Harrison County supervisors agree to keep Coffee Creek outfall pavilion open to public and add rules, signs

Harrison County supervisors discussed how to manage a pavilion built on the Coffee Creek outfall and directed staff to post rules and signage clarifying public access.

The discussion began when Trey McKnight raised questions about how the county would administer the structure, whether it would be rentable like the Long Beach Pavilion and whether gates or closures would be needed. McKnight said the outfall structure “came over and capped and then built a pavilion out at the end of it” and asked whether the county intended to permit events there.

The board heard several comments favoring open public access. One supervisor said the pavilion was “paid by taxpayers, and anyone should be able to use it,” and another suggested a first-come, first-served rule with posted warnings. The board directed staff to have the road department produce signage with rules such as no glass and no alcohol, to consult the Bureau of Marine Resources about transferring the roof warranty, and to check with county legal staff about any permitting or rental rules.

No formal motion to adopt a rental policy was made. Instead the board treated the item as an operational direction: staff were instructed to post signage, adopt a first-come, first-served approach for general public use, coordinate with the Bureau of Marine Resources regarding warranty transfers, and work with legal on any permit/rental language.

The conversation closed with board members agreeing to monitor use and revisit the issue if problems arise. No changes to fee schedules or a formal rental permit were approved at the meeting.