Gulfport City Council Meeting – December 3, 2024

The Gulfport City Council met on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at 6:00 PM at City Hall. The meeting featured presentations of Spirit of Gulfport Awards, a detailed update on the Resilient Gulfport initiative (Watershed Management Plan and Vulnerability Assessment), public comments, approval of consent items and resolutions, and new business addressing the vacant council seat and strengthened council rules.

Presentations and Recognitions

• Spirit of Gulfport Awards were presented to three recipients: Mark Sieg (Gulfport Counseling Center) for providing free post-hurricane therapy sessions; the City of Gulfport, Mississippi for sending hurricane relief supplies; and Scott Linde for long-standing community service.
• Resilient Gulfport Presentation – Justin Keller, Cody Stewart, and Raf Kadai (Advanced Engineering & Design) provided updates on the Vulnerability Assessment (VA) and Watershed Management Plan (WMP). Key points:
  • The VA is on schedule but started later than initially expected; the final VA report is due by October 31, 2025, eight months before the FDEP grant deadline of June 30, 2026.
  • Asset mapping for four classes (critical facilities, infrastructure, natural/cultural resources, transportation) is underway, with council asked to verify assets.
  • Preliminary data from Pinellas County shows current tidal flooding and future projections (2040, 2070, 2100) under intermediate scenarios. Council noted current sunny-day flooding (e.g., along Shore Boulevard) not fully captured by county-scale data.
  • The WMP is analyzing drainage basins, pipe networks, and topography (highest point ~41 ft, coastal roads at ~2 ft). Solutions discussed include upsizing pipes, retention ponds, check valves, and pump stations. Council questioned the feasibility of pumping in a low-lying, built-out area and the cost-benefit of different resilience levels.
  • Level-of-service recommendations will be developed for storm events; council emphasized matching community expectations with realistic funding and grant opportunities.

Consent Calendar

• Item 5.a: Approved minutes from the November 19, 2024 council meeting.
• Item 5.b: Approved Resolution 2024-97 authorizing purchase of a 2025 rear-loading sanitation truck from Rush Truck Centers and sale of truck #1135 at auction. Unanimously approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Amy Costa (Midtown Business Collective) reported on a successful Small Business Saturday event (40 vendors, 10 businesses) and plans for beautification along Gulfport Boulevard.
• Mr. Freedom recited December holidays and stressed constitutional freedoms, warning council members to uphold the Constitution.
• Tom Bixler suggested providing holiday gift certificates for city employees to be spent locally as a retention and morale gesture.
• Orian disputed a $162.80 marina bill from 2021–2022, claiming he returned his keys and never received a termination document. He requested a refund of his $40 deposit and an apology.
• Fred Rowe asked for permission to use the seawall near the Coast Guard auxiliary for dinghy access, noting that the dinghy dock was destroyed and that vulnerable boaters (injured, elderly, families) need dry access at all tides.
• Lenny Guggenheimer criticized the handling of former Councilmember O’Hara’s credit card misuse, questioning why finance and staff did not act sooner, and called for increased accountability.
• Ms. Love thanked the city for holiday lights, supported O’Hara’s resignation, and requested updates on storm recovery: status of substantial damage assessment letters (87 issued, paused for accuracy), cemetery maintenance, and the Senior Foundation building fund presentation (rescheduled to next meeting).
• Courtney Pro Copus (Gulfportlandia) reported on a community debriefing (40 attendees, all wards represented) and urged better council-citizen engagement processes, including protecting Sunshine Law compliance.
• Bob Carnegie urged the city to install check valves and pumps to stop tidal flooding, sharing experience from a previous community where such fixes worked.

Resolutions

• Resolution 2024-98 – Authorized the City Manager to apply for a FEMA Community Disaster Loan (up to $5 million) for hurricane recovery. Approved unanimously.
• Resolution 2024-99 – Approved a special event application from the Gulfport Merchants Chamber of Commerce for a daytime Tuesday market (no street closures) and a possible trailered boat parade. Approved unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Appointment to Vacant Ward 2 Seat – Michael Fredovic was appointed to fill the remainder of the term (through March 2025) on a 4-1 vote (Councilmember Thanos dissenting). The vice mayor position remains unchanged.
• Council Rules Revision – Councilmember Brown initiated a review of council rules (spending, information sharing, staff conduct) to be prepared for the March 2025 meeting.
• Former Councilmember O’Hara – City Manager will pursue a repayment plan for the misspent funds if not resolved by the next meeting. Council expressed intent to take further action (including notifying the state attorney) if O’Hara runs for the seat again.
• Storm Recovery – Permitting fee waiver extended through December; substantial damage assessment letters on hold due to FEMA portal errors; approximately 87 letters issued, 637 homes identified with issues. City staff to continue debris cleanup and infrastructure repairs.
• Tree Resilience – Council directed staff to compile a list of fallen vs. standing tree species to guide future planting for storm resilience.