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Biloxi officials outline plan to rebuild 800‑foot pier, seek FEMA mitigation funds
Summary
City leaders described a plan to rebuild an 800‑foot pier damaged by storms, including a mitigated design with concrete piles and a 320‑foot breakwater. Officials said FEMA has committed $858,000 so far and the city expects to bid the project in February, with construction taking about 10–12 months after award.
Biloxi city leaders on Monday laid out details of an 800‑foot pier reconstruction project designed to make the structure more storm‑resilient.
Mayor and staff said Seymour Engineering completed a mitigated design that replaces wooden piles with concrete, uses flow‑through decking and adds a roughly 320‑foot breakwater intended to reduce repetitive storm damage. "We designed a project so we would not have to continually repair it," the mayor said during the meeting.
Officials said the estimated project cost is roughly $4.2 million but emphasized the final number will be set by contractors' bids. Staff described a two‑track bidding approach for February: one bid to rebuild the pier "as it was" and a second, alternate bid to build the mitigated, resilient version. They said bid evaluation should take about three months and construction about 10–12 months after contract award.
On federal funding, staff said FEMA has tentatively agreed to reimburse about $858,000 after two rounds of appeals, up from earlier lower offers. "We’ve got an assurance that we could get at least $858,000 from FEMA to put the pier back as it was," a council member summarized. Officials said mitigation approval could yield additional reimbursement (they estimated a possible mitigation award that could increase FEMA support toward the mitigated design), but cautioned that final reimbursement is tied to actual bid prices.
Council members repeatedly pressed for clarity about where any local share would come from. Staff said the city's obligation would come from the port authority enterprise fund and noted $1.97 million is currently in the project account (with roughly $188,000 already spent to date). Staff discussed using the port's annual mill equivalent revenue (roughly $2.4 million per year, received quarterly) and other port financing to cover any shortfall rather than the general fund.
Council members also asked whether the city must have all local funds on hand before bidding. Staff said the city can commit future port bond revenue as a financing strategy, but that final costs and reimbursement will depend on bids. "You don't have to have the money before you start the project. You have to have a budget to finish the project," one staff speaker said.
The council did not take a final vote on a construction contract at the meeting. Staff said they will submit the mitigated design to FEMA in mid‑January and, assuming FEMA's approval, plan to advertise bid packages in mid‑February.
What’s next: staff will submit the mitigation plans to FEMA, put the project out for bids after FEMA approval, and return to council with bid results and funding‑commitment recommendations.
