Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on Hurricane Florence relief efforts, the Halloween Bash on Coleman Avenue and the Waveland budget. 

All the volunteers took leave time from their jobs for this hurricane relief effort. With monetary help from dozens of Hancock County residents, the group was able to serve thousands of meals to people in Vass and Surf City, N.C.  ​

Attention all ghosts and goblins: Waveland invites you to the annual Halloween Bash on Coleman Avenue on Wednesday, October 31, from 5:30–7:00 p.m. There will be tricks, treats, face painting, a haunted house and many other surprises! This is a family-friendly event that children of all ages will enjoy.
 
To make this an even better event, we invite residents and businesses to set up on Coleman Avenue and hand out candy. 
 
If you are interested in setting up a booth or being a part of the event, please contact Raquel LaFontaine at Raquellafontaine@gmail.com(228-493-7246) or call Waveland City Hall at 228-467-4134.

Waveland adopted the fiscal year 2019 budget during September.  Financially, Waveland is on solid ground.  The general fund budget of just over $5.5 million has line items that will allow a boost in public safety. The city budget includes an addition of a patrolman, replacing several aging police vehicles, and positioning Waveland to take on several capital improvement projects. The tax rate of 37.55 mills is the same as last year so local taxpayers will see no Waveland tax increase.  
 
Two reasons for Waveland’s current good financial position is because the city mill value increased to $62,400 and the sales tax revenue is up nearly 3% from the previous year.  It is important for Waveland residents and weekenders to continue choosing to shop in local establishments and not online so Waveland will remain on good financial footing.

​During the construction of this project, DNA Underground will do their very best to accommodate Meadow Lane residents’ ability to access their house as they please. The one request Waveland asks is for all Meadow Lane residents to have their trash on the curb by 7 a.m.  Tuesday and Friday so that Waste Management can pick up the garbage before daily construction on the street begins.
 
Project two will be the Herlihy Street sewer replacement project. DNA Underground will also be the contractor for the abandoning and replacement of the sewer on Herlihy Street. The replacement is the largest of the sewer projects that Waveland will be undertaking.
 
The third infrastructure improvement project is the 6th Street, Gladstone and Waveland Cutoff project. This will entail lining some manholes, cleaning sewer lines and replacing selected sections of sewer lines.  The project has been awarded to Gulf Coast Underground. 
 
All three of these projects will be going on simultaneously and independently of one another.  Any personal property (mailboxes, driveways, culverts, grass, etc.) that is damaged during construction will be correctly repaired before the job is complete.  As a cost saving measure for taxpayers, Waveland will be separately contracting the paving of the roads once the three projects are complete. Paving the roads after all three sewer projects are completed will save Waveland taxpayers over $50,000. 

If you have any questions, please contact project representative Mickey Lagasse at 228.372.4427 or mickey@comptonengineering.com

City of Waveland has ramped up addressing blighted properties over the last several months.  The building department, led by Dave Draz and Josh Hayes, has been addressing dozens of projects since the beginning of the year. 

​This past month, two blighted properties were removed, and this month two more blighted properties have been ordered to be removed. The most noticeable property that is going to be removed this month is the former Day’s Frontier building located on Highway 90.
 
If you have a blighted property you would like Waveland to address, please file a complaint with Waveland Building Department.

If you have driven on Highway 90 lately, you have noticed the beginning stages of construction.  This Highway 90 project is 100% funded by Mississippi Department of Transportation and it is going to address traffic safety from the Waveland city limit all the way to the Bay Bridge. 

The project will improve safety of traveling on the highway by thinning out the median, making some turning lanes longer and moving lighting to the outside of Highway 90.  Several construction crews will be working on the project at one time so traffic on the highway will be congested at times.  

The project will take around six months to complete, so allow yourself extra time if you have to travel along Highway 90. 

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on the 2018 Waveland Business of the Year, Waveland Ave. sidewalks, Elwood Bourgeois Park, and garbage pick-up.  

The Waveland Avenue sidewalk project just got a lot closer to reality. Mississippi Department of Transportation has finally approved for Waveland to go out for bid for a contractor. This means Waveland will be advertising statewide for a contractor to construct sidewalks.  

​The proposed project will have 3 miles of 5’ sidewalks, ramps, and necessary drainage along the east and west sides of Waveland Avenue.  The project will paid from 80% federal funds and 20% local fund. If the project comes in above budget, Waveland will seek additional funds or will slightly scale back the project until additional funds become available.

The plan as of now is to select a contractor before the end of the year and have construction start soon after. The awarded project will be completed before the end of 2019.

Local engineering company and sponsor of the What’s Up, Waveland column, Chiniche Engineering, designed this project and will be overseeing the construction of the project.

​A restroom facility is currently being constructed at Elwood Bourgeois Park. The permanent cinder block facility will be completed by the end of the month. In addition to the restrooms, a small covered sitting area will be constructed near the splash pad.
 
