Gulfport City Council Organizational and Regular Meeting - April 1, 2025

The City of Gulfport City Council held its organizational and regular meeting on April 1, 2025, focusing on hurricane recovery, procedural reform, and community engagement.

Organizational Proceedings

• City Attorney Salzman called the meeting to order and conducted the swearing-in of newly elected officials: Councilmember Marlene Shaw (Ward II), Councilmember Nancy Earley (Ward IV), and Mayor Karen Love. Councilmember April Thanos and Councilmember Cozy Jackson continued their terms. Mayor Love pledged to lead with transparency, compromise, collaboration, active listening, and decorum. Councilmember Shaw gave the invocation.
• Commander Howard Bush of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Officer Travis Parrish for securing their building and equipment after Hurricane Helene.

Consent Calendar

• The meeting minutes from March 4, 2025, were unanimously approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Wolfgang Dininger (Gulfport Grassroots) reported on community cleanups, collecting over 900 pounds of trash in two weeks, and invited volunteers to an April 12th cleanup.
• David Bodenstead expressed hope and encouraged the new council to maintain Gulfport's community character. He thanked the approximately 2,500 voters who participated in the election.
• Charlotte Downey urged the council to prioritize environmental impacts in decisions, spend money wisely, and govern with mutual respect.
• Nancy Dunham (Fusion 49th President) promoted upcoming neighborhood cleanups and specifically requested the presence of the fire chief at the April 22nd cleanup.
• David Algren thanked Mayor Love for her inclusive and peaceful rhetoric.
• Courtney Prokopis introduced the Gulfport Coastline Coalition (GCC) and requested the city's endorsement for acquiring a 5.67-acre property at 4990 34th Street South for conservation and public use.
• Steve Siverson and Deb Atkins requested an extension of free permit fees for residents still recovering from the hurricanes. Ms. Atkins also requested more frequent online permit status updates (noting it had not been updated since March 7th).
• Margaret Tober offered a $200 personal donation toward painting murals on the beach bathrooms. She also praised the city staff for their work.
• Ingrid Bredenberg announced a World Labyrinth Day walk for peace on May 3rd.
• Tim Lizione congratulated the council on their clean campaigns and offered to serve as a community resource.

City Manager Report & Discussion

• July 4th Cancellation: City Manager O'Reilly recommended canceling July 4th activities due to the condition of the pier, beach, and casino area. The council unanimously concurred on safety grounds.
• Permit Fee Waiver: Following public testimony, the council unanimously extended the permit fee waiver for 30 days (until May 5th), restricting it exclusively to properties with Substantial Damage Estimate (SDE) letters. The city has processed over 700 permit applications with approximately 40 pending, and roughly 300 SDE-lettered properties have not yet made contact.
• Top Permitting Process Delays: City Manager O'Reilly detailed the primary reasons for permit application delays: incomplete applications, vague scope of work, missing floor plans or cost breakdowns, lack of product approval, failure to meet current building codes, wrong appraisal type (needing actual cash value over standard real estate value), missing photos, missing elevation certificates, and contractors failing to file a Notice of Commencement.
• Infrastructure Updates: The comprehensive land use plan update is expected to go before the Planning & Zoning Board in May. Marina repairs face additional permitting delays due to new Army Corps of Engineers requirements imposed by FEMA.

Discussion Items & Procedural Reforms

• Vice Mayor Appointment: Councilmember April Thanos was unanimously appointed Vice Mayor.
• Board Appointments: Councilmembers were directed to submit their board and committee appointments by April 10th. The General Employee Pension Board vacancy will be actively advertised in local media.
• Rules and Procedures Overhaul (Resolution 2024-21): The council reached consensus on significant reforms to their operational rules:
  • Public Responses: Policy changed from "will not attempt" to "may attempt" to resolve public questions during the meeting, preferably after the City Manager's report.
  • Consent Agenda: Any single council member may now request an item be pulled from the consent agenda for separate discussion and vote.
  • Agenda Order: Council Comments and Reports will be moved earlier on the agenda (after City Attorney/Clerk reports) to allow for greater public engagement.
  • Speaking Time: Council reporting time expanded from a 5-minute limit to a 10-minute maximum.
  • Parliamentarian: The City Attorney will formally serve as parliamentarian to ensure proceedings adhere to adopted rules and decorum.
  • Conference Reports: Reports on attended meetings are now mandatory, particularly if city funds were used.
  • Public Decorum: Rules will be strictly enforced regarding silencing phones, restricting side conversations, and prohibiting applause.
• Charter Revisions: The council agreed to address the charter's harsh criminal penalty for council members emailing staff without copying the city manager, moving toward a progressive discipline framework. They also expressed interest in having input on top-level staff hires, such as the Police Chief.

Key Outcomes & Next Steps

• Formal Votes: Appointment of Vice Mayor (unanimous), extension of permit fee waiver for SDE properties (unanimous), approval of meeting minutes (unanimous), approval of $1,000 donation to YMCA swimming lessons (consensus).
• Initiations & Directives:
  • Charter Review: The City Clerk and City Attorney were directed to initiate a formal Charter Review process.
  • Permitting Discussion: A comprehensive discussion on permitting department operations and online status systems will be added to a future council agenda.
  • Resiliency Workshop: A workshop allowing public input on community resilience and potential coastal land acquisition will be scheduled.
  • Procedural Resolution: The agreed-upon changes to council rules and procedures will be drafted and brought forward as a formal resolution for a vote at the next meeting.
  • Legislative Outreach: The city will seek a presentation from the Florida League of Cities on outcomes of the state legislative session.