During an event to celebrate Pass Christian’s recovery efforts tomorrow evening, Mayor Pro-tem, Chipper McDermott will award DuPont DeLisle the Key to the City in recognition for the facility’s contributions to the area both before and following Hurricane Katrina.
“DuPont DeLisle has been an excellent neighbor for a very long time,” said McDermott. “They play a vital role in the economy of this area with good jobs and after Katrina, they were here with much-needed aid and assistance to our city.”
DuPont DeLisle has an annual economic impact on the Gulf Coast of almost $153 million and 2,500 jobs, directly employing nearly 1,000 people. The facility pays almost $10 million a year in local and state taxes, excluding school taxes, annually paying annual property taxes of $3.8 million, with $1.7 million of that amount going to area schools.
Following Hurricane Katrina, the facility provided support in the way of funds, supplies and equipment to help the city, local schools and local people begin moving forward again.
DuPont provided area schools with more than $700,000 in relief contributions including buildings, supplies, equipment, uniforms, clothing and even the Pass Christian High School yearbook. A significant portion of that money came from donations given directly by DuPont employees around the world.
For the community, DuPont DeLisle provided residents with FEMA Trailer starter kits, temporary trailers for the Pass Christian Library, furniture and computer equipment for the library, funds for various organizations including the Mississippi Sherriff’s Association and many other relief contributions.
“I am proud to have DuPont DeLisle here in our community,” said McDermott. “I’m proud to present them with the Key to the City for all of the good they have done and will continue to do for us.”
The “Pass Christian Recovery, One Year Later Celebration,” will be held Wednesday, August 2 at War Memorial Park** from 5:30 until 8:00 p.m. The event, hosted by the Pass Christian Chamber of Commerce and DuPont DeLisle will celebrate the City and the businesses that have reopened in the past year with speakers, a business-group ceremonial ribbon cutting, entertainment and food.
