Tag: Grass Lawn

Grass Lawn is Back On….

As I predicted here, the Gulfport City Council had a change of heart and overwhelmingly approved accepting the $500,000 grant from the Department of Archives and History to complete the rebuilding fund for this symbol of Gulfport.

As Ryan LaFontaine makes clear in his report there is still a faction trying to link the old Library to Grass Lawn. Such is a political fools game in my opinion. Now for Mr LaFontaine’s Sun Herald story.

Two weeks after pulling the plug on Grass Lawn, the City Council on Tuesday voted to revive the historic mansion. 

The council last month voted against accepting a $500,000 grant from the state Department of Archives and History to help rebuild the antebellum Grass Lawn mansion.

But after several days of what some considered unfair media scrutiny, the council voted 6-1 to accept the money. Continue reading “Grass Lawn is Back On….”

Meanwhile the Grass Lawn Vote is on Tap

Today’s council meeting ought to be very interesting after the public outcry over the last Grass Lawn vote. Woe to the councilmen who let politics get in the way of good judgement.  Ryan LaFontaine again has the story:

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. Continue reading “Meanwhile the Grass Lawn Vote is on Tap”

Politics and Grass Lawn Part 4: Threaten the Local Paper

I have limited time and literally too many topics to write about but I could not let Brian Carriere’s path to political self destruction go without mention. To catch up our new readers Grass Lawn was an historic mansion so important to the City of Gulfport it was included in the city seal. Taken by Katrina, it’s importance as a symbol of recovery was even recognized by FEMA who changed program regulations to allow for the use of federal funds in its replication. Grass Lawn fell victim to the old style tit for tat gotcha politics that held back Gulfport for years before the last election. We have posted entries on the topic beginning here.

Just when you think City Council member and Grass Lawn opponent Brian Carriere finally screwed his head on right we get today’s Sun Herald story where he threatens the paper with legal action because they dared to print an email he sent out blaming a secretary for the political problems his stand on Grass Lawn caused him. Councilman Carriere how far your star has fallen……

City Councilman Brian Carriere was less than pleased with a Sun Herald report over the weekend about a scathing e-mail he sent out last week threatening to fire a council clerk he believes is floating rumors about his political future. Continue reading “Politics and Grass Lawn Part 4: Threaten the Local Paper”

Politics and Grass Lawn Part 3: Blame the Secretary

I read today’s new story on the continuing fallout from the Grass Lawn debacle and came away thinking that Brian Carriere just doesn’t get it. His recent votes and mayorial ambitions are not the fault of 13 year city council clerk Kathy Johnson. Carriere is a big boy and he needs to start acting like one instead of a spoiled brat who has been outed.  Better yet maybe someone close to Mr Carriere can explain to him he was elected to the City Council to work for the betterment of the City rather than indulge his political ambition.

Anyone else notice Barbara Nalley is suspiciously MIA. That’s right Mr. Carriere you’re their bagholder.

Here is Ryan LaFontaine’s continuing coverage of Carriere’s path to political self destruction:

City Councilman Brian Carriere sent out a scathing e-mail Thursday threatening to fire a council clerk whom he believes has been floating rumors about his political future.

 Kathy Johnson, a council clerk who has been at City Hall for more than a decade, was the focus of the e-mail. Continue reading “Politics and Grass Lawn Part 3: Blame the Secretary”

Well Worth the Fight

The fight for Grass Lawn is symbolic of the challenge of building back the rich diversity of the Coast – not just the diversity of housing mentioned in this recent Sun Herald editorial.

Hurricane Katrina was an indiscriminate destroyer of homes and housing units. Its winds and surge took away mansions as well as cottages, bungalows along with condos, apartment complexes as well as duplexes.

The storm not only left us thousands of housing units shy of our needs, but it also left us with the challenge of bringing back communities and neighborhoods rich in their diversity of incomes.

With a picture worth a thousand words, Grass Lawn tells the rest of the story.

Politics and Grass Lawn Part 2: Brian Carriere Beats a Hasty Retreat

As public outrage over the ill advised City Council Tuesday vote to turn down a $500,000 grant to rebuild Grass Lawn coalesces, the three city council members who let politics stand in the way of recovery are running hard for cover. Today’s news involves Brian Carriere, the man who said he was against rebuilding Grass Lawn all along but would have voted to put off discussion had he known the grant would have been turned down. He is beating a very hasty retreat as Ryan LaFontain’s story exhibits:

In an e-mail Thursday to the City Council and City Hall, Councilman Brian Carriere took issue with a Sun Herald report this week on Grass Lawn.

The City Council voted 3-2 on Tuesday to reject a $500,000 grant from the state Department of Archives and History, money specifically for rebuilding Grass Lawn that the city will not be required to repay. Continue reading “Politics and Grass Lawn Part 2: Brian Carriere Beats a Hasty Retreat”