Tourism board says Coast counties united after friction goes public, CEO resignation
The three Mississippi Coast counties are determined to work together on a regional tourism board, a concept that had been in question in recent months because of internal friction that culminated in the CEO’s resignation.
There was even talk that Jackson and Hancock counties would break away from a board dominated by Harrison County, which generates more tourism dollars. But Coastal Mississippi Board President Brooke Shoultz released a statement on Friday saying the organization’s Board of Commissioners remains united.
“South Mississippi’s three Coastal boards of supervisors and tourism commissioners have resolved all misunderstandings and are 100% dedicated to maintaining regional tourism,” Shoultz wrote.
“I met face-to-face with representatives from the Hancock, Harrison and Jackson County boards of supervisors yesterday to clear up all misunderstandings that were causing unrest. The Coastal legislative delegation was instrumental in opening lines of communication between counties.
The boards of supervisors say they regret not meeting sooner during the many months of misinformation and rumors that caused tension and divide.”
Special legislation passed in 2013 created the regional concept designed to promote tourism coastwide. Coastal Mississippi is considered critical to supporting and bolstering a tourism economy vital to South Mississippi and the state.
“Tourism has always been one of the largest economic engines which accounts for 20% of the state’s total operating budget,” Shoultz said in the statement. “Tourism also supports countless local businesses from gas stations and snowball stands to every Casino, restaurant and mom and pop shop.”
Shoultz emphasized recent successes in bringing in tourists, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, saying a shutdown in New Orleans and larger cities elsewhere helped bring more visitors to the Coast.
The most recent CEO, Milton Segarra, abruptly resigned in September after some board members questioned his $225,000 salary, plus generous benefits, and the way his contract was approved.
Harrison County Commissioner Kim Fritz previously told the Sun Herald that an executive committee drew up Segarra’s contract and would not let members have a copy. Instead, they had to show up an hour before the meeting to review the contract.
Some commissioners also said they had difficulty getting information from Segarra, a claim that disturbed some members of the Harrison County Board of Supervisors.
Coastal Mississippi’s finance director, Pam Tomasovsky, is serving as agency head while a search committee of four commissioners looks for a new CEO. The position is being advertised on industry websites. Shoultz said some of the applications already received look promising.
Fifteen business, hospitality, and marketing professionals from the three Coast counties serve on Coastal Mississippi’s board, with nine members from Harrison County and three each from Hancock and Jackson counties.
This story was originally published October 22, 2021 at 2:45 PM.
