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Gulfport council approves $3.4M Coffee Creek sewer project, moves to expand pole-mounted cameras and advance fire‑safety equipment purchases
Summary
The Gulfport City Council voted March 3 to approve a $3.4 million Coffee Creek sewer rehabilitation project funded with RESTORE money, authorized a blanket agreement with Mississippi Power to attach cameras to utility poles at reduced rates, and advanced a grant‑backed procurement plan for new firefighting breathing apparatus.
GULFPORT, Miss. — The Gulfport City Council on March 3 approved multiple resolutions to expand infrastructure and public‑safety capabilities, including a $3.4 million sewer rehabilitation in the Coffee Creek area and a blanket agreement with Mississippi Power that staff said will lower monthly pole‑attachment fees for city cameras.
In a voice vote that the clerk recorded as carried unanimously, council members approved the Coffee Creek sewer project, which city staff described as installing two sewer mains on either side of a drainage ditch between 30th and 31st streets, adding a box/channel to improve drainage and placing culverts near Gulfport High School. City staff estimated the project at about $3,400,000 and said it will be paid 100% with RESTORE funds, requiring no local match.
Why it matters: Council members said the work will reduce suspended lateral services and improve drainage for roughly 40 adjacent residences, addressing long‑standing service and flooding concerns in neighborhoods across wards.
During discussion, Councilmember Hines said she was focused on ensuring ward priorities were balanced and stressed residents still must be able to “flush toilets.” City staff said the project will be part of a larger closeout and reallocation of MCWI/ARPA project funds.
On a separate item, the council approved a blanket agreement with Mississippi Power Company to allow city cameras and other devices to be attached to utility poles at reduced commercial rates. Staff told council the company lowered charges that had previously been as high as $150 per month down to $25 per pole under the new arrangement, enabling expansion of cameras in parks and other public sites. Councilmembers asked that deployment prioritize higher‑crime locations.
Fire‑safety procurement: The council also heard from Fire Chief Billy Kelly about self‑contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) that are beyond their 10‑year warranty cycle. Chief Kelly said the city plans to engage a vendor to do front‑end grant work; the vendor would be paid only if the department receives federal grant funding, and the equipment purchase was described as a life‑safety priority.
Votes and procedure: Multiple resolutions and routine agenda blocks (including items 5–10 and 11–21, with several items pulled for discussion) were approved by voice vote. The council amended one economic petition (Item 22) to match the county’s five‑year term before approving it.
What’s next: Staff will proceed with project contracting and grants work, and council members asked for placement priorities for cameras to be tied to crime and park‑maintenance needs. The Coffee Creek project will move into procurement and construction scheduling under the city’s normal contracting procedures.