Waveland had a majority of the materials needed to construct the restroom facility from previous projects and was able to do a lot of the work with city employees.  The cost to construct these two projects at Elwood Bourgeois Park is less than $15,000 and will allow Waveland to get rid of the weekly rental of the portable toilets.

 As the chairman of the Hancock County Solid Waste Authority, I am working closely with Waste Management to make sure all our garbage is being picked up as scheduled.  Please let me or Hancock County Solid Waste Authority administrator, Dawn Malley, know if your garbage is not picked up as scheduled.
 
Contact Information:
 
Jeremy Burke (HCSWA chairman) – 228.493.7399
 
Dawn Malley (HCSWA administrator) – 228.549.2052

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports a celebration of Ernest Hemingway's birthday to benefit the Ground Zero Museum, the MS Municipal League Conference and Waveland capital improvements. 

This patron party event is limited to 250 guests. Advance tickets are $66 per person or $119 for two and tickets at the door are $75 per person and $140 for two. The proceeds of the sales of the tickets go to benefit the Ground Zero Hurricane Museum fund of the Hancock Community Development Foundation.

Ernest Hemingway's 119th birthday celebration will continue on Saturday, July 21st with the "No Bull Fun Run".   This event is a 1K Fun Run for HemFest and begins at Central Avenue and Coleman at 6:00PM. The bulls will be roller derby ladies on roller skates and runners are encouraged to wear your best whites and red scarf!  The race entry is $25 per person in advance and $35 per person on-site. During and post-race refreshments include paella, sangria, and cold brew courtesy of Rum Kitchen.

To purchase your tickets for either event, contact Linda Aiavolasiti at 228.216.0561 or linda@wavelandgroundzero.com.

During the week of June 25th to June 27th Mayor Mike Smith, Alderman Charlie Piazza and I attended the 87th Annual Mississippi Municipal League Conference in Biloxi. The MML Conference has over 2,500 attendees and is a great opportunity for public officials to get professional training and to network with other public officials from all over Mississippi.

I am delighted to report that Mayor Mike Smith was able to satisfy the graduation requirement for the advance level of the Certified Municipal Official (CMO) program.

I was also able to complete the final level of the Certified Municipal Official program, the professional development level at the conference.  Although I have no more level to complete, I will continue to attend classes because I never want to stop learning.

Although the certification course is voluntary, receipt of the designation of Certified Municipal Official requires completion of core courses: Municipal Organization, Municipal Law, Municipal Finance, Municipal Land Use and Community Development. The CMO program provides the participants training to become more effective leaders for Waveland.

Established in 1931, MML represents 295 city, town, and village governments in Mississippi. The mission of the MML is helping cities and towns excel through training, lobbying at the state and federal level, and providing resources and networking opportunities with state, federal and private entities. For more information about the Mississippi Municipal League, visit www.mmlonline.com.

In the past month, the Waveland Board of Alderman submitted a number of applications for  capital improvements.

Waveland's goal is to make transportation for pedestrians more safe. The Board has applied to construct a bike/walk lane on Central Avenue from Waveland city limits to Waveland Avenue.  I will report back in a few months to inform everyone if the project will get funding from MDOT.

The Board of Alderman also applied for 3 Tideland Trust projects.
The project we applied for are as follows:
1. Handicapped accessibility ramp to the water's edge
2. Beach pagodas
3. Parking bay along Beach Blvd with electric car charging station

Waveland will learn which Tideland project will be funded in early 2019.

Waveland Mayor Mike Smith gives a state of the city report, looking at current, future and proposed projects that will continue the revitalization of Waveland. 
- photos by Lionel Haynes, Jr. and Ellis Anderson 

Thankfully, there has been a lot of interest in the Coleman Avenue district, as well as Highway 90.  I am really excited over the amount of interest in the Coleman Avenue area.  There’s the potential for condos, restaurants, and other prospects that cannot be discussed at this point.

I’m very excited that the lease was awarded to Studio Inferno to take over the vacant spaces of the Waveland business center. I’m really pleased that this business is now open on Coleman Avenue. We believe that it will promote growth in the downtown area of Waveland. These artists are wonderful people and bring a unique type of art culture to our charming little city. If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit Mitchell and Erica Gaudet, please do so. You will not be disappointed.

2018 will bring the long-awaited and much-needed beachside parking bays along Beach Boulevard, along with pagodas along the walking/biking path.  The Nicholson Avenue widening project is also scheduled to begin this year. This project will create a bike path alongside of Nicholson Avenue from Highway 90 to the railroad. 
​

Projects are beginning to break ground such as the much-anticipated lighthouse/bathroom facility, which is in the process of being built and should be completed by summer 2018.

​This project is a true partnership between the Board of Supervisors and the City of Waveland. The lowest and most responsive bid received was $1.9 million. The Hancock County Board of Supervisors pitched in more than $800,000 from Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) funds and the balance is being paid through tidelands funds. This means the cost to taxpayers is zero. We owe a huge “thank you” to the Board of Supervisors.  

