Collins, whose company was adversely affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizons Oil Spill, and other Gulf Coast residents offered suggestions, which ranged from continuing ecological cleanup to more bike lane with Lt. Governor. Reeves hosted the first of three BP settlement townhalls Thursday night. After the event, Collins stated that Mississippi must remember that they have not been made whole. “There are still oily tar balls on the Mississippi barrier islands. … We need the funds to come here to repair economic and ecological aspects so that we can continue sending money up to Jackson, which in turn will help the state’s economy.” This ongoing battle over how lawmakers spend the money is not new and will continue for the next few weeks. It will likely become a heated debate during the 2017 regular legislative session. Mississippi received $750 million in settlement. The payments will be spread over 15 years. After lawmakers allocated $41 million from that check in March to specific projects in the coastal counties, the first part of the settlement, $150 million, arrived in July. The $109 million remainder is still available. Gov. Phil Bryant stated in April. The majority of the settlement should be spent by the Gulf Coast legislators, without exceptions or consideration for party affiliation. Reeves and House Speaker Philip Gunn have repeatedly expressed their desire to keep as much of the settlement on the Coast, including Thursday night. Reeves stated that the vast majority of damage suffered by the Mississippi Gulf Coast was due to human error. This is a difficult task. This will not be an easy task. We will need to collaborate with our colleagues to show how the state can grow its economy in South Mississippi over the long-term. “What’s good for South Mississippi is good for Mississippi all around” Lawmakers from other parts have suggested that settlement funds should also be distributed to their respective areas. A bill to allocate a large portion of the settlement for road and bridge repairs across the state was passed by the House in 2016’s regular legislative session. It received 101-20 votes. Before moving to the Senate, the bill was defeated. Nearly 100 people gathered in Gulfport to make suggestions to Reeves, and other coastal legislators at the one-and-15 minute meeting. A council of Coast mayors drafted a bill to create a Gulf Coast trust account that would be funded with 80 percent of settlement money. Another resident suggested that public money be sent to the Great Southern Golf Club in order to create a state park. One resident asked for more roads and bicycle lanes. Another requested better drug enforcement and eradication efforts. Two residents expressed the desire to build an Olympic-regulated indoor swimming pool. Four people pleaded with Reeves to help them and other legislators spend the money wisely. Shea Dobson, an Ocean Springs resident, told Reeves to not treat this as a lottery. Reeves was attentive as he sat at the front of the room. He was joined by Rep. Greg Haney (R-Gulfport), Sen. Joseph Seymour (R-Ocean Springs), Rep. Jeff Guice (R-Ocean Springs), and Philip Moran (R-Kiln). D-Pass Christian Senator Deborah Dawkins was also present. Reeves will be attending two additional town halls in the coming months. Reeves will host meetings in all three counties by the end of this series. Participants expressed different opinions as they left the event. Ocean Springs resident Don Abrams answered “slim to none” when asked about the likelihood that the Coast would receive a majority of the settlement. Others expressed optimism. Dobson stated that Tate’s claim that he will be on our side was a fact. Although I would love to see 100% of it down there, I believe that 80 percent is a good goal. It’s difficult to remain optimistic, but I believe it is possible. To support this important work, you can make a recurring gift today to celebrate our Spring Member Drive. Our reporters give a human face to policy’s impact on everyday Mississippians by listening more closely and understanding their communities. To ensure that our work is aligned with the priorities and needs of all Mississippians, we are listening to you. Click the button below to let us know what you think.