Building Inspector Resigns

Bay St. Louis building chief resigns post
By MARY G. SEILEY
Jan 12, 2007, 17:13
Another high-level official in the Bay St. Louis Building Inspection department has resigned.
Officials confirmed Thursday that William Breeden had submitted his resignation. Known as "Little Bill," Breeden had worked under chief building official William Carrigee.
Carrigee quit last fall, amid controversy over his work for the county as a consultant while on the payroll as full time building inspector. At the time of his resignation, at least two others on the city building department payroll resigned as well.
Mayor Eddie Favre said Tuesday the city has had troubles keeping the department staffed. "We hire and lose. Hire and lose..." the mayor said. The city continues to take applications for the top slots, he said.
Meanwhile, the department's ranks are dwindling. Asked who's in charge of the department right now, city administrator Buz Olsen said, "Me." Olsen said the city still has plenty of staff to handle the daily operations and review building plans. It's also getting some help from Jerry Beaugez, a county building official who's offered assistance, Olsen said.
Breeden resigned to take a better paying job in Pascagoula, according to Olsen.
In other matters Tuesday, there was continued alarm voiced over the city decision to allow two huge mobile trailers to locate on Hancock Street, next to the St. Stansilaus graveyard.
Favre said he personally okayed the trailers, giving the school's brothers a place to stay while their living quarters are rebuilt. He said such trailers are reviewed after six months.
Real estate agent Camille Tate said the "horrible looking" trailers look like they're permanently set up on the property, and she questioned whether they were properly permitted.
Meanwhile, council discussed a larger problem of mobile homes setting up in the city without permission, and the need to review who's living in them and why.
Aside from individual trailers rolling into town, council is upset that the FEMA trailer park on Highway 90 and Drinkwater has become a revolving door complex for anybody who wants to live there.
Originally, council agreed to the park only if the trailers would be removed as soon as the temporary residents who occupied them moved out. According to some, however, the trailers are being occupied by out-of-towners as soon as the original tenants move out.
In other matters council:
• Reappointed Cheryl Ladner to a five-year term on the school board.
• Agreed to seek prices on new furniture for the council chambers, recently relocated to the former Coast Electric conference center.
• Authorized a call for bids on new traffic and street signs in the older part of the city.