Gulfport City Council Meeting: December 20, 2022 – Election Lot, Insurance Presentation, Resolutions
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Gulfport City Council Meeting – December 20, 2022
The Gulfport City Council met on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, at 6:00 PM at Gulfport City Hall. The meeting included a presentation from State Representative Linda Chaney on property insurance reform, approval of two resolutions (special event and housing compact), a lottery to determine candidate name placement on the March 14, 2023, general municipal election ballot, and council comments on motor scooter regulation, hurricane preparedness, and incentives for permeable pavers. The consent agenda was passed unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: Minutes from the October 20, 2022, Workshop and November 1, 2022, Regular Meeting were approved.
- Street Sweeping Agreement: Resolution No. 2022-86 authorizing the City Manager to enter into an agreement with USA Services of Florida, Inc. to sweep curbed streets was approved.
- Both consent items passed unanimously by a voice vote.
Presentation: State Representative Linda Chaney
- Representative Chaney discussed the goals of the recent state special session on property insurance reform: to curb excessive litigation driven by bad-actor attorneys and roofers filing questionable claims through Assignment of Benefits (AOB) and to stabilize the insurance market.
- Key reforms included:
- Reducing the claim-filing window from two years to one year after a storm.
- Eliminating one-way attorney fees (so all parties have "skin in the game").
- Banning AOB assignments.
- Requiring insurers to acknowledge claims within 7 days (down from 14) and conduct physical inspections within 30 days.
- Adding an option for binding arbitration to lower premiums.
- Providing $20 million in community funding in the previous session.
- She noted that the state added $150 million to reinsurance and empowered the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) with more funding and staffing.
- Councilmember Ray (who works for Progressive Insurance) asked about bundling auto and home insurance, and about flood insurance requirements for Citizens policyholders. Representative Chaney stated that flood insurance for condominium owners will be clarified in the regular session starting January 3, 2023.
Resolutions
- Resolution No. 2022-87: Approved a special event application from the 49th Street South Business Association, including a temporary waiver of certain city code provisions. Passed unanimously (5-0).
- Resolution No. 2022-88: Authorized the Mayor and City Manager to execute the Advantage Pinellas Housing Compact from Forward Pinellas. The City Manager noted a presentation had been given at a prior meeting. Passed unanimously (5-0).
Discussion Items
- Election Ballot Lot: The City Clerk conducted a lottery for candidate name placement on the March 14, 2023, General Municipal Election ballot.
- Ward 2 (four candidates): 1st – Jonathan McCoachy, 2nd – Christine Ann Brown, 3rd – Christopher Butler Jones, 4th – Greg Simic.
- Ward 4 (two candidates): 1st – Michael Ferdovich, 2nd – Ian O'Hara.
Council Comments / Informational Reports
- Vice Mayor Brown thanked Representative Chaney for honoring the late Deputy Michael Hartwick by naming a portion of I-275 after him. She encouraged residents to check on neighbors during the holidays.
- Councilmember Ray praised the holiday spirit and noted that a $1.5 million funding request for the senior center is progressing. He also highlighted the upcoming golf cart parade.
- Councilmember Ferdovich raised concerns about unlicensed motor scooter operators and suggested regulating their operation (e.g., minimum age 15, helmet requirement, ban on sidewalk riding). The City Manager agreed to bring a discussion item to the January meeting with legal definitions of micro-mobility devices (excluding electric bicycles).
- Mayor Henderson proposed skipping the January 3, 2023, meeting due to school schedules, with consensus to hold the first meeting on January 17, 2023.
- Councilmember (unidentified) requested a presentation from Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council or USF on realistic hurricane flooding and evacuation zone scenarios, especially for Category 4 storms. The Mayor and City Manager agreed to coordinate.
- Mayor Henderson suggested offering incentives (e.g., reduced permit fees) for property owners to install permeable pavers to reduce runoff and pollution. Councilmember followed up that current right-of-way permits for driveways are $72 and for patios $113 plus a plan review fee. The idea was noted for future discussion.
Key Outcomes
- Approved consent agenda items and two resolutions unanimously.
- Conducted ballot-order lottery for the March 14, 2023, election.
- Directed staff to bring a motor scooter regulation discussion item to the January 17, 2023, meeting.
- Scheduled a future presentation on hurricane preparedness and flooding maps.
- Canceled the January 3, 2023, meeting; next meeting set for January 17, 2023.
Meeting Transcript
December 20th, 2022. Thank you all for being here. Um, advice from children is often simplistic but genuine and sometimes funny. Just before the holidays, as we enter a new year, it's a good time to undercomplicate things. Enjoy some honest advice from children and make your heart have a little smile. Patrick, 10 years old says, never trust a dog to watch your food. Michael, 14 says it's not a good idea to tell your mom her diet's not working. And Emily, 10 years old says, don't pull dad's finger when he tells you to. Taylor 11, when your mom's mad at your dad, don't let her brush her hair. And Kai and 9 says, never hold a dustbuster and a cat at the same time. Um Lauren, nine years old said, markers are not good lipstick. Amir 9 says you cannot hide a piece of broccoli in your milk. When you get a bad grade in school, show it to your mom when she's on the phone. Alicia 13 says. That you know sponsored our program and our project early on. And I I can't stress enough how big a deal this is to do this without a sitting congressman. You understand? You understand until the new representative is led Congressman is Congress person is sworn in in January. To this point, we this district thirteen doesn't have a congressman. So we were able to stay in the budget, which was as they went through their iterations. Uh so I just want to recognize that. Yeah, that's pretty remarkable. Very good. So thank you to former Congressman Chris and his staff for all their help. Thank you. In that direction. That's all I have. All right. City attorney. No report member. City clerk. Um no report, Mayor. All right. Brings us to the consent agenda. Consent 5A consider approval of the council meeting minutes for October 20th, 22 workshop, and November 1st, 2022 regular meeting 5B, resolution 2022 86, resolution of City Gulfport, Florida. Authorizes city manager to enter an agreement with USA services of Florida Inc. to sweep the curb streets. All right, thank you very much. Council will entertain a motion. I'll make a motion on the consent. Second. I have a first and a second. All in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Pass it unanimously. No ordinances tonight. Two resolutions beginning with resolution number 2022-87. Resolution 2022 87, a resolution approving a special event application from the 49th Street South Business Association. Providing for the temporary waiver of provisions of the code of ordinances and city policies during said special event and providing for responsibilities.
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