City finances will be front and center Tuesday, with Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich and the Biloxi City Council reviewing FY 2022 spending plans in an afternoon meeting before the evening meeting where the city formally acknowledges receiving $6.5 million in state and federal COVID-19-related programs.
Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard said the proposed budgets for the Police, Fire and Public Works departments are expected to be will be reviewed with councilmembers during a 4 p.m. public budget session.
Mayor Gilich has said his vision of the budget is designed to help foster a safe, friendly and beautiful city, with significant increases in new police officers, beautification teams and other additions.
“You hear communities across the country talk about de-funding the police,” Leonard said, “but it’s the opposite in Biloxi. We’re proposing to see more Biloxi Police officers on our streets, with a commitment toward the overall goal of safe, friendly and beautiful. That’s what we all want, and it’s going to take investment and commitment.”
The budget discussions are expected to continue through mid-September, when the city adopts a budget that would be into effect Oct. 1.
At its 6 p.m. first-Tuesday-of-the-month meeting the City Council is expected to formally accept a total of $6.5 million in funding from federal and state COVID-related programs. The money, which is actually being received in the FY 2021 budget, includes $1.03 million from the state through the CARES Act, and $5.549 million, or about half of the $11 million committed to the city under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 program.
Also on the agenda: Nomination of Nick Geiser as the new chief of the Biloxi Fire Department, and funding measures for improvements to the Lighthouse Pier parking area. Members of the Asgard Motorcycle Club are expected to be onhand at the outset of the meeting to accept a proclamation.
The meetings of the City Council on Tuesday will be carried on the city’s LIVE stream at biloxi.ms.us, with a replay at 9 p.m. on BTV.
See the agendas and supporting documents
See city financial information
See replays of council meetings
