City services, casino resorts re-opening doors

“We ducked a punch,” one-time boxer and Biloxi Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich said this morning of Tropical Storm Gordon, which had been projected to hit Biloxi before coming ashore with 70-mph winds in Pascagoula.

“We’re very fortunate, but at the same time we never want to become complacent,” Gilich declared. “Forecasting the weather is not an absolute science, and we must always plan and prepare according to what the weather authorities are telling us.”

Biloxi casino resorts, which were ordered closed Tuesday afternoon, were given the green light to re-open and all were expected to be open by noon. All Biloxi municipal facilities re-opened this morning, after non-emergency offices were closed at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The 300 or so vessels that on Monday had been ordered to evacuate Biloxi’s harbors and marinas were beginning to return.

Gilich, meantime, contacted Mayors Dane Maxwell of Pascagoula and Mario King of Moss Point to offer assistance. “They’re busy doing assessments of damage right now, but I wanted them to know that our thoughts were with them and the people of Pascagoula and Moss Point, and that we were here if they needed anything.”

 

Here’s the council meeting schedule

The Biloxi City Council will meet Friday at 5:30 p.m. to make up for its Tuesday meeting that was postponed because of the threat of Gordon.

The Friday meeting is necessary because the agenda includes a budget public hearing, which must be conducted seven days before the new budget can be approved, which generally must be in place by Sept. 15.

Because of the budget timeline, the council will meet again to approve the budget on Friday, Sept. 14 at 1:30 p.m.

The mayor and council will also hold a special meeting Thursday at 1:30 p.m. and Friday at 10 a.m. to discuss the Biloxi Waterfront at Point Cadet and related areas.
See the Friday  council agendas
See the Thursday agenda

 

News & notes: Breakfast, First Friday, T2TRun, no sirens

Breakfast with FoFo: The Biloxi Chamber of Commerce has rescheduled the Breakfast with the Mayor event, originally set to take place this morning, to Thursday, Sept. 27 at 8 a.m.  The event will take place at the Golden Nugget.  For details, contact the chamber at 228-604-0014.

First Friday: Biloxi Main Street will host its First Friday series with a “Who Dat Tailgate Party” Friday from 5 to 8 p.m.  along Rue Magnolia and the Biloxi Arts District.  For details, contact Biloxi Main Street at 228-435-6339.

T2T Run registration:  Registration for the annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Run and Climb continues until race day, Saturday.  The event, honoring the sacrifices of first responders and military heroes, begins at 6 p.m. in Ocean Springs, with the finish line, stair climb and after party at Margaritaville Resort in Biloxi.  For more information, click here.

And, finally: The first-Wednesday-of-the month test of the city’s tornado sirens, scheduled for noon today, was canceled. Said Mayor Gilich today, after hurricane warning sirens were sounded Monday and Tuesday: Enough with the sirens for now.