Posted on Tue, May. 06, 2008
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Grass Lawn vote returns
Council to revisit $500K grant
By RYAN LaFONTAINE
rlafontaine@sunherald.com
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GULFPORT --
The City Council will reconsider a controversial grant today to help rebuild the antebellum Grass Lawn mansion.Last month the council surprisingly voted against a budget amendment to fund the building of a replica Grass Lawn on the property.
The mansion, built in 1836, was so revered by Gulfport that the home had a place on the city's official seal.
The city already has insurance and FEMA money to rebuild Grass Lawn and the council recently voted unanimously to award a design contract to architect Frank Genzer.
But then last month the City Council voted 3-2 to reject a $500,000 grant from the state Department of Archives & History, money specifically for Grass Lawn, which the city will not be required to repay.
A few council members said the city had more-important issues to tackle and one was concerned over future costs to maintain and operate a new Grass Lawn.
Councilwoman Libby Milner-Roland chose not to vote on the Grass Lawn grant last month because her grandfather purchased the historic home in 1905, but she has vowed not to "recuse myself again."
