OCEAN SPRINGS, MS (GC WIRE) — After years of selectively recusing himself from some votes tied to financial relationships with the project, an Ocean Springs alderman took the lead this week in approving a key agreement for the 1515 Government Street development.
Rob Blackman, who represents Ward 5, not only voted in favor of the downtown parking garage lease Tuesday night, he made the motion to approve it. The measure passed 4–3.
Had Blackman recused himself, as he has in similar situations related to the same project, the result would have been a 3–3 tie.
Mississippi law restricts when public officials must step aside, but records show that standard was not applied consistently in this case.
A Controversial Project with Controversial Ties
The parking garage tied to the 1515 Government Street development has been one of the most closely watched and debated projects in Ocean Springs in recent years.
The project is backed by millions in public funding through the state’s Gulf Coast Restoration Fund (GCRF) and structured through a tax increment financing (TIF) plan approved by the City of Ocean Springs.
It has also been the subject of ongoing questions surrounding whether the city is required to enter into a long-term lease with the developer, whether key agreements were properly authorized under the city’s “minutes rule,” and whether early grant applications accurately described ownership of the garage.
Those questions have placed added weight on each debate and vote tied to the project — particularly those that determine whether the city’s relationship with the developers moves forward under its current structure.
Alderman Blackman has chosen to participate in some of those actions, while recusing or abstaining in others. Those selective walk-aways have been related to financial ties he has had over the years with key contractors on the project.
According to his LinkedIn page, Blackman was a Project Manager at Machado | Patano, PLLC, also known as MP Design Group, from 2016 to 2023. According to their website, the company played an intricate role in the development of the 1515 Government Street project: “MP Design Group provided Architecture, Civil, MEP, Survey and Construction Administration service for this project.”
LinkedIn says from 2023 to 2026, Blackman worked as the Business Operations Manager for Complete Roofing, LLC. According to ProjectMapIt, a website contractors use to map their work, Complete Roofing provides the roofing services for 1515 Government Street.
A Pattern of Selective Recusal
City records reviewed by GC Wire show that Blackman has not taken a consistent approach to debates and votes involving the project.
Since 2020, he recused himself from multiple agenda items where the firms he was associated with were directly involved to the 1515 Government Street project. But his approach varied.
In June 2023, Blackman voted in favor of initiating the tax increment financing process tied to the project. In the months that followed, as the financial structure was formalized, his participation shifted.
He abstained from some votes. He recused himself from others, including a key August 2023 vote authorizing a development and reimbursement agreement tied to the same project.
Yet that pattern did not hold.
In one instance, Blackman even voted to appoint Bradley Patano to the Ocean Springs School Board. Patano was a principal partner at MP, where Blackman worked at the time.
From Sometimes Stepping Aside to Leading the Vote
By 2025, Blackman resumed full participation in decisions tied to the same downtown development.
He took part in votes related to the valuation of the parking garage and participated in discussions surrounding the lease. Then, this week, he went further — making the motion to approve the parking garage lease and authorize the mayor to sign it.
The motion passed by a single vote. It would have been a tie had Blackman recused.
That level of involvement stands in contrast to earlier meetings, where Blackman stepped aside from matters involving firms he was associated with.
No Public Explanation for the Shifts
The records do not explain why similar circumstances led to different decisions at different times.
Blackman previously recused himself when matters involved MP Design, the engineering firm where he was employed, but later participated in votes tied to a project connected to that same professional network. The development also involved work performed by his current employer, Complete Roofing.
Mississippi law prohibits public officials from participating in matters where they have a direct or indirect financial interest. Whether that standard was met in these cases has not been publicly addressed.
GC Wire reached out to Blackman seeking clarification on his inconsistent recusal and abstention decisions but did not receive a response in time for publication.
A Vote That Determined the Outcome
Whatever the explanation, the impact of Blackman’s participation is clear.
The lease did not pass unanimously. It passed by one vote.
And the alderman who had previously stepped aside from similar matters was the one who ultimately moved it forward.