One very important note: many residents do not understand that the monies being spent on the lighthouse/bathroom facility cannot be used for other projects such as paving streets, or any other project not connected to the beach.

The Waveland Avenue sidewalk project will go to bid very soon.  It consists of five-foot sidewalks on the east and west sides of Waveland Avenue, from the railroad to Highway 90. This project was approved for funding in 2015. It is a Mississippi Department of Transportation funded project which means that many departments of the agency have to approve each step. However we are almost over those hurdles. 

The citywide sewer repair project will begin shortly, now that the few remaining ROE (Right of Entries) were signed. Please be patient in the areas that are to be replaced. It will be aggravating until these repairs are completed. Major work areas will be Meadow Lane, Herlihy Street and a portion of Gladstone.

A small bathroom facility will soon be constructed at Elwood Bourgeois Park, thanks to the revenue received from the sale of the city’s remaining mobile homes that were previously used as the police station and for Public Works.

The Wikoffs have completed the overview of the Coleman Avenue Plan, which consists of an elevated boardwalk.  Businesses would be located along the boardwalk to overcome the challenges with the drastic flood elevations imposed by FEMA. Once the architectural drawings are complete, we will have those available for review, and hopefully garner the support of the community. 

We have been approved for funding by the Mississippi Development Authority to build a brand new community center in Martin Luther King Park to replace the center that is there now. The existing center is full of mold and rot and is unsafe to use. The new center will be 1,200 square feet, with a kitchen, indoor restrooms and outdoor restrooms. The center will be available for weddings, birthday parties, etc. The required fee and deposit for the use for these facilities will help defray the cost of insurance and maintenance.

2018 will be an aggressive year for blighted properties throughout Waveland. The Days Frontier property has been demolished and plans are being submitted for two businesses at that location. Other properties are making their way to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for demolition. Mr. George Coatney (litter control) has been hired and is working diligently to keep the city clean, along with help from the Public Works department. Great job!   

As you may have noticed, ditches are being dug throughout the city to help alleviate the flooding and will be in a neighborhood near you soon.

The golf cart legislation has passed through the state Senate and will go into effect as of July 1st. The Waveland and Bay St. Louis ordinances almost mirror each other, so that the cart drivers can cross city lines and not have to worry about different requirements.
​
In closing, I would like to thank each and every citizen for the opportunity to serve as your mayor. It is a pleasure to serve the city I love.
​

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on the St. Clare Seafood Festival and the new recycling bin at the Waveland City Hall. 

On Friday evening, Got Groove will be performing; Saturday at 1:00 Elvis will be entertaining; Saturday evening,  Category 6  perform; and Ross Grisham will play at 2:00 on Sunday.  Later that evening Philman Ladner and the 3 C's will get the music going until the St. Clare Seafood Festival comes to a close with a great fireworks display. There is also classic car show starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday on the church grounds.
 
In addition to the festival, the 6th annual St. Clare Seafood Festival 5K race will take place on the Waveland boardwalk on Saturday, May 27, at 8 a.m. See run/walk registration details here.
 
Please make plans to have a good time while supporting St. Clare this Memorial Day weekend.

Waveland is excited to announce improvements to trash and recycling services offered to citizens. Waste Management has placed a community recycling bin in the parking lot of Waveland City Hall. 

​The recycling bin is funded by the Hancock County Solid Waste Authority.   The bin provides an opportunity for Waveland residents not to go outside the city limit to dispose of their recyclable goods.  The recycling bin will be emptied every Monday.
 
What can you put in the recycling bin?

• Plastics 1 - 7
• Aluminum, steel and tin cans
• Milk and juice cartons
• Mixed paper (e.g. magazines, newspaper, office paper, etc.)
• Corrugated cardboard and boxboard (e.g. flattened boxes )
• Glass jars and bottles

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on the Studio Waveland inaugural art show, the Crawfish Cookoff and the new state law about golf carts. 

The participating artists include:
Stephen Paul Day,  Sybille Peretti , Mary Jane Parker, Gary Oaks, Michael Guidry, Shmuela Padnos,  Karen Edmunds, Frances Swigart, Hiroshi Yamano, Patti Meagher, Jolene Barkley, Charles Bendzans,  Bonnie Bendzans, Erica Larkin Gaudet, and Mitchell Gaudet.

This art exhibit at Studio Waveland will be the first of many collaborative openings showcasing exciting work of group and solo exhibitions of local, regional, national and international artists.

Studio Waveland hopes to promote the arts and culture of Waveland & Hancock County by participating in gallery openings every 2nd Saturday evenings of each month. Studio Waveland has a list of exciting events planned as well. Please connect with Studio Waveland through Facebook & Instagram and subscribe to www.studiowaveland.com to stay informed of future events & openings.

The gallery opening is open to all. Please spread the word.

To read more about the Gaudet's and their coming to Waveland last December, click here.

Samples of work from the show

C&R’s Bar and Grill’s 11th Annual Crawfish Cook-Off will be held on Saturday, April 7th from 10:00–4:30 on Coleman Avenue.

