The Mudcat Report Episode 30: City Budget

The Mudcat Report Episode 30:  City Budget 

HOST:  Hunter Dawkins -  Owner/Publisher of the Award-Winning Newspaper - The Gazebo Gazette, SuperTalk Mississippi News contributor, former Congressional Staffer, former Public Relations for the Attorney General's Office

PRODUCER:  Jeff Clark - Award-Winning Journalist, Multimedia/Podcast Host, Director for the Harrison County Senior Services

GUESTS:

• Barry Dreyfus - Pass Christian Ward 1 Alderman
• Donald Frazer - Long Beach Alderman-at-Large

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

The Gazebo Gazette is Harrison County's only independent newspaper. Publishing news from Gulfport is downloaded every Friday. Hi, Mr. Hunter Dawkins, owner of the Gazebo Gazette. If you're looking for local news without the hack on story through, story after digital story, log on to thegazebozet.com. Add your name to the digital audience of 250,000 plus coastal residents who already know where to find the stories that matter to them.

SPEAKER_05 0:36

Welcome to the Mudcat Report, community news, politics, and culture with a local twist. Here's your host, owner and publisher of the Gazebo Gazette, Hunter Dawkins.

SPEAKER_02 0:52

Good afternoon. My name is Hunter Dawkins, and I am the host of the Mudcat Report. This is the 30th episode. It's a Mississippi Gulf Coast Community News Podcast. Sponsored by the Gazebo Gazette, Harrison County's independent newspaper, the Beauer Vage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Nine Toes Brewing Company in Pasch Christian, O'Doire Realty Agent, Stephanie Makowitz, Joseph Kelly, attorney at law, Coast Casual in Pasch Christian, the insurance barn in Gulfport, Hook'em for Heroes block party, Saturday, September the 12th, right here at Nine Toes Brewing Company, and we're always in the U.S. Marine Inc. Studio. I'm here with my wonderful producer of the show and my good friend Jeff Clark. Well, Jeff is a well-accomplished award-winning journalist and the director of Harrison County Senior Services. Jeff, how are you, my friend?

SPEAKER_10 2:04

I'm well, Hunter. How are you doing, my man? You good? You well?

SPEAKER_02 2:08

Well, doing well. Getting back from Tampa, getting kind of caught up with everything else. Right on. Everything's going well. Jeff, our theme for the day is city budget. And now in Mississippi municipality, or city budgets are not due until the end of September. But there has to be talks right now, as the talks have begun in an attempt to add or reduce funds in departments as well as cut or raise taxes. Since I have lived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Jeff, for over 40 years, there have been only a few times where taxes were cut, but it's usually at the loss of reduction of a department, normally from this elimination of these or a rise in housing costs. You know, give me your thoughts.

SPEAKER_10 3:02

Well, I can tell you from uh from my personal perspective, you know, I you know, I work for Harrison County as the executive director of senior services. So we had to have our budgets turned in a couple weeks ago. We have a digital process uh this time, which is the first time we've had a digital process. Um you know, my my my department has I manage a team of about 60 people. Um it's a a lot of give back services, so it's it's a really it's a really large budget. Uh the county's going through some leadership changes again, but uh on August 15th, I'll go in front of the board of supervisors and present my budget and we'll discuss. And then in county government, you know, the fiscal year begins on October the 1st.

SPEAKER_02 3:48

So yeah, very much very similar, at least as far as the cities.

SPEAKER_10 3:53

Sure.

SPEAKER_02 3:55

Um, and you know, we'll obviously talk to these city guests, the aldermen, two aldermen that are in charge of you know, being responsible for watching out for citizens' interests.

SPEAKER_10 4:09

You know, it's uh there's always the chance property taxes, or you know, people are always concerned about that. You know, there's the school can ask for a millage increase. There's a there's a lot that goes on into putting a budget together, and it's always a very fascinating process. But uh let's uh pause for commercial break and we'll be right back with our first guest.

