Gulfport City Council Regular Meeting - October 4, 2022

The Gulfport City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, at 6:00 PM in Gulfport City Hall. The meeting included a presentation recognizing Citizens Police Academy graduates, public comments on various topics, unanimous approval of the consent agenda, and passage of several resolutions related to special events, vehicle purchases, and building services. Council members also provided informational reports and discussed hurricane preparedness, community events, and potential code changes.

Consent Calendar

• Resolution 2022-61: Authorized a purchase order with Retro Production Company for Wednesday Night Swing and Second Friday Soul/Disco dance services at the Gulfport Casino. (Approved)
• Resolution 2022-62: Authorized the City Manager to enter into an agreement with Rileighs Outdoor, LLC (dba Clark Sales Display) for holiday decoration services. (Approved)
• Resolution 2022-63: Authorized a contract with Asphalt Paving Systems, Inc. for yearly roadway milling and resurfacing. (Approved)
• Resolution 2022-64: Authorized a purchase order with Rush Truck Center for sanitation vehicle repairs. (Approved)
• Resolution 2022-65: Authorized the purchase of shade sails for Tomlinson Park playgrounds from Creative Shade Solutions, Inc., including an associated budget amendment. (Approved)

Public Comments & Testimony

• A resident thanked city staff for hurricane preparation and cleanup, noted a dog bite incident where Gulfport Rescue responded promptly, praised the improved city newsletter, and expressed concern about the loss of resident artists due to short-term rentals and lack of ordinance enforcement. She stated that registration for the Gulfport Art in the Yard event had dropped from 88 to 52 artists year-over-year.
• Another resident expressed appreciation for the Citizens Police Academy, the city newsletter's inclusion of council member reports, and urged the city to preserve Beach Street as a green space and habitat. He also commended the city's hurricane response.
• A resident presented a prototype litter prevention sign and requested its consideration for placement in parks.
• A resident voiced displeasure about the removal of Zoom access for public comment, citing poor user experience (hard-to-find link, odd camera angles, lack of timer) and argued that a small group of disruptive users should not eliminate accessibility for others. He suggested a better sign-up vetting process instead.
• A resident invited the community to the grand reopening of the Gulfport Arts Center on October 7, 2022, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

Discussion Items

• Citizens Police Academy Recognition: Police Chief Robert Vincent recognized seven graduates of the 2022 Citizens Police Academy, a free eight-week program covering police operations, jail tours, crime scene processing, and firearms training. Four graduates were present to receive certificates.
• Special Events Resolutions (7.a - 7.d): The council considered and passed several special event waivers, including the annual calendar of city-sponsored events (Resolution 2022-66), a Unity of Gulfport event (2022-67), a Gulfport Merchants Chamber fine arts festival in Veterans Park (2022-68), and the 11th annual VETSports Heroes Weekend tied to Veterans Day (2022-69). All passed unanimously.
• Vehicle and Equipment Purchases (7.e - 7.f): The council authorized the purchase of a Toro Workman utility vehicle for baseball fields and beach use (Resolution 2022-70), and purchase of two work trucks from Alan Jay Chevrolet with auction of surplus trucks #1305 and #1674 (Resolution 2022-71). Both passed unanimously.
• Building Services Agreements (7.g): Resolution 2022-72 authorized the City Manager to enter into agreements with Pinellas County and SAFEbuilt/M.T. Causley for overflow building inspections and plan review. Passed unanimously.
• Council Informational Reports: Councilmember Fridovich discussed a town hall meeting scheduled for October 8, 2022, at the Casino (1:00-6:00 PM), featuring arts and culture, and noted that he is funding it personally. Councilmember Thanos raised interest in hurricane flood zone data to assess future risks, reported on Suncoast League of Cities meetings regarding affordable housing (noting HB 1339 allows affordable housing in commercial zones), and proposed a discussion on requiring permeable pavers instead of concrete for driveways and patios. The council agreed to schedule a discussion on pavers for a November meeting, but councilmember Brown expressed hesitancy about mandating private property changes. Vice Mayor Brown thanked staff for hurricane response, promoted the Lions Club dance on October 15 ("Gulfport Gets Laid" Hawaiian dance), and thanked volunteers. Councilmember Ray proposed a pet benefit event on October 16 at the Stangerine stage to raise funds for Fort Myers pets, and requested a Black History Month flag raising ceremony on February 1, 2023, similar to the Pride flag event. Councilmember Ray also suggested replacing worn city welcome signs with more eye-catching designs, focusing on parks without existing signs; the council supported the idea.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously by voice vote.
• Resolutions 2022-66 through 2022-72: All passed unanimously (5-0) by roll call votes.
• Future Discussion Item: The council directed the City Manager to schedule a discussion on permeable pavers for a November 2022 meeting.
• Sign Redesign: Council agreed to explore replacement of worn city signs with new, more eye-catching designs as needed, particularly in parks without existing signs.
• Volunteer Appreciation: Council members and the mayor expressed gratitude to city staff, CERT volunteers, and emergency responders for their work during Hurricane Ian, and urged continued preparedness.