City Leaders Disband Waterfront Committee

During the Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 18, Gulfport City Council members voted to dissolve the Waterfront Redevelopment Advisory Board and Economic Development Advisory Committee.

The issue was first brought up by Council member Sam Henderson at a meeting in August. Henderson asked the council to take a look at dissolving one or both of the groups because he had found it difficult to appoint a new member.

Since then, the EDAC and WRAB committee meetings were suspended until Tuesday night, when the council voted unanimously to disband the committees.

City Manager Jim O'Reilly said, "These boards were created in the 1990s . . .as part of efforts to reach out to the public . . . garner public input . . during an era (when) the city was taking a different path."

The committees were established in 1998 with the intention of lasting only one year.

O'Reilly said the evolution of private groups has allowed anyone to lobby or to address the council about the development of the city.

During previous City Council meetings, some members suggested creating a public arts committee and discussing the Senior Citizen Advisory Board. Those topics will possibly be discussed at upcoming City Council Workshops.

The Gulfport Community Redevelopment Agency is comprised of the Gulfport City Council.