Long Beach board adjudicates nuisance properties, approves drainage funding increase and community safety projects

At a Nov. 19 meeting, the Long Beach mayor and Board of Aldermen voted on a package of property, public-safety and infrastructure items, adjudicating code-enforcement matters, approving project budget changes and endorsing community safety initiatives.

The board opened by reading posted notices for several property hearings, including 900 West Beach Boulevard (Oasis Condominums) and properties on East 5th Street and East Beach Boulevard. After staff reported notice and outreach had been made, the board moved to adjudicate those nuisance/maintenance matters and directed the city building department to work with property contacts and provide updates at the next meeting. A board member said field crews had observed cleanup activity at the Oasis property and asked staff to follow up; the motions to adjudicate carried with no recorded opposition.

On an outstanding ARPA/MCWI compliance matter, city staff presented a corrective-action package recommended by the Horn Group and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to document and bring previously completed projects into compliance with funding requirements. City counsel noted the paperwork is intended to record compliance with DEQ/Horn Group forms and does not itself create new contractual obligations; as counsel put it, the forms are "a matter of compliance with their forms." The board voted to accept the Horn Group’s recommended corrective-action paperwork so the city could proceed toward compliance.

The board approved a budget increase and several scope concessions for the Magnolia Run drainage improvement project after engineers reported conflicts with two existing water lines that must be lowered. Staff proposed lowering striping specifications (from thermoplastic to paint) and reducing the full-width restoration from 100 feet to 60 feet to reduce costs. Engineers and board members discussed trade-offs in durability and cost; members approved the requested concessions while asking staff for clarification on striping materials and long-term maintenance implications.

The board also approved several community-focused items: it unanimously approved an Eagle Scout project from Troop 321 member Chase Cockrell to produce medical alert stickers for homes. Cockrell told the board 200 stickers cost $250 to print and that the initial batch had already been produced; the fire department agreed it could enter sticker information into the CAD/dispatch system so responders would see a flag for participating addresses. The board approved the project and asked that future funding requests be returned to the board if needed.

On special events and recreation matters, the board approved a Jingle Bell 5K fee waiver, granted conditional multi-year approval for a Trucks & Tacos event (subject to insurance 30 days before each event), and approved a Dulce cookie-decorating class. The recreation insurance renewal was approved after staff reported a roughly $300 premium reduction despite a small deductible change.

Procedural and operational items included authorization for the police chief to develop a local bid package for two police vehicles because state contract options were limited, approval of the city clerk’s October 2024 revenue-and-expense report, and unanimous approval of a memorandum of understanding to designate a police liaison to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Personnel actions approved after an executive session included step increases, resignations, new hires, promotions and a fire-department education pay item; the board recorded the approvals without detailed public vote tallies.

The meeting included several administrative acknowledgements — the board accepted notice that the Logans intend to remove a private drainage pipe at 123 West 3rd Street (staff confirmed there was no city easement) and approved replacement signage in the Jeff Davis business area under staff guidance. The mayor also reported that U.S. Fish and Wildlife had requested amber lighting for the harbor gateway to reduce sea-turtle attraction; the board approved moving forward with the change.

The board adjourned after completing the evening’s business. Items that will return for further detail include the Magnolia Run striping clarification, a work session on the proposed tennis/pickleball courts (scheduled for Dec. 10 at 5 p.m.), and any future funding requests related to the Eagle Scout sticker project.

Votes at a glance: motions to adjudicate nuisance properties, accept Horn Group corrective-action paperwork, approve the Magnolia Run concessions and budget increase, approve the Eagle Scout project, approve the Jingle Bell 5K and Trucks & Tacos event (conditional), authorize the police vehicle bid package, and approve personnel and finance reports all carried during the meeting (transcript records "motion carries"; individual vote tallies were not recorded in the public transcript).