SPEAKER_04 4:31

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SPEAKER_02 5:42

Our first guest is my good friend, owner and CEO of the U.S. Marine Inc., who is also one of our great sponsors, and he has an even more important job, Ward 1 alderman of the city of Pascochan, Barry Dreyfus. Barry, how are you, my friend?

SPEAKER_09 6:02

I'm doing very well, Hunter. How are you?

SPEAKER_02 6:05

Doing great. Barry, I know how big you've been in the budget, at least from a financial perspective. What is the top priority for the budget right now in the city of Pascochan?

SPEAKER_09 6:20

To be balanced. It's that simple. You don't want to overspend and um create a deficit. We're working ourselves out of a deficit spending spree in the last administration. And um, you know, just balance the budget. That's it.

SPEAKER_02 6:39

What department or project is costing the city the most money right now? From what you guys have seen.

SPEAKER_09 6:49

You know, I'm this is only my second year, but police protection is paramount to the city, and it's normally the highest salaries, but we've got health insurance. Health insurance goes up every year, so that's always a concern. You know, then we haven't bought any vehicles for a while, so I know some of the departments are requesting vehicles. Every department wants to improve. So every year they'll put forward uh you know additional spending needed. It's up to us to be responsible and you know rank the priorities.

SPEAKER_02 7:28

Is economic development or maintenance of city needs uh more important for Pastor Christian to move forward?

SPEAKER_09 7:38

You know, city development. I'm like I said, this is my second year. I don't see a big increase in sales taxes, which should coincide with growth. We do have property taxes. Of course, of course, we went up three mils last year. I don't see us going up anymore, although some on the Alderman board wanted to raise it higher last year. I think we need to live within our budget right now. So, you know, with the growth of the city, we need two fire trucks now, aerial fire trucks, which is three million dollars. You know, that's on the horizon. We're not gonna pay for it with this budget, but it's something you have to look out for. That with growth, there comes cost and not just revenue.

SPEAKER_02 8:27

Is there any avenue like I know you guys brought up a potential hotel tax or a tourism tax, online tax, something that you guys can get uh at least something out of the pie for that would be beneficial for the city?

SPEAKER_09 8:48

I think everything's open. I think that needs to come up again, honor. I I need to talk to Alderman Pierness and try to persuade him to um support it, but he's got legitimate reasons, and that's why I like our Alderan board right now. There's no fighting, there's no of the emotional stuff that happened in the last administration. So I'll talk to Joe and see if there's a way to convince him to be on board with that.

SPEAKER_02 9:18

Well, and especially talking about the the last administration, not that we're gonna discuss that, but as far as you know, with with these personnel situations, these salary situations, is this, you know, this administration, at least from my view, has come across it's not a personal thing, it's more of a what can we do here and there. Talk to me about that. And if you think there's any gonna be any reduction of salaries for any personnel, or they're gonna cut positions in certain departments. Talk to me about that.

SPEAKER_09 9:57

Well, some people would like a cut for all the aldermen and throw us out of office, but I don't think that's gonna happen this time. But you know, you can't cut a person's salary, that's all there is to it. Last year we did a raise for all people that worked, cost of living raise. That's being talked about this year, also. You know, you have to take care of people, it's our number one resource. The city workers are responsible. Every city worker, every citizen is responsible for how good Pastor Shan is. So in this upcoming budget, we will we'll take a look at that. But I think salaries and benefits, you know, we cover a lot of health care for families within the city. That is an expense every time healthcare goes up. But you need to keep those. So your question, are salaries gonna get cut? I'll be voting against that 100%. And I think all the other Alderman and mayor and city clerk would also.

SPEAKER_02 11:04

Where do we stand with the city millage and the school millage? At least I know the school uh budget you guys usually have to handle a little bit quicker because of their fiscal year starts a little earlier than y'all's does. But as far as uh you know the millage requirements, is there any change in that?

SPEAKER_09 11:30

Or that so there's two different questions here: the city and the school. The school has state laws that they have to follow from the millage for the city. Uh it's elected for us to either raise or lower. I think we're making good progress on replenishing our budget surplus that was drained before. So I don't see an increase, but I don't see a decrease also.