Team entry is $150, and C&R provides teams with sacks of crawfish. Prizes of $500 and $250 will be awarded to the champion and runner-up teams, respectively. Trophies will be given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams, as well as to the People’s Choice, Most Unique Edible Lagniappe items, Crowd Favorite and Best Booth.

Teams entries are limited for this event, so call 228-493-9922 today to secure your spot,

Admission is just $25 for adults and $10 for kids (9–12), and under-8s are free. The C&R crawfish cook-off will benefit Hope Haven of Hancock County. ​

Golf carts may soon be legal on some streets in Waveland.  

Waveland with the support of Hancock County’s delegation with Philip Moran was able to get MS Senate Bill 2940 passed through the Senate and House during the 2018 Mississippi Legislative Session.  The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and with very little opposition in the House. All the bill is waiting on is the signature of Gov. Phil Bryant.

Waveland is committed to ensuring safety of all parties that drive on our roads. An operator of a golf cart must be a licensed driver and golf carts will be restricted from some Waveland roads.  

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on the St. Paddy's Day parade, the new amendment to the city charter and the ground-breaking for the lighthouse! 

The parade will start on Waveland Avenue, travel down Central Avenue, turn right onto Coleman Avenue,  right on Beach Boulevard and then disband at Waveland Avenue.  Waveland Police Department decided this route is logistically the best route for the parade.  Hope to see everyone lined up on the route ready to catch beads, cups, and, of course, cabbage!

​ 
The Waveland Board of Aldermen voted and approved in February to amend the Waveland charter.  The major change to the charter is moving the date the newly elected mayor and alderman assume office. The Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to move the date of being sworn into office from the day after the general election to the first regular scheduled meeting in January. This will allow for a one-month transition period for the newly elected mayor and aldermen.
 
The proposed amendment must be sent to the Mississippi Secretary of State for his approval before the change can become official.

​If you have driven down Beach Boulevard lately,  you may have noticed the fencing around the parking lot at the foot of Coleman Avenue. That means construction is about to start on the much anticipated Waveland Lighthouse.  
 
The city of Waveland would like to invite you to the ribbon cutting for the Waveland Lighthouse on Friday, March 9th, 10:00 AM at the Waveland Lighthouse site with a reception to follow at the Waveland Business Center. For more details,  please call Waveland City Hall at (228) 467-4134.  

Waveland Mayor Mike Smith sits in as columnist for Alderman Jeremy Burke this month, with a look back at 2017 and a look ahead into the coming year. 

​Also, 2018 will bring the long awaited and much needed parking bays along  Beach Boulevard  and pagodas along the pedestrian beach walking path.

The Nicholson Avenue overlay and bike path project is in the design/survey phase. This project will create a bike path alongside Nicholson Avenue from Highway 90 to the CSX railroad.

The Waveland Avenue Sidewalk project which will go for bid in early spring consists of five-foot sidewalks on the East and West sides of Waveland Avenue from the CSX railroad to Highway 90. This project was approved for funding in 2015.

The sidewalk project is funded through the Mississippi Department of Transportation, and several departments of the agency have to approve each step. However, we are almost over that hurdle.

A city-wide sewer repair project will begin as soon as the few remaining right-of-entries are signed. Please be patient in the areas that are to be replaced. The areas that will be most affected with the construction will be Meadow Lane, Herlihy Street and a portion of Gladstone.

​At the very end of December a lease was awarded to Studio Inferno to take over the vacant spaces of the Business Center. I’m really excited to have this arts center open on Coleman Avenue. We believe that it will promote growth in the downtown area of Waveland. These artists are wonderful people and bring a unique type of art culture to our charming little city.

A small bathroom facility will soon be constructed at Elwood Bourgeois Park, thanks to the revenue received from the sale of the city's remaining mobile homes that were previously used as the Police Station and Public Works. 

​Edward H. Wikoff Architects PC have completed the overview of the Coleman Avenue plan, which consists of an elevated boardwalk containing businesses on the boardwalk to overcome the challenges with the drastic flood elevations imposed by FEMA.

Once the architectural drawings are complete, Waveland will have those for review, and hopefully find support from the community and a funding source for this project.

In closing, I hope you and your family had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!

-Mayor Mike Smith

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on Christmas on Coleman, blighted properties and county update. 

Christmas on Coleman 

The city of Waveland is hosting "Christmas on Coleman" on Saturday, December 9th, from 5:30pm -  7:30pm.  Santa will be visiting with children, refreshments will be served and games will be open to all.  A golf cart parade cruises down the avenue in front of city hall as a featured festivity.  

If you'd like to be in the Golf Cart Parade, call city hall at 228.467.4134 for details!  

Blighted Properties 

This month, Waveland is going to address three properties that have been eyesores for years.  At the December 5th Waveland Board meeting the fate of the following properties is going to be decided: 706 Birch, 708 Birch and 600 Highway 90 (formerly Day's Frontier).

