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Aug. 19, 2011
Council cuts out middleman in BP negotiations
GULFPORT — The City Council this week unanimously approved a resolution formally requesting BP to include high-level management in its negotiations with the city.
“Since the oil disaster, BP has balked at having anyone with real authority meet with us about damages suffered by the city, instead BP wants to channel us into a process where we only deal with adjusters and accountants on contract to BP,” said City Council President Ricky Dombrowski.
City leaders have negotiated with the oil giant’s contracted adjusters in the past, but were less than pleased with the results.
“We’ve been down that road before,” Dombrowski said. “The BP response was a settlement offer of $76,000 — a little more than a dollar for every Gulfport resident — and that was an offer which we summarily rejected.”
This week’s resolution requests that only BP managers who have the responsibility and authority to look at the full context of the city’s oil spill disaster claim be involved in negotiating with the city.
“We have since built upon that initial claim with care and expert analysis, and if BP wants to attempt to negotiate a fair settlement without the expense and time consuming process of litigation we are ready,” Dombrowski said. “But this cannot happen unless BP is willing to change its ways and have people with management and program responsibility involved from the start.”
The resolution also authorizes a council member to deliver the resolution to Lamar McKay, president of BP America.
“By voting unanimously to approve this resolution, the council has shown that it is united in this effort to get a fair outcome for the people of Gulfport,” Dombrowski said. “BP executives have repeatedly made comments about wanting to make things right; well for the people of Gulfport, BP can start by treating us with respect and agreeing to this very reasonable request.”
Employees having garage sale
City of Gulfport employees will hold a garage sale to benefit the American Heart Association on Saturday, Aug. 27, from 7 a.m.-noon, at the VFW Post 2539 on 23rd Avenue.
A committee is gathering numerous items from city employees that can be sold at the garage sale. The committee will review these items prior to the garage sale to ensure safety and quality. All proceeds from the event will benefit the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk.
What: City garage sale
When: Saturday, Aug. 27, 7 a.m.-noon
Where: VFW at 2518 23rd Ave.
Why: American Heart Association
New harbor pics
See the latest pics of the new Gulfport Harbor, click here.
Office of Public Information - rlafontaine@gulfport-ms.gov - Phone: 228-868-5782
P.O. Box 1780 Gulfport, MS 39502-1780 - FAX: 868-5800