SPEAKER_02 11:59

What's the status of the harbor? And are these any budget concerns uh with grants or with money coming in or out for that?

SPEAKER_09 12:11

Well, Marion uh governor, our city clerk, has done a magnificent job of juggling grants. You know, you will have a grant that can pay for another grant's match. She knows that so well. It's just it's amazing. Every time I talk to her, I learned something new. But the harbor should be good. We just had to go up on slip fees. We excuse me, we went ahead and started charging for electricity, which previously was not accounted for uh as well as now. James Butcher, our harbor master, has done a very good job redoing the lease for our balloon. Last year, I think it's one that I am hopeful we'll be running at the very least break even, possibly more, but I don't think we get the deficit we were last year.

SPEAKER_02 13:14

Bottom question, my friend. Will the law enforcement and fire departments have any chance for an increase in salary, or is it pretty much stagnant where it's at?

SPEAKER_09 13:26

Oh no, that's a great question. And you know, the city of Pas Christian is good because of the citizens and all the workers. While we need fire protection and we need police protection, if we don't have Paul, our clerk that pays the bills, they can't go get fuel. If we don't have Olivia who pays everyone's salary, nobody gets a check. If we don't have the city workers that clear the streets when we have trees come down, we won't pass. So I while I know we pay firemen and city when we talk about salaries, everybody needs to buy the same amount of gasoline as last year. And if it's two percent more, three percent more of the cost of living, the CPI index, people need to buy the same thing they could buy last year. So I don't dis disseminate between firemen, police, it's all workers. Then we can take a look at the departments and see where they need raises for special talents that are worth more to a city than other talents.

SPEAKER_02 14:38

My friend, you take care. Uh let us know how we can contact you if need be or the audience.

SPEAKER_09 14:46

Well, you've got my um city hall number is on the website. My personal cell phone, which you said not give out, but I always do, is 504-432-8464. And my Alderman address, I believe, is Barry Dreyfus at PC. I Hunter, I really don't know if it's on the website of the city, which is very informational.

SPEAKER_02 15:12

Well, we thank you, my friend.

SPEAKER_09 15:15

Thank you very much. Appreciate the opportunity, Hunter.

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SPEAKER_02 16:30

I would love to introduce my final guest and my good friend, three-term Alderman at large, Donald Fraser. How are you, my friend?

SPEAKER_06 16:39

I'm doing great, Hunter. It's good to see you as always and Jeff. Uh appreciate y'all having me. Uh I know this is a podcast, I'm a little late, so I do apologize for that, my friend.

SPEAKER_02 16:51

It's all good. It's all good. That's actually what the questions are going to be about, what you just came out of. Donald, have I have heard there are some personnel salary problems mentioned in the city budget workshop talks? Can you specify?

SPEAKER_06 17:09

Sure. Um so the wording, I I would the only part I would disagree with that is uh problems. Um uh notoriously Long Beach is a small town, and we're behind paying our employees. Um, would we love to pay everybody at the going rate that every city surrounding us uh is 100%. Uh we have some of the best employees. I can't go without saying that. Um the hard part is finding the money in the budget to pay our employees. Um, it's come to a critical point where when you're losing first responders to other towns because these gentlemen, these officers, these uh recruits, the deputies, uh the, you know, so on and so forth, not only them are taking jobs so that they can feed their families. Um, you know, it's that trickle-down effect. And how do we do it? How do we do it the right way, and how do we do it without raising taxes? Um, you know, we we run on a shoestring budget. I can I can vouch for that. Uh, welcome anybody to come to our budget meetings, you know, their public meetings. It it's a it's a tough call. And we're going to make sure we do the steps, the correct steps to reward our employees that have stuck with us for this long amount of time or through these times, the best way we can. I don't want to promise that oh, everybody's gonna get the money that's deserved. We're gonna give where we can and how we can.

