Residents oppose proposed annexation; Pascagoula council meets in closed session over Lowery Island expansion

Mayor Jay Willis presided over the City Council of the City of Pascagoula’s regular meeting on Jan. 6, 2026, where several residents spoke against a proposed annexation and the council later moved into a closed executive session to discuss Lowery Island expansion and potential annexation litigation.

During the public-comment period, Lisa Clark Cannon addressed the council on behalf of June Galbraith opposing the proposed annexation, and Greg Fleming also spoke in opposition. Marcus Pittman invited the council to Greater Antioch Missionary Baptist Church’s mortgage-burning ceremony. Keith Delancey raised concerns about traffic lights on Market Street and Matt Jones asked about an Inner Harbor pier. The transcript records these statements as remarks to the council but does not provide word-for-word quotes.

Later in the meeting, Councilman Matt Parker moved — and Councilman Chris Blythe seconded — to accept an amended agenda that included two executive-session items added by City Manager Justin Larsen: "expansion of business or industry" and "potential litigation." The council voted to enter a closed session (recorded as a unanimous "AYE" vote on the motions to proceed). Councilwoman Amy Brandenstein recused herself and left the meeting for the annexation discussion.

Council minutes record that the council held an executive session specifically to discuss expansion of business or industry related to Lowery Island and potential litigation regarding annexation. After returning to open session the council announced that no formal action was taken during the executive session.

Because the executive session was taken and the council reported no formal action, any next procedural steps or legal filings related to annexation or Lowery Island were not recorded in the public portion of the transcript.