A lifelong resident of Pascagoula, Jay Willis is a renowned community leader and small business owner who brings vision, dedication, and energy to the office of Mayor. Since 2021, he’s led our city to be the very best it can be: a place our friends and neighbors love to call home.
Promote our quality of life
Pascagoula is a wonderful place to call home. Our residents enjoy one of the most beautiful man-made beaches on the Gulf Coast, the natural resources of the Pascagoula River, beautifully landscaped parks and streetscapes, and safe and enjoyable family-centric businesses and activities.
Our town must focus on what we do best: this is an ideal place to raise a family. By promoting our stellar quality of life, the low cost of living, and the fact that this is a wonderful town in which to grow up, we can attract families to choose to move here and call Pascagoula home.
Raise awareness of our excellent schools
Our Pascagoula-Gautier School District enrolls more than 8,000 students and boasts two Pascagoula schools that were recently ranked in the top 15 in the state of Mississippi. A brand new state-of-the-art performing arts center is nearing completion for the enjoyment of students and community members alike. In addition, our local private schools enroll more than 500 students who reside in or near our city.
We must continually broadcast the good news and increase awareness of our award-winning Pascagoula schools.
Attract new businesses
As businesses desire to relocate to Pascagoula, we must continually review our codes, regulations, and planning commission expectations in order to become a more inviting host and partner for aspiring small business owners, national chain retailers, as well as large industry partners.
We must continue to strive to be a helpful and compelling hometown for prospective new businesses!
Maintain safety & support law enforcement
Pascagoula is already blessed to be a very safe community that enjoys a comparatively low crime rate due to the excellent protection we receive from Pascagoula Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff's Department.
We must continue to support and inspire our law enforcement professionals for the impeccable protection and safety that they provide our citizens.
Prioritize job creation
Pascagoula is home to Mississippi’s largest employer, Ingalls Shipbuilding, as well as one of the largest private investments in Mississippi, Chevron Pascagoula Refinery. We also benefit greatly from the world-class Singing River Health System, a plethora of marine industrial employers, and hundreds of small businesses operating successfully across our beautiful city.
We must become even more inviting to industries and businesses who will employ our highly skilled workforce and give back to our community.