
for
our
biloxi.
B
The
hope
future
generations
will
enjoy
the
same.
Biloxi
that
we
have
enjoyed.
Biloxi
has
an
indomitable
spirit.
It
has
shown
time
and
time
again
throughout
its
history
those
challenges,
whether
man-made
or
natural
disasters.
Rest
assured,
it
will
always
endure.
Persevere
and
prevail:
we
are
biloxi,
god
bless
all
of
you
like
he
has
blessed
biloxi.
B
Thank
you.
Please
give
cece
and
vincent
and
all
public
information
folks,
a
round
of
applause,
too.
That's
a
great
video.
B
Today,
I've
outlined
you
know
the
broad
strokes
of
our
program
of
work
in
biloxi.
Let
me
acknowledge
and
thank
the
people
at
this
table
right
over
here.
That's
all
other
directors
of
the
of
of
of
all
of
our
employees
and
all
of
our
you
know,
departments
they
work.
A
B
Every
day,
doing
a
good
job
for
our
residents
and
visitors
alike
and
they
all
have
a
source
of
pride
in
what
they
do.
During
the
video
I
mentioned
a
number
of
employee
retirements
over
the
past
year,
vincent
creel
for
nearly
27
years,
biloxi's
public
information
manager
is
retiring
at
the
end
of
the
month.
B
B
B
B
Now
let
me
give
you
a
little
gaming
update,
115
million
dollars
of
gross
gaming
revenue
in
biloxi's.
Casinos
is
now
the
new
all-time
record
for
a
single
month,
and
it
was
for
last
month
march.
2022
I'll
give
you
the
details
later,
but
just
like
it
was
in
april
2021
the
state
of
mississippi
booked,
the
biggest
winner
got
it.
You
got
it.
Okay,.
B
B
Well,
this
is
a
bridge
update
where
I'm
going
to
well.
In
2015,
we
started
exploring
the
biloxi
beach
corridor
from
highway
67
down
shriners
through
wool
market
and
a
causeway
across
the
city,
belf
river
to
potts,
ferry
road
and
a
four-lane,
high-rise
hops,
ferry
bridge
with
the
extension
of
pops
ferry
road
across
pest
road
tying
into
highway,
90
just
west
of
the
coliseum.
B
At
that
time,
the
estimate
for
the
whole
project
was
255
million
dollars
just
like
the
eggs.
The
cost
estimate
of
the
high
rise
bridge
jumped
from
75
million
dollars
to
180
million
dollars.
When
united
bridge
partners
proposed
to
the
city
a
toll
bridge
as
an
option
to
be
built
in
five
years
and
paid
for
over
99
years.
B
B
However,
what
is
within
reach
is
the
rehab
of
the
bridge
mechanism
to
keep
it
from
getting
stuck
for
about
15
million
dollars,
we're
pursuing
and
closing
in
on
that
funding,
with
design
and
engineering
nearly
complete
and
a
significant
amount
of
the
right-of-way
already
purchased.
You
can
expect
the
next
the
bid
phase
of
the
popsbury
extension
to
go
to
get
started
shortly.
B
Then
potts
ferry
road
will
connect
a
major
highway,
a
huge
step
towards
getting
a
designated
state
road
each
year
at
these
luncheons
we
talk
of
hope
for
the
next
year.
We
talk
of
vision
and
opportunity.
We
use
a
lot
of
words
like
indomitable,
resilient
and
even
transformational,
but
this
in
my
seventh
year
as
your
mayor,
I'm
not
going
to
think
only
in
terms
of
goals,
I'm
going
to
be
driven
by
expectations,
expectations
for
progress,
expectations
for
cooperation
and
teamwork
and
expectations
of
biloxi,
getting
its
fair
shake.