Gulfport, Florida City Council Meeting November 15, 2022: Beach Drive Vacations, Senior Center, Budgets

The Gulfport City Council met on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. at Gulfport City Hall. Councilmember April Thanos gave the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The agenda included a Freebee shuttle presentation, public comment, reports from the city manager, attorney, and clerk, consent items, three second-reading Beach Drive vacation ordinances, a Senior Center capital campaign resolution, legislative consultant renewals, and budget amendments. The council approved the three Beach Drive ordinances by 3-2 votes and the remaining resolutions unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda listed approval of the October 18, 2022 council minutes; Resolution 2022-75 authorizing a SPATCO Energy Solutions, LLC purchasing agreement for marina fuel dispensers; and Resolution 2022-76 authorizing a Miriam Street Sidewalk task order with Central Florida Contractors, Inc.
• The raw transcript shows the clerk reading the minutes and Resolution 2022-75, then the meeting moving to the ordinances; it does not capture an explicit roll-call vote on the consent items.

Presentation: Freebee Shuttle

• The agenda listed John Janusz, Director of Economic Development, but the lead presenter identified herself as Claudia Miro, joined by her colleague John. Freebee is a free, on-demand, door-to-door, 100% electric shuttle service using a mobile app, with vehicles including low-speed "gem" cars, Tesla Model Xs, and electric vans.
• Freebee operates about 100 vehicles in more than 20 communities and proposed a 12-month pilot with customizable service areas and hours. Costs were estimated at roughly $35 per hour per vehicle, with a typical minimum of 40-48 hours per week. Funding options included city budgets, FDOT grants, advertising revenue sharing, businesses, and CRAs.
• Presenters said drivers are "community ambassadors" with background checks, 70% of riders are women, and driver pay starts around $13 per hour with built-in raises. Council questions covered service-area boundaries, charging, reservations, tipping, driver pay, and preventing abuse.
• No formal action was taken on the Freebee proposal. The mayor said the city would pursue the idea and would need consensus on it.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Joel Hine, Gulfport Sea Scouts skipper, reported that the Cass Point Regatta returned after a two-year COVID pause with 60 scouts and 40 adults, and that his ship won first overall. He invited teenagers to join the Sea Scouts.
• Kelly Wright, representing the Gulfport Merchants Chamber of Commerce, announced two First Friday Art Walks on December 2 and January 6 with waived booth fees for local Gulfport artists, and a Shop Local receipt drawing on December 17 at the Third Saturday Indie Fair.
• Tom Pitson expressed concern that conservation overlay district design guidelines are open to interpretation and are being applied by a single planner, delaying his WRD artist studio project. He asked council to review the guidelines.
• Frank Panaccio described an alley behind Walgreens being used as a cut-through, said traffic data did not match his safety concerns, and requested a no-through-traffic sign or speed bumps.
• Ms. Love praised Officer Zach Mills, noted improved city storm response during Tropical Storm Nicole, said homeless encampments at beach pavilions are growing, and asked whether a code enforcement position for short-term rentals had been posted.
• Chris Smith raised safety and sanitation concerns about people living in beach pavilions and parking lots, including encampments and public urination/defecation.
• Susan Gore announced the Readout 2023 conference on February 17-19, a $10,000 Florida Humanities grant, and a benefit classical guitar concert at the Gulfport History Museum.

City Manager Report

• City Manager O'Reilly said Linda Fisher from Forward Pinellas will attend the December 6 meeting to discuss a housing compact.
• He recognized Clay Lott and staff for completing the sewer/lift station bypass project, ending litigation with Suncoast Waterkeepers 59 days before the deadline.
• On the Boca Ciega Yacht Club proposal, the city manager and city attorney sought direction. Council directed them to meet once more with the club, and council members agreed to email their input.

Ordinances: Beach Drive Vacations (2022-13, 2022-14, 2022-15)

• The council held second-reading public hearings on three ordinances vacating segments of Beach Drive in Clam Bayou. City Manager O'Reilly said the revised ordinances include restrictions recommended by the Planning and Zoning Board.
• The applicants' attorney argued that the platted right-of-way is a road, not a beach; the city never intends to build it; vacating with restrictive covenants is the proper way to preserve it; public access would create safety, trespass, and liability risks; and a referendum is neither legally required nor practical.
• Several neighboring and applicant speakers supported vacation, citing private maintenance, safety concerns, and the area's lack of usable beach or road. Opponents, including neighborhood residents and public-access advocates, argued the city should not give away public shoreline, that charter protections should trigger a referendum, and that preservation can occur without vacating.
• Council debate included concerns about precedent. Councilmembers Thanos and Ray voted no, with Ray citing the need to follow charter process and allow public referendum. Brown, Ferdovich, and Henderson voted yes, arguing the land is largely eroded, unbuildable, and best protected by the applicants' stewardship and deed restrictions.

Resolutions: Senior Center, Lobbyists, and Budget Amendments

• Resolution 2022-77 renewed the Senior Center capital campaign management contract with Hartsook/Kinetic. Jason Woods reported a campaign goal of about $13.1 million, roughly $4 million raised including $1 million in federal funds and about 40% of the goal, with a verbal $1.5 million naming pledge, a $1 million secured gift, and a $500,000 pledge received that day. He said 120-125 prospects remain and the goal is 70-75% by the end of the contract. Council approved the contract with an amendment to use the new company name Kinetic.
• Resolution 2022-78 renewed Shumaker Advisors, Florida, LLC for state legislative consulting and resilience grant work. It passed unanimously.
• Resolution 2022-79 renewed Thorn Run Partners for federal legislative consulting. The city manager said the firm helped secure $1.5 million in federal funds for design and engineering of the Senior Center. It passed unanimously.
• Resolution 2022-80 amended the FY2021/2022 operating budget for the sanitation fund, including $157,000 for fuel and economic changes. It passed unanimously.
• Resolution 2022-81 amended the FY2021/2022 operating budget after the marina director overspent by $500,000 to buy fuel; the fuel is sold at a markup. It passed unanimously.
• Public comment on the Senior Center resolution included Susan Gore asking whether the new building would be available to non-seniors and how the long timeline would be addressed, and Margaret Tober speaking in support of renewal.

Council Comments & Informational Reports

• Councilmember Thanos reported that her town hall drew 96 attendees and described a presentation on 3D-printed living seawalls that she shared with the city manager.
• Vice Mayor Brown announced the 31st annual Operation Santa will begin Monday, November 28, and the Christmas tree lighting will be Monday, December 5 at 6 p.m.
• Councilmembers Ray and Ferdovich had no reports. Mayor Henderson thanked everyone and moved to adjourn.

Key Outcomes

• Ordinance 2022-13 (Beach Drive between 44th Street and the north-south alley) passed 3-2.
• Ordinance 2022-14 (Beach Drive between Quincy Street and the north-south alley) passed 3-2.
• Ordinance 2022-15 (Beach Drive between Quincy Street and the east city boundary) passed 3-2.
• Resolution 2022-77 passed 5-0 with the company name amended to Kinetic.
• Resolutions 2022-78, 2022-79, 2022-80, and 2022-81 passed 5-0.
• The council directed the city manager and city attorney to meet again with Boca Ciega Yacht Club and invited council input by email.
• The consent agenda items were read, but no separate roll-call vote was recorded in the transcript.