Gulfport council denies two contractor hires after debate over scheduling and salaries

The Gulfport City Council on Feb. 10 voted to deny two personnel approvals tied to a city contractor’s key positions after sustained questioning from councilmembers about salary ranges, job duties and a candidate’s availability while serving as a state representative.

Marcus, the contractor’s general manager, said the salary range under consideration was roughly $50,000 to $60,000 and described the event-manager-type roles as full-time with heavy weekend work. Councilwoman Corbett and others asked how a candidate who spends weekdays in Jackson as a state representative would meet the job’s scheduling needs. "Are you aware of the state representative position?" Corbett asked; the general manager acknowledged the schedule but said the work is often weekend-focused.

Councilmembers also discussed whether the positions would be city employees or contractor employees and whether executive session could be used to discuss personnel terms; city counsel said there was no clear exemption to close the discussion. After debate, the council voted to deny both item 19 (the first position) and item 20 (food and beverage manager); the clerk recorded the outcome as 5–1 on both votes. The mayor told staff the contractor would need to provide more information and follow up after the meeting.

Why it matters: The council’s denials block immediate hires for roles the contractor said are necessary for upcoming events and operations. Staff and the contractor will need to return with clearer metrics and scheduling plans if they want council approval in the future.