Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.
The Gulfport City Council met on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 6:00 PM at City Hall to conduct a regular meeting. The primary focus was the second reading and adoption of the FY 2026-2027 millage rate and operating budget, which included several amendments. Key decisions included removing funding for Flock cameras from the budget, increasing the tree budget, forgoing the council's cost-of-living adjustment, and zeroing out the leisure services director position. The council also held public hearings on garbage service fee adjustments and debated proposed marina fee increases, ultimately tabling the commercial rates portion for further study.
Good afternoon. I guess I should say good evening, huh? Good evening, and thank you for attending the city council meeting. And I don't know today's date. Oh, September 15th, all right. I do see a lot of faces that I don't know. So just to make you aware, number one, check your phone. If it's on, turn it off. Second thing, during the meeting today, we only have one conversation. So if you're in the audience and you have the need to talk about something, no problem. Just go out in the hall. Because we only have one person talking here at a time. And with that, then I'm going to have called the meeting to order, and we're gonna start with the invocation given by Councilmember Webb, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. So if you can stand, please do so. Thank you, Mayor. And um this is an honor of September 11th. Um have you heard the theme for this year's 9-11 commemoration was unity, a theme rarely impacts behavior, but this year, those who drive division in our nation extended hands. Rule Giuliani, who had went on an anti-Muslim screen earlier last week, shook hands and offered what Mamdani's aide described as a genuine offer to pray for Mayor Mamdani. Vice President J.D. Vance melted about former President's Obama invited, and even even Giuliani's aide defended AOC on a social media post that alleged she was laughing during the 9-11 ceremony. She was not equally important with the official proceedings for the first time ever, a seventh moment of silence was offered. This moment of silence was for the estimated three to six thousand New Yorkers who died from toxic air and dust exposure following the 9-11 attacks, and here in Gulfport, our Regina focused our collective attention on unity as well. Well, I was really saddened to miss the ceremony, the pictures frame the diversity of Gulf portions gathered together to remember, to honor, and to embody this call for unity moving forward. So in this theme, and in conclusion, and during Rosh Hashanah, I offer a prayer, really a reminder of sorts from the Kabbalah. The Kabbalistic tradition is Judah Judaism's mysticism, and the similar in the same way that Sufism relates to Islam or Franciscan tradition relates to Christianity. These are some of our world's mystics, and together they remind us across all faiths that we are one. And this is an excerpt from the Anna Beko Ach, an ancient medieval Jewish liturgical poem that is widely considered a powerful mystical prayer in Kabbalah. Please, mighty one. Those who seek your unity, guard them like the people of the eye, bless them, purify them. Your compassionate righteous always grant them. Invincible and mighty one. With the abundance of your goodness, govern your congregation, soul and proud one. Turn your pe turn to your people, those who remember your sanctity, accept our cry and hear our wail. You that knows all that is hidden. Blessed is the name of glory. His kingdom is forever and for which it stands one undervisible. Councilmember Webb, present. Councilmember Early, present. Councilmember Donch? Here. Vice Mayor Shaw. Present. City Attorney Salzman. Here.