If the Waveland Board of Alderman deems the properties are in violation of the blighted property ordinance, the owner of the property must clean-up the property or Waveland is going to be forced to clean-up the property for them.

Since Waveland hired full-time building inspector Josh Hayes, Waveland has been able to get more aggressive on tackling dilapidated structures.  The Waveland Building Department has developed a system to identify and address blighted properties that have been plaguing Waveland for years. 

County Update

The Hancock County Board of Supervisor is about to finish the second year of their term.  During the last year, Waveland and Hancock County Board of Supervisors have tackled several problems and projects together.  The Hancock County Board of Supervisors recently sent out a letter about what they have accomplished in 2017 and what their vision and goals are for 2018.

Below are a few excerpts from the county letter that pertain specifically to Waveland: 

•Stabilized Healthcare in Hancock Medical. After an extensive process, we can now remove taxpayer obligation and concern regarding the fate of Hancock Medical and look to generate revenue for county, expand services and secured a long term partner for our county with Ochsner Health Systems. 

 We also adopted the county’s first commercial incentive policy for properties on our major roadways in Bay St. Louis, Waveland and Diamondhead. 

The next fiscal year will be our most aggressive year to date and includes the following priorities:

•Corridor Enhancement & Recreational Improvements.  Playgrounds for Dedeaux, Bay St. Louis and Necaise were approved in the new fiscal budget, and we will construct new welcome signage on our major corridors entering Hancock County.  

•Beachfront Improvements.  We are partnering with the City of Waveland on the Coleman Avenue Lighthouse Project and approved funding for new parking locations on the beachfront near Coleman Avenue and Lakeshore Road.  

​Click here to read the 2017 State of the County document in PDF form. ​

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on the beach walking/bike path, the Waveland Christmas Bazaar and the ground-breaking on the Waveland lighthouse. ​

Waveland Christmas Bazaar
​
The 4th Annual Waveland Christmas Bazaar is Friday, November 17th and Saturday, November 18th at the Ground Zero Hurricane Museum on Coleman Avenue. This free outdoor and indoor event features local arts, crafts, jewelry, candles and much more.  Local restaurants will serve lunch and dinner. On Saturday from 8:00AM-9:30AM there will be a pancake breakfast with Santa.

The bazaar is a cash-and-carry-items event, and local businesses are encouraged to participate.  This event is a great way to find that unique local gift to give to your family and friends this Christmas.
​
 If you are interested in being a vendor, please email clu1964@gmail and request a vendor application.  The bazaar is attempting not to have duplicated booths, so please list all items that you wish to sell on your application.  Deadline for vendor application is November 10th.

Waveland Lighthouse

The wait is finally over.  The Waveland Lighthouse and Public Pavilion Project construction is about to start.  The Waveland Mayor and Board of Alderman awarded a contract to Barnard & Sons Construction to build the Waveland Lighthouse and Public Pavilion at a special meeting on October 26th.
 
The Waveland Lighthouse has been a dream for years, but it is finally coming to fruition.  The current administration has been allocating money for this project since we took office. This project is being constructed in partnership with the Hancock County Board of Supervisors. The project is going to take approximately one year to construct. The Waveland Lighthouse and Public Pavilion is going to be a welcome addition to the Waveland beachfront.

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on Trick or Treat on Coleman, and update on bike and walking path improvements and a new member of the city building department. 

If you are interested in setting up a booth or being a part of the event, please contact Raquel LaFontaine at Raquellafontaine@gmail.com (cell 228-493-7246) or call Waveland City Hall at 228-467-4134.

Sidewalk and Bike Paths Update

Slowly but surely Waveland is making the city more pedestrian friendly.  I have a few recent sidewalk project updates that I can provide.
 
At the September 5th Board meeting the city of Waveland preliminarily approved the contract for the Nicholson Avenue Pedestrian Improvements Project.  This project is slated to be funded by MDOT in fiscal year 2019.  The project will consist of resurfacing, restriping and to include widened shoulders of road to allow for bicycle and pedestrian access on Nicholson Avenue from Highway 90 to the CSX railroad crossing.
 
At the September 20th Board meeting, the city of Waveland took action to authorize a local engineering  to begin a city-wide sidewalk study.  The purpose of the study is to identify and develop the most effective plan to address sidewalk connection throughout Waveland.  This study will give Waveland professional recommendations and cost-benefit analysis on how to precede further developing Waveland’s sidewalk corridors.

New Building Inspector

​Next time you call for an inspection for your construction project in Waveland you will see a new face.  Waveland has hired Josh Hayes as Waveland building inspector.  Josh is a knowledgeable and experienced certified building inspector and will be an excellent addition to the building department team.  

Mayor Mike Smith sits in as columnist for Alderman Jeremy Burke this month, with a "State of Waveland" update on the lighthouse project, park improvements, the Waveland Business Center, blighted properties, gateway enhancements and sewer system repairs.  

