by Hunter Dawkins, Publisher/Owner – thegazebogazette@gmail.com
Following discussion at Tuesday night’s meeting, June 6, 2023, the Pass Christian Board of Aldermen approved four projects for transfer of Capital Improvement Funds, reimbursement to the developers, and authorization of advertisement. Each project was met with opposition, but not all were deliberated on.
The first project transferred $100,000 from the Capital Improvement Fund to the Gulf Coast Restoration for a payment of Architectural & Engineering costs associated with the Development phase of St. Paul Center on Scenic Drive. These funds were given by the Mississippi State Legislature and have been reimbursed for the $500,000 transfer that was made in 2022 for the Pass Christian Bungalow project.
When called for a vote, the Pass Christian Board of Aldermen approved this measure 4-1 with Ward 2 Alderwoman Regina Charlot dissenting. Charlot has been consistently voting against these projects, not only because of tax waivers but also because of the upcoming budget.
The next two projects were approving reimbursement for developers of St. Paul Center and Trinity Park Subdivisions.
For the St. Paul Center, $65,000 for professional services in design of a proposed project pursuant to the development agreement with Pass Christian was authorized on another 4-1 vote with Charlot’s dissent. The reimbursement will be paid out of the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund and requested from the state.
$25,000 reimbursement was approved by the city for professional services of the proposed subdivision at the corner of Highway 90 and Henderson pursuant to the development agreement with Pass Christian and again authorized on a 4-1 vote with Charlot’s dissent.
The reimbursement will be paid out of a Capital Expenditure Grant that was created by the State Legislature and received by the city in February of 2022.
Finally, the last project was passed on a 3-2 vote to authorize City Engineer, Bob Escher, to prepare specifications plus drawings and create bid advertisement for up to 12 additional parking spaces on the concrete parking lot off Davis Avenue with the cost of the project not to exceed $107,500.
This project will also be funded by the same Capital Expenditure Grant from the Legislature.
Both Charlot and Ward 3 Alderman Kirk Kimball voted in dissent of this project. Kimball expressed this was a “waste” of city money and noted there are a lot of things the city could do with this money instead.