SPEAKER_02 19:07

Uh under your idea, and this isn't just only for you, but since you're the mayor pro tem, thereby you speak for the board from a long-term thing. What is the top priority for this budget in the city of Long Beach?

SPEAKER_06 19:26

Man, there's so many. I have thanks, thanks, Honor. I appreciate that, you know. Um, yeah, so if you look at it, if you look at it, you know, we've had revenue, we've had some issues, and I'm not gonna that's probably not the best word to use, is is issues, but we've had some setbacks. Um, if you look at the city as a big picture, um look at last year when we had Windixie close down and Aldi came in and took over. Well, we were six to eight months without a major grocery store here in Long Beach, and when you have that, you're losing revenue every single day. You know, it doesn't go just with that, it goes with our mom and pop stores, you know. We have you know hits and misses on months. So, so I with that question, not to dance around it. Our biggest priority is making sure we bring in enough revenue to cover what is needed. And when I say that, let's talk about um our biggest two budgets are the fire department and the police department. Let's not even talk about salaries, take that completely out of this, but making sure these guys have the proper equipment, bulletproof vests. You know, every police officer that comes to work needs to be able to rest assured that they're going home to their family at night. And we need to make sure that we're taking the steps to make sure that they're properly equipped, not only with vests, with computer systems in their cars, the police cars, um, the fire department, you know, those guys, their turnout uh equipment, uh, the the trucks, you know, so on and so forth. And and I specify those two because they're the biggest ones, but let's not overlook our parks and recreation guys that make sure that the ball fields are cut for the baseball fields and uh you know the baseball games and the you know the things that we go out and enjoy, the town green for the concerts. It is we have to take care of our own and make sure that this is run smoothly and almost like. A family where the our employees want to stay here.

SPEAKER_02 22:04

What's the status of the harbor? And is there any is that a budget concern?

SPEAKER_06 22:11

Well, so if you look at our budget as we sit today on the 28th of July, at uh you know it's a zero budget. We we don't have uh anything budgeted at at this moment. Um, we had a long discussion because there are piers that are gonna open up. Now, I say this, don't have the public twist that going, when we open a pier or two, it's not gonna be without headaches. We still have to dredge the harbor to make sure you can get your boat in and out safely. But is that gonna be an everyday process? No, you know, if people understand as it comes along, on uh when it comes on that we are still working on other parts of the pier, and if they're patient, we it will grow together. So, and it will be an offset of what the city has spent over the last several years without any income coming in.

SPEAKER_02 23:26

Well, just a quick thing on that is in the next two years, minus knock on wood, there's no hurricane. Is there any chance the slips will start opening up again?

SPEAKER_06 23:39

100%. Uh within this budget year, which this budget year runs October to October, October 1 of 2026 to October 1 of 2027, um the board and the mayor have made the commitment to get the entire harbor open.

SPEAKER_02 23:58

Good deal. Good deal. Is economic development or maintenance of the city needs more important for Long Beach to move forward?

SPEAKER_06 24:09

Oh, uh 100%. Uh are you saying I'm sorry, the the question is one or the other?

SPEAKER_02 24:14

Yeah, one or the other. Economic development or maintenance of the city needs.

SPEAKER_06 24:20

That's again, again, Hunter's done his homework tonight. Uh you know, I I would say it would have to be a 50-50. Um, you know, we have to grow smart, but we have to maintain what we have. You know, you do we want the big, you know, uh uh corner store markets, and do we want the the revenue generating new businesses? 100%. But we can't we cannot forget who has helped us get there, you know, and that's every single business that is open today. Um, you know, it is crucial to maintain what we have and be able to add to it, but it is also just as crucial to uh go out and bring in new businesses to help us grow.

SPEAKER_02 25:18

Final question for you, my friend. Yeah, where do we stand, or the city of Long Beach stand on city millage? And I don't know if you're you can talk about but the school district millage, I'm not necessarily sure if y'all already discussed that or not.