​Martin Luther King Park received a new splash pad last year and now other areas of the park are in the process of being renovated. The Community Center is being rebuilt, and walkways are going to be rebuilt at the park.

Presently the Waveland Business Center sits half-occupied, but I'm optimistic that will change in the near future.  Waveland is actively exploring the possibility of surplussing the Waveland Business Center building to a Waveland redevelopment commission.  This would allow the commission to negotiate long-term leases, which by law is difficult for municipal governments to do. If Waveland is able to form a redevelopment district, I believe that will allow the Waveland Business Center to be more attractive to potential tenants.  

Blighted properties have been a big issue for the past 12 years. Waveland is currently making a huge push to get these properties cleaned. Blight enforcement officer Don Sibenkittle, along with our Waveland Building Department are bringing these properties to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for resolution.

I was just awarded a scholarship from Mississippi Power Company to attend the True South Economic Development Course at the University of Southern Miss. This is an intensive four-day course that will hopefully answer the looming question we’ve had since Hurricane Katrina:  how to encourage development on Coleman Avenue, as well as Highway  90.

​Waveland has applied for a gateway enhancement grant that would address the main corridors into Waveland:  Waveland Aveune-Highway 90, Highway 603-Highway 90 as well as Kiln-Waveland Cutoff- Highway  603. Items included in this grant are professional landscaping, lighting, tree screening along Highway 90 and way-finding signage.  

​If you live on Herlihy, Edna, Meadow Lane or East Meadow Lane, this pertains to you:  over the next couple of months the city of Waveland will begin work on completely revamping our 40-year-old sewer system in your area. Of course that comes with disruptions in daily life for residents until this project is complete. Thank you in advance for your patience!

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on the Mississippi Municipal League conference, a Touch-a-Truck Community Awareness event, the city's new website and Team Waveland participating in Relay for Life.  

I was also able to complete the advanced level certification and move to the professional development level portion of the program.
 
Although the certification course is voluntary, receipt of the designation of Certified Municipal Official requires completion of core courses: Municipal Organization, Municipal Law, Municipal Finance, Municipal Land Use and Community Development. The CMO program provides the participants training to become more effective leaders for Waveland.
 
Established in 1931, MML represents 295 city, town, and village governments in Mississippi. The mission of the MML is helping cities and towns excel through training, lobbying at the state and federal level, and providing resources and networking opportunities with state, federal and private entities. For more information about the Mississippi Municipal League, visit www.mmlonline.com.

Waveland Community Awareness Day

Waveland Website

The city of Waveland website has a new look. Waveland-based Lime Pi Digital is building and will maintain the site. The last update I received was that Lime Pi is putting the final touches on the site, and it should go online in early August. More content will be added over the next several months, including a feature that will make reporting an issue to Waveland quicker and easier.

Team Waveland

​City of Waveland will have a booth at the Relay for Life event on Saturday, August 5.  If you would like to volunteer to help at the booth or purchase a purple ribbon that goes towards Waveland fundraising efforts, please contact April Depreo at 228.202.5308.

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on the half-million dollar Waveland library bequest, a new festival in Waveland that will delight fans of Ernest Hemingway, the retirement of Christine Gallagher and new police cars.  

 The money is being managed by People’s Bank and will be transmitted to the foundation in increments of $20,000 a year until those funds are exhausted. The first installment was received by the Library Foundation in June.

With that money, the library purchased state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment for the meeting room, as well as a laptop cart and laptops, which will allow for digital literacy classes at the Waveland branch. It is important to note that this money cannot be used to pay for library operational expenses, but it does provide an opportunity to expand library services for our Waveland Library.

HemFest in Havana
 
Do you like a fun birthday party? Well, I have a birthday party for you.

Friday, July 21 at the Waveland Ground Zero Museum starting at 7 p.m., Waveland will celebrate Earnest Hemingway’s 118th birthday. HemFest in Havana is hosted by the Hancock Chamber and the Rum Kitchen. 
 
HemFest in Havana will feature Cuban-inspired food and drinks made by the Rum Kitchen, a mobile cigar bar, and calypso music with a lot of salsa dancing.
 
And, ATTENTION! HemFest is looking for a few stocky bearded men to participate in the Hemingway look-a-like contest. 
 
This event is limited to 100 guests. Tickets are $65 per person or $118 for two tickets. The proceeds of the tickets go to benefit the Ground Zero Hurricane Museum fund of the Hancock Community Development Foundation.

To purchase your tickets, contact Linda Aiavolasiti at 228.216.0561 or linda@wavelandgroundzero.com.

 Waveland Notes:
​

• Longtime Waveland employee Christine Gallagher retired from the Waveland Building Department effective June 30. Her knowledge will be greatly missed at city hall. David Diaz will take over the position of Waveland Building Department office manger and zoning official.

 

• Due to recent loss of a number of police patrol cars, Waveland Police Department purchased four new patrol vehicles in June. The department bought Ford Explorers to replace the Dodge Chargers. The Ford Explorer is a high-profile patrol vehicle with lower maintenance costs.

