Gulfport City Council Regular Meeting Summary – August 1, 2023
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Gulfport City Council Regular Meeting – August 1, 2023
The Gulfport City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, at 6:00 PM at City Hall. The meeting included an invocation by Councilmember Christine Brown, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call (with Vice Mayor Ray excused), and a series of public comments, consent items, ordinances, resolutions, and council reports. Key actions included approval of a Yacht Club lease, a sanitation rate increase, police pension amendments, and a seawall construction contract.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Michael J. Yakes Foundation Back-to-School Drive: Joe Gunther and Justin (City staff) presented a school supply drive for underprivileged children at Gulfport Elementary. Collection boxes will be placed at the Casino, library, and other locations from August 2 through August 9. A QR code links to an Amazon wish list. The Mayor noted that the library is open Saturday 10 AM–4 PM and the Casino hosts a Sunday brunch. The drive supports the Michael J. Yakes Foundation.
- Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 716: Howard presented a Certificate of Appreciation to the city for its long-term support. He highlighted over 60 years of service, including rescue missions, free vessel inspections, boating safety classes (second Saturday of each month, 9 AM–5 PM, $40 per person), and new free evening seminars on power boating, sailing, navigation, and chart reading. The Auxiliary also operates a DHS radio station.
- LGBTQ Resource Center & Art Out Exhibit: Susan Scooter Gore and Steve Sanderson thanked the council for supporting Pride events. Sanderson (cisgender male) shared his positive experience with the Art Out exhibit, which accepted 50 pieces, including from Canadian artists. He noted the exhibit was inclusive and non-judgmental.
- Display of City Awards: Tommy Bixler from Townshores suggested creating a locked trophy cabinet in the front hallway to publicly display the city’s awards and plaques. Council acknowledged the idea.
- Candidate Announcement: John Lucion, newly moved to Gulfport and founder of Rusty Leaks media, announced his candidacy for Florida’s 13th Congressional District against incumbent Anna Luna. He invited council to a meet-and-greet at Scout Hall on August 2 (6–8 PM) and a free concert/campaign launch rally at Hipman Theater on August 24 (5:30 PM).
Consent Calendar
- 5.a. Minutes of July 18, 2023: Approved unanimously.
- 5.b. Resolution No. 2023-57: Ratifying the appointment of a fifth trustee to the Municipal Police Officers’ Pension Board, with term and effective date. Approved unanimously.
Ordinances
- 6.a. Ordinance 2023-07 (Second Reading, Public Hearing): Authorized the City Manager to execute a lease agreement with the Gulfport Yacht Club. The ordinance was passed unanimously (4-0). Councilmember Brown noted appreciation for the Yacht Club.
- 6.b. Ordinance 2023-08 (First Reading): Amended Chapter 11 (Garbage) of the City Code, increasing sanitation and recycling rates by 8%. For a single-family home, the increase is $2.42. Special pickup rates were not changed to encourage use. City Manager O’Reilly credited Tom’s efficient operation. Council discussed potential recycling education (e.g., updated flyer, sticker for contamination) and requested a recycling breakdown after budget season. Passed unanimously.
- 6.c. Ordinance 2023-09 (First Reading): Amended Chapter 15 (Pensions, Article V Police Officers’ Trust Fund) to bring the code into IRS compliance and clarify ministerial language. No financial impact to the city or plan. Passed unanimously.
Resolutions
- 7.a. Resolution No. 2023-58: Authorized the City Manager to contract with Enterprise Marine Construction for construction and installation of approximately 330 linear feet of corrugated vinyl seawall with a cement cap at three locations (channel entrance, inside marina, and Gulfport Yacht Club). Funding comes from marina reserves. Discussion included use of alternative mangrove panels (3D-printed cement panels that promote organism growth). City staff explained that mangrove panels are attachments to concrete seawalls, not a replacement for vinyl, and that research is ongoing with Sarasota Bay sanctuary and Longboat Key. Council requested more information on the alternative. The resolution passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda Approved (unanimous).
- Ordinance 2023-07 (Yacht Club lease) passed on second reading (4-0).
- Ordinance 2023-08 (garbage rate increase) passed on first reading (4-0). Staff to provide a recycling update in October/November.
- Ordinance 2023-09 (police pension amendments) passed on first reading (4-0).
- Resolution 2023-58 (seawall construction) passed (4-0). City will evaluate remaining seawalls for a five-year capital plan.
- Council Comments: Councilmember Brown reminded about the Gecko Ball (tickets sell out quickly). Councilmember O’Hara reported on the South 49th Street business and neighborhood district meeting and a beautification project. Council granted consensus for staff time on that project. Councilmember Thanos requested a separate $30,000 budget line for trees, discussed senior center fundraising (suggesting budgeting $200,000 now rather than from reserves), and noted a meeting with County Commissioner Renee Flowers about trees on Gulfport Boulevard.
- Adjournment: Motion carried. The Mayor thanked staff and attendees.
Meeting adjourned.
Meeting Transcript
All right, welcome everyone to the August 1st, 2023 regular city council meeting for Gulfport, Florida. Our invitation tonight's given by Councilmember Christine Brown, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Please join us in rising. Thank you all for coming. The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy, is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet alone with the heavens, nature, and God. Because only then does one feel that it is as it should be, and that God wishes to see people happy among the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, and it certainly will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles. This quote is attributed to Ann Frank, who today in 1944 made her last entry in her diary before she went to the concentration camp. Roll call, please, city clerk. Councilmember Brown, here. Councilmember O'Hara. Here. Councilmember Thanos. Here. Mayor Henderson. Here. Attorney Salzman. Here. City Manager O'Reilly. Here. City Clerk Carico present. Vice Mayor Ray has asked to be excused. All right, fantastic. Brings us straight to open public comment. This is for any item that is not on the agenda tonight. So we'll go with a show of hand. All right, Mr. Gunther. And Mr. Shea, how you doing? Well we have a very special program to launch tonight in support of the Michael J. Yakes Foundation. Thank you for giving us the flyer. So Mr. Gunther's here tonight to represent the My Foundation. The city was approached yesterday to talk about how to put together a back to school supply drive. So City Manager O'Reilly supported the coordination efforts. We talked to the local library of Dave at the Gulfport Public Library. The casino will have one of these donation boxes. Yeah, so we're looking to um to provide backpacks and school supplies for the under underprivileged kids that can't afford to do so strictly at Gulfport uh Elementary. Um I'm here on behalf of Maddie. Maddie's out of town. She couldn't be here, so I'm here in lieu of her, and um, this is really herself and Michael Yake's uh spearheading this and wanting to um get these backpacks and get the necessary school supplies that these children need to attend school and do well in school. All right, fantastic. That's great. There's a QR code on the flyer that you you guys have, and that QR code that goes right to Amazon, and that has a list of the the items that the children need um to be successful in school along with a backpack. And so we're asking folks to fill those backpacks. We we have the boxes located in several areas like Justin said, and then we'll have uh Mayor uh Mike Yakes deliver that to Gulfport Elementary. Very cool, and that's uh collections Wednesday, August 2nd through Wednesday, August 9th.
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