Infrastructure work tops breakfast with mayor

Biloxi’s infrastructure project, Restore Biloxi, has seen more than $32 million in work completed, and another $20 to $25 million will be “on the street” within the next six to eight weeks, according to a report this morning.

And Marvin G. Dalla Rosa, project manager for the firm HNTB, says the biggest part of the work – more than $200 million in water and sewer work from I-110 to Point Cadet – is expected to be out for bid later this year.

The report was part of the Biloxi Chamber of Commerce’s Breakfast With the Mayor, where Chief Administrative Officer David Nichols told the audience at the Hard Rock’s Vibe Restaurant that Mayor A.J. Holloway was in Washington, D.C. meeting with the state’s congressional delegation.

Holloway and Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes are “explaining to our congressional folks that the proposed annual increases in flood insurance would have a dire impact on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and would deter development in east Biloxi and along our front beach.”

Nichols pointed out that 6,000 flood policies are currently in effect in Biloxi, “so you can see we’re talking about a huge issue for Biloxi.”

Besides Dalla Rosa’s report, audience members heard from new Biloxi Fire Chief Joe Boney, who discussed his plans to promote the rich public service history of the Biloxi Fire Department. Main Street Manager Kay Carter spoke about a number of ongoing downtown events, including First Friday, Main Street movies, Cruisin’ the Coast, and Main Street’s continuing efforts to promote economic development in downtown Biloxi.

Read it and see it for yourself

The comments: To see the highlights of the remarks from Joe Boney, Marvin G. Dalla Rosa and Kay Carter,
click here.

The photos: To see dozens of photos from this morning,
click here.

The video: Chief Administrative Officer David Nichols referred to a video that tells the story of the city’s massive infrastructure project. To see the 90-second video, along with a Q&A about the infrastructure work, click here.