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on the Destination Waveland Celebration on Saturday, July 1st, new construction projects and an update on beach maintenance and parking. 

Any businesses or residents who want to get involved in the celebration, please contract Tammy Fayard at 228-467-4134.

Sponsored by City of Waveland and numerous generous community sponsors.

Caution: Men at Work — SOON

The Waveland lighthouse, public pavilion, and restroom project has spurred so much interest from contractors that Waveland decided to extended the bidding process until June 6. Bids for this project were scheduled to be open until May 17, but due to overwhelming solicitation for bid packets and the large scope of the project, the mayor and aldermen decided it was best for taxpayers to allow contractors more time to put together a quality bid.

Waveland has decided to seek bids for to paving Garden Lane, Gladstone Street (east of Henderson) and to mill a number of sections of Waveland Avenue. I expect these paving projects to be completed by Labor Day.
​

A Day at the Beach

Hancock County Board of Supervisors just executed a $376,400 beach maintenance contract with local company Black Diamond Construction. Black Diamond’s proposal was the most competitive bid, and I have no doubt will do a great job. 
The new contractor just took over the beach maintenance in mid-May, but the quality of performance maintaining the beach and walking path is already far superior to years past.

During May, Hancock Count Board of Supervisors discussed during public meeting the plan to pave parking bays on the south side of Beach Blvd in selective location. This project has been mentioned in years past, but I suspect that this project will finally come to fruition in the next few months. 

There is a high probability that the Board of Supervisors will have at least one of the proposed parking bays constructed on the south side of Beach Boulevard in Waveland by the spring of 2018. 

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on the long-awaited Waveland Lighthouse going out for bid, other civic projects and improvements and the St. Clare Seafood Festival over Memorial Day weekend. 

This construction project is the prefect addition to the foot of the Coleman Avenue beachfront. It will add another major attraction to the area, which now features the Garfield Ladner Memorial Pier, a volleyball court, a large parking area and the Veteran’s Memorial. The Waveland Lighthouse is a functional building and gathering area that fills a big need on the Waveland beach front.

St Clare Seafood Festival

​The St. Clare Seafood Festival has grown into the marquee festival in Hancock County for the Memorial Day weekend. The festival runs Friday, May 26, 5–11 p.m., Saturday, May 27, 11 a.m.–11 p.m., and Sunday, May 28, noon to 10 p.m.
 
The festival features food, carnival rides, craft vendors, and the best free Memorial Day weekend live entertainment anywhere on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. On Friday evening, Category 6 will be performing; Saturday evening, Forest Tradition will be performing; and Got Groove will be closing out the festival on Sunday evening. There is also classic car show starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday on the church grounds.
 
In addition to the festival, the 5th annual St. Clare Seafood Festival 5K race will take place on the Waveland boardwalk on Saturday, May 27, at 8 a.m. See run/walk registration details here .
 
Please make plans to have a good time while supporting St. Clare this Memorial Day weekend.

Waveland News and Notes
 

• The stage at Martin Luther King Park will be named in honor of Clarence Harris.

 

• Waveland received around $70,000 in road and bridge money from Hancock County Board of Supervisor. The streets that will be paved will be determined in several weeks once Waveland is able to compile cost estimates.

 

• The Bienville Drive road flooding issue should be completed by July 1.

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on C&R's 10th Annual Crawfish Cookoff, the possibility of curbside recycling and the town's annual Easter Egg Hunt. 

In addition, you can have your business name displayed at the event by sponsoring a sack of crawfish. Teams and sponsorships are limited for this event, so call 228-493-9922 today to secure your spot.
 
Admission is just $20 for adults and $10 for kids (9–12), and under-8s are free. Rochelle Harper will be the entertainment this year. The C&R crawfish cook-off will benefit Friends of the Animal Shelter and Wild at Heart Rescue.

Curbside Recycling

So, do you want citywide curbside recycling or not?
 
Mayor Mike Smith, five additional Hancock County elected officials, Diamondhead's city manager and I serve as directors of the Hancock County Solid Waste Authority, which is currently soliciting bids for curbside recycling service in each municipality in Hancock County. 
 
Currently, if people want to recycle items like glass, paper, and plastic, the only option in Hancock County is for people to take them to one of five recycling dumpsters located throughout the county. A large percentage of Hancock County households do not recycle, so the question becomes, “If curbside recycling was available, would more people start recycling?” One would hope so.
 
The service of curbside recycling will probably cost between $2 and $5 for each household per month — I will know the exact service fee for curbside recycling service on May 8th. Recycling would be billed the same way that your monthly curbside trash collection service is billed.
 
It is important to let your Hancock County Solid Waste Authority Director from your municipality or your councilman or mayor know if you are interested in having curbside recycling in your municipality. Email yours today!

Editor's Note:  You may also take this survey!
 