SPEAKER_06 25:35

So, um, as far as the school district, um, the city and the school, uh, which you know, but I want to make sure that the public knows, they're two separate entities. Yes. Um, the city uh adopts the school budget as a pass-through. It's just formality. We are by law, we can't go in there and change anything. Um but with that being said, the school district and the city work well together day in and day out. You know, it it it is a partnership, and it has to be, um, being that the school is the biggest uh employer in our city. Um, so so as far as the school budget, we have adopted, we adopted at our last meeting, um, and that has been sent on to Jackson. As far as the city um millage, I don't see any change. Uh if so to re to reword it, um I will not, and and uh I know my fellow board members have zero plans to raise taxes, and that's the that's the word that you know everybody wants to hear. We look every day to deal with what we have coming in and how can we give the most services to our community.

SPEAKER_02 27:06

Absolutely. All right, and I know I said final question, but this probably I should have Lisa come in with you on this question. She's not far. I can guarantee you she's listening. I've heard this, and you know, I I'm just gonna throw this out there. I've heard there's some rumors that there's some plans for running for a position next year. Is that more than likely?

SPEAKER_06 27:32

Oh, that is a hundred percent that I will be running for uh state representative.

SPEAKER_02 27:39

Well, we congratulate you. We look forward to to seeing that, and we uh we hope that we can talk to you again before then.

SPEAKER_06 27:47

Awesome. I appreciate everything, Hunter. I always appreciate what you and Jeff do this podcast. You know, since it's come on, I I think I was on the second episode, but I am definitely uh a follower of it. I listen every week when you do send it out. It's something being on the road all day long. I do listen and I do learn some things. So for that, I do appreciate that. Um, and there will be more information to come uh as the campaign uh does kick off and and so on and so forth. But it it's a it's a huge thank you to you and Jeff for what you guys do. This this giving back to not only the Long Beach community, but the coast itself, because you guys, you know, you do counties, you do uh the cities and all that, and it's it's very informative. So thank you. Well, we thank you very much, and I will tell everybody the first announcement on the media that you are running, absolutely will now I have to go answer to the boss, but uh I appreciate you uh I appreciate you asking that question, sir. Thank you, sir. Take care of yourself. All right, have a great day.

SPEAKER_08 29:08

Mark your calendars for Saturday is September 12th, and head to Nine Toes Brewing Company and pass Christianne for the Hook Um for Heroes block party. It's a free event from 1 to 10 p.m. featuring live performances by JJ Gray and Mofro, Mark Roussart, Cedric Burnside, Honey Island Swamp Band, and more. Best of all, the event supports local veterans and first responders. So come enjoy great music while giving back to those who have served our communities.

SPEAKER_00 29:37

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SPEAKER_02 30:10

We gratefully appreciate you to listen to this podcast, and we thank you again, Jeff. We got a lot of good news there. You know, not only uh as far as city budgets and all that, but we got some campaign news, and it's uh it's definitely interesting to be in our our neck of the woods here.

SPEAKER_10 30:28

So yeah, absolutely. Some great information tonight. So uh once again, uh home run, knocking it out of the park.

SPEAKER_02 30:35

There you go, my friend. We want to thank all of our sponsors, including the Beau Revage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Nine Toes Brewery in Pas Christian, or I should say Nine Toes Brewing Company in Paskristian, making sure that I'm right with that. O'Dwar Realty Agent Stephanie Makowitz, Joseph Kelly, attorney at law, Coast Casual in Paskristian, the insurance barn in Gulfport, the Hook'em for Heroes block party on Saturday, September the 12th, and we're always in the U.S. Marine Inc. Studio. Make sure you check us out on YouTube under the Gazebo Gazette Productions, or follow us on the award-winning the gazeboazette.com, where the podcast will be posted later on this week, as well as on Facebook.com backslash the real gazebo gazette, or on X at Gazebo Gazette as the handle. The Mudcat Report is available on all podcasts, including Apple, Spotify, iHeart, and Amazon Music under the Mudcat Report tag. Signing out, this is Hunter Dawkins, and now you know the rest of the local story. Good night.