Biloxi council schedules town-hall on Broadwater property and nearby methadone clinic after resident complaints

The Biloxi City Council voted 7-0 to hold a town-hall meeting on April 15 at 6 p.m. in City Council Chambers to hear public comment and stakeholder testimony about the Broadwater property and activity around a nearby methadone clinic.

Councilmember Newman moved for a public hearing on the Broadwater property; the motion was seconded and carried on a seven-zero voice vote. Council members said the meeting should include property owners, homeless-service providers and neighborhood businesses.

The council took up the request after several council members and residents described recurring encampments, abandoned tents and trash on the Broadwater site. Councilmember Lawrence and others said Bi-loxi police and code enforcement have repeatedly removed camps but residents and council members reported people return, and that cleanup has been piecemeal pending CSX maintenance on the rail corridor. Council members repeatedly urged involvement of property owners and local homeless-service groups, including Back Bay Mission and Open Doors, to seek long-term solutions.

Council and staff discussed logistics and publishing deadlines before the vote. City staff said CSX has scheduled clearing work for its portion of the property and that the city is monitoring progress; the city does not pick up private trash on private property, staff said. Councilmembers asked staff to invite property owners, homeless-service providers, neighborhood representatives and law enforcement to the town hall.

Resident speakers urged faster cleanup and permanent solutions for the affected neighborhoods. One public commenter, who identified himself as a nearby resident, told the council his neighbors have experienced threats and property damage and asked to be included in any committee or task force formed to address the problem.

The council recorded that citizens had circulated a petition seeking a public hearing and that the petition had collected about 150 signatures. Councilmembers discussed possible meeting locations and agreed to hold the meeting in the City Council Chambers on April 15 at 6 p.m. The council confirmed the meeting would be published on the city's website; the motion to schedule the town hall was approved 7-0.

Council members said the town-hall will address the Broadwater property specifically and also permit broader discussion of homelessness and addiction citywide to avoid pushing problems from one site to another. Staff cautioned that some cleanup work is dependent on CSX and on private property owners' actions.

The town-hall will be billed as a public meeting; staff said they would follow publication requirements and invite the parties the council requested.