Hancock County Solid Waste Authority Directors:
 
Diamondhead:
 Mayor Tommy Schafer
 Clovis Reed
 
Bay St Louis:
 Mayor Les Fillingame
 Councilman Bobby Compretta
 
 Waveland:
 Mayor Mike Smith
 Alderman Jeremy Burke
 
Hancock County:
Supervisor Blaine Lafontaine
Supervisor Greg Shaw                                                          
 

Easter Egg Hunt

 Waveland’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt is set for Saturday, April 8, 11–1 at the day-use picnic area at Buccaneer State Park. This annual event will have games, prizes, snacks, thousands of eggs and, of course, the Easter bunny.

​Hope to see everyone out there! If you have any questions or would like to donate items, please contact April Depreo at achevis@waveland-ms.gov or 228-216-1592.

Relive the Waveland St. Paddy's Day Parade! 
click here for the Shoofly's 15 Minutes Photo Gallery

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on the Waveland St. Paddy's Parade, a benefit for Friends of the Animal Shelter, a Waveland city clean-up, city insurance savings and more!  

Friends of the Animal Shelter Benefit
 
Susan McManus will be hosting a creative arts sale at her home at 304 Nicholson Avenue from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday, March 18th. The sale will include wall art, mosaics, wreaths, birdhouses, and many other handmade items to decorate homes, inside and out. The proceeds from the sales will benefit the Friends of the Animal Shelter of Hancock County.
 
If you have any questions please contact Susan McManus at loneoak@bellsouth.net

Mayor’s Cleanup Day
 
The following is a message from Mayor Mike Smith:
 
I am really excited to announce this cleanup day in the City of Waveland. Highway 90 is the focus area for this effort and will include picking up litter, grass cutting, planting and the business owners/property owners that participate will be asked to address issues at their property with the help of volunteers.

Issues include things such as signs, painting and items that are in need of repair.  Involved parties will include Public Works, Litter Department Community Service, Keep Waveland Beautiful and Team Waste. Highway 90 is the gateway to the city and should look more attractive for visitors.  If you are interested in helping please contact city hall.  The date is March 24th. beginning at 8:00 am. 

Random News and Notes
 
It was approved in February that the Central Fire Station on Highway 90 will be dedicated and named “David A. Garcia Central Fire Station” to honor former Chief and Mayor David Garcia for his many years of dedication and service to the city of Waveland.
 
Waveland changed the city's property insurance to Betz, Rosetti, & Associates, Inc. and was able to lower our premium by 17%.

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on Waveland's participation in the Mississippi Municipal League conference in Jackson, changes at the Waveland Ground Zero Museum and the Hope Haven Oyster Throwdown. 

We also networked with legislators and business leaders at the Gulf Coast Legislative Reception at the capitol to provide them important feedback on issues that are critical to Waveland.
 
Attending the MML's Mid-Winter Conference and visiting the capitol during the legislative session are valuable components of Waveland’s progress forward. ​

During the first regular Board meeting in January Waveland hired Linda Aiavolasiti to be the Director of the Waveland Ground Zero Museum. 
 
Linda will oversee the staffing, exhibits, programming and booking for the Waveland Ground Museum.  Linda is the perfect fit for this position.  Not only is the Waveland resident one of the original museum volunteers, she also is a volunteer staff member at the Hancock Chamber of Commerce.  She will do a great job welcoming visitors to Waveland and telling guests the story of where Waveland was, where Waveland is and where Waveland is going.
 
The Ground Zero Museum is located at 335 Coleman Avenue.  The museum is open on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from 10:00am - 3:00pm and is available for group tours by appointment.  Waveland is anticipating adding a commercial kitchen to the museum in 2017 using restricted funds which will enable even more uses for the building.
 
The Ground Zero Hurricane Museum is a fund of the Hancock Community Development Foundation, founded by the Hancock Chamber in 2006 as a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) non-profit public charity to serve as an umbrella for organizations working to enhance economic development and quality of life on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
 
To find out more about the museum to go: www.wavelandgroundzero.com or call 228-467-9012 or contact  Linda Aiavolasiti at linda@wavelandgroundzero.com or 228.216.0561.

The 5th annual Hope Haven Oyster Throwdown fundraiser is Saturday, March 4th from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Knock Knock Lounge, 720 Highway 90 in Waveland.  Team entry fee is $150 and includes a sack of oysters.

​This event has limited space, so get your team entered early!  The winning team will get a trophy and bragging rights as Hope Haven Oyster Throwdown Champs.
 
Award categories for the Hope Haven Oyster Throwdown are as follows:
 
1st, 2nd, & 3rd place awards for:
Best Grilled Oysters
Best Soup / Stews
Not Your MaMa's Oysters
1st Place:
People's Choice
Best Decorated Booth
Best Oyster Sauce
 
Admission is $15 for adults, $6 for children ages 8-12, and is free for children under 8. For more information or to enter a team, contact Hope Haven Director, Jay Trapani at 228-466-6395. All proceeds from this event go to benefit Hope Haven Children's Advocacy Center.