Sound Off for June 2, 2021
Tourism salary
Coastal Mississippi CEO’s salary was negotiated when he was hired in 2017. His compensation is governed by the terms of the contract. How is it an issue now? Didn’t the Board members and the Supervisor read the terms before they approved it? If the Board is looking for an excuse to terminate Mr. Segarra, look to his performance!
Big picture
Milton Segarra is a proven major-league professional and was hired to elevate a minor-league tourism commission to the major leagues. The politicians and business council need to be patient with such a task at hand for Coastal Mississippi. Maybe better communication and some housekeeping is in order, but interference in the CEO’s daily business is disruptive. He is can obviously see the big picture and needs the opportunity to paint it for us.
Cut him loose
If Segarra has an issue of performance and insubordination and not getting the information these commissioners are requesting, then cut him loose. If Segarra is not happy with a base salary of $225,000, which is about $50,000 too much to begin with, and with generous benefits, a company car, an expense account, bonus pay based on performance, he doesn’t deserve to be here on the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Warmth and empathy
I am a mental health provider with 30 years of experience working with children and adolescents. I just read the article about teachers feeling unprepared to deal with traumatized students, and what I am hearing from the kids is that they feel pressured to perform academically when they are suffering with very real problems with depression and anxiety. The best thing a teacher can do is to make sure the classroom is a safe and accepting environment, and to give these kids warmth and empathy.
Beach sand
I remember the steps also. It is still that way around the point. Highway 90 was not designed to have sand beaches next to it. What we have now is a bowl effect.
Do better
For whatever reason, the City of Biloxi or the Biloxi VA, or both, decided to not place flags on the graves at the Biloxi National Cemetery. This is a show of disrespect to the many who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. Do not blame it on the pandemic and not being able to do it safely. Many National Cemeteries around our country placed flags on their graves.
Taps Across America
I agree with Kat Bergeron’s piece that we have lost some of the meaning of Memorial Day, but hopefully everyone took a moment to remember all our fallen veterans. However, there is a new tradition where on the last Monday of May at 3 p.m., individuals will, from wherever they are, play Taps. So if you play an instrument, start practicing for next year. You can find out more about it by searching for “Taps Across America” on the Internet.
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