Coast business incubator gets increased funding

MOSS POINT — Pascagoula officials have decided to restore its funding to the Jackson County Small Business Incubator.

The city council voted yesterday to give the incubator the $10,000 that had been requested, up from the $2,500 the board originally approved.

The Mississippi Press says the board was acting on the advice of City Manager Joe Huffman.

Huffman said an investigation of the program revealed that the incubator, based in Moss Point, is the exclusive provider of certain business consulting services in the area. Besides incubator staff, Huffman spoke with small business owners who told him the incubator helped them start and grow their businesses.

Huffman said the incubator could help in the city’s strategy of overcoming budget shortfalls by supporting services that create wealth.