Mayor Gilich Discusses Legal Fees from BP Settlement
Mayor Andrew ‘FoFo’ Gilich called for a special meeting with the Biloxi City Council this afternoon. He wants to negotiate a lower payment for the legal team who represented Biloxi in the BP settlement.
More than five years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the city of Biloxi has yet to receive the $5.9 million settlement from BP.
Mayor Gilich called a special meeting today with the Biloxi City Council to discuss the 2012 contract with the legal team who represented the city in the lawsuit. In the approved contract, Biloxi would pay the law firm 20 percent of the 5.9 million but Mayor Gilich says the fee is unreasonable and not in the best interest for the city or the school district.
Biloxi Public Affairs Manager Vincent Creel said, “Essentially, the city would be receiving 4.9 million from BP and the school system would be receiving $1 million. From that, about $1.18 million would be paid in legal fees. Mayor Gilich thinks that’s a real high number.”
If the negotiation goes in favor of the mayor, he says he does have a few projects in mind. One thing is for sure, Biloxi Public School District is set to get at least $1 million.
“This BP settlement has been complex and it’s been ongoing and a lot of law firms and a lot of folks have been involved in trying to bring this to a final conclusion and part of it is some of the contracts for legal fees and so forth that are in place. We’ve been negotiating in good faith,” said Gilich.
“Mayor Gilich has been talking to the law firm to see what he can do in the best interest of not only the city, but the school district. He wants to continue trying to work that avenue to see if we can come to some type of compromise. He wants to do something that’s fair to everybody but mostly fair to our taxpayers of Biloxi and to our school district,” said Creel.
The next meeting with the Biloxi City Council is set for Monday August 10th at 4 p.m. Mayor Gilich hopes to bring the negotiation to a close.
On August 13th, the Public Service Commission will meet to decide on whether or not the rate increase will be allowed.
Mississippi Power has 60 days to notify all of their customers of their refund plan and 60 days to return the money as check or credit.
More than five years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the city of Biloxi has yet to receive the $5.9 million settlement from BP.
Mayor Gilich called a special meeting today with the Biloxi City Council to discuss the 2012 contract with the legal team who represented the city in the lawsuit. In the approved contract, Biloxi would pay the law firm 20 percent of the 5.9 million but Mayor Gilich says the fee is unreasonable and not in the best interest for the city or the school district.
Biloxi Public Affairs Manager Vincent Creel said, “Essentially, the city would be receiving 4.9 million from BP and the school system would be receiving $1 million. From that, about $1.18 million would be paid in legal fees. Mayor Gilich thinks that’s a real high number.”
If the negotiation goes in favor of the mayor, he says he does have a few projects in mind. One thing is for sure, Biloxi Public School District is set to get at least $1 million.
“This BP settlement has been complex and it’s been ongoing and a lot of law firms and a lot of folks have been involved in trying to bring this to a final conclusion and part of it is some of the contracts for legal fees and so forth that are in place. We’ve been negotiating in good faith,” said Gilich.
“Mayor Gilich has been talking to the law firm to see what he can do in the best interest of not only the city, but the school district. He wants to continue trying to work that avenue to see if we can come to some type of compromise. He wants to do something that’s fair to everybody but mostly fair to our taxpayers of Biloxi and to our school district,” said Creel.
The next meeting with the Biloxi City Council is set for Monday August 10th at 4 p.m. Mayor Gilich hopes to bring the negotiation to a close.
On August 13th, the Public Service Commission will meet to decide on whether or not the rate increase will be allowed.
Mississippi Power has 60 days to notify all of their customers of their refund plan and 60 days to return the money as check or credit.
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