Council members back ordinance in principle but press for enforceable language, staffing and city-attorney involvement

Councilmembers voiced broad support for investigating a dust mitigation ordinance while raising consistent concerns about enforcement, staffing and legal drafting.

Councilmember Coleman said she supports the policy but emphasized enforcement challenges and urged careful drafting to ensure the ordinance would be enforceable and effective for Southport residents. Councilmember Johnson asked whether the scope would be geographic or citywide; organizers and the attorney recommended a citywide provision applying to active commercial or industrial areas with unpaved roads. President Naker compared the move to the city's wage-theft ordinance as an example where local enforcement made a difference.

The committee directed organizers to work with the council president's office and the city attorney's office on draft language and requested follow-up documentation from the Port Authority on current sweeping and tenant mitigation practices. No formal vote was taken.