Holloway: New Year will see big-ticket improvements

The year 2007 will be a year of major accomplishment in Biloxi, with tens of million of dollars in major public improvements taking shape along the waterfront and throughout the city, Mayor A.J. Holloway says.

Holloway, in a front-page article appearing in today’s year-end issue of The Bay Press newspaper, says improvements will be made at the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor, Point Cadet Marina, the Biloxi Sports Complex and on more than three-quarters of the streets in the city.

The work, he reported, is the result of months of planning and coordination.

“While we were dealing with issues like water service, debris removal and streets and drainage, we were also chipping away at the time-consuming process required to make major improvements,” Holloway says. “As a result of this work, you’ll see tens of millions of dollars in major improvements take shape in 2007.”

To read the Bay Press column, which is also posted on the city’s web site, click here.

Condo tower on agenda for council meeting

A proposal to construct a 33-story condotel tower, part of a proposed 500-unit development known as The Tower and Townhomes at Edgewater, is among the more than two dozen measures on the agenda for the City Council meeting on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.

The Edgewater proposal, which was postponed from a Dec. 5 council meeting, would be constructed west of Edgewater Mall and involves two phases: Phase I would include 20 two- and three-story structures that would accommodate 160 town-home-type residential units with parking on the ground floor. Phase II of the proposal would include a 33-story tower that would house 340 units, meeting rooms, exercise areas, office space and a restaurant and lounge.

The council also will consider granting several variances for the proposal.

To see the council agenda – resolutions are unavailable online – click here.

News and notes

Water conservation: With a basic bill of $17.05 a month, Biloxi offers the lowest water and sewer rates around, and Debbie Cuevas of the city’s water division will be discussing ways for residents to keep their monthly water bills low on WLOX’s “MidDay” program this morning at 11. To see the tips online, click here.

Webcasting: Gary Michiels hosts this week’s “City Desk” webcast. To listen, click here.

New Year’s holiday: Non-emergency city departments and divisions will be closed Monday in observance of New Year’s Day. All municipal offices will re-open Tuesday at their usual times.