The Gulfport City Council met on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 6:00 PM at Gulfport City Hall. The meeting opened with an invocation by Councilmember Cosi Jackson, the Pledge of Allegiance, and roll call. Presentations included a Narcan demonstration, a proclamation for National Safe Boating Week (May 17–23, 2025), a marine officers update on hurricane recovery and derelict vessel removal, a donation from the Sons of American Legion and Women’s Auxiliary to Recreation Supervisor Marivel Gutierrez, and an awareness presentation from Selah Freedom on human trafficking. Public comments covered a wide range of topics. The council discussed and voted on several ordinances, resolutions, and committee appointments. Key outcomes include a first reading of a ban on smoking on municipal beaches, appointment of an interim Historic Preservation Committee, and the creation of a Charter Review Committee.
The ordinance prohibits smoking of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and other tobacco products on the defined municipal beach area (from the sidewalk to the water, between the recreation center and the casino). Cigars are exempt by state statute. The fine is a class‑2 violation (approximately $150). Signs will be posted. The council discussed enforcement and noted that the recreation center and other park areas are not included. The first reading passed unanimously with a second reading scheduled for the next meeting.
The state notified the city that the council cannot serve as the Historic Preservation Committee due to dual‑office holding. The resolution appoints five city staff members to the committee for a two‑year term to allow the city to proceed with historic designation requirements for the casino. Councilmember Shaw and others expressed a desire to include citizens, but the council approved the staff‑only committee with the understanding that it will be replaced by a citizen committee after casino work is complete. Passed 5‑0.
The resolution would allow temporary dinghy docking at the Osgood Point dock. City Attorney Salzman noted the city has no insurance coverage for the site, and the dock is in poor condition with exposed nails and broken boards. Councilmember Shaw raised safety concerns. The measure failed unanimously (5‑0). Councilmembers expressed preference for alternative solutions. A motion to table was not made; the vote was taken and the resolution failed.
The LMS is required for the city’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program and supports its Class 6 CRS rating (20% flood insurance discount). Mike Taylor presented the plan, noting updates include new appendices and vulnerability assessments. The council approved the resolution 5‑0, with comments about future discussion on improving the city’s CRS rating to Class 5 (25% discount).
The resolution would authorize the reallocation of unspent Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds from projects in other Pinellas County municipalities to the state-run Elevate Florida home elevation program. City Manager O’Reilly clarified that the city has already received its funded projects and no city funds are at stake. Councilmembers Early, Thanos, and Shaw opposed, arguing that funds should stay with originally funded municipal projects. Councilmembers Jackson and Love supported reallocation to help homeowners. The resolution failed 2‑3.
The city received 25 applications. Each councilmember nominated one member: Joe Gunther (Jackson), Joe Gonzalez Hastings (Early), Courtney (Thanos – later noted she is not a registered voter; council opted to follow the application process), Aaron Beaman (Shaw), and Robert Rubin (Love). The committee will meet soon and report back on sections of the charter to address. Council agreed to refer to sections rather than topics.
Good evening. I call the May Sixth Or of Twenty Twenty Five City Council meeting to order. We will start with the invocation by Councilmember Cozy Jackson, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Please stand. So as we gather today, let's pause and honor the spirit of Mother's Day, not only in celebration of mothers by birth, but in reverence for the many forms that mothering takes in our lives and communities. Some show us how to lead, how to serve, how to stand tall. It lives in classrooms and council chambers on front of porches and in quiet moments of mentorship. Today we honor all those who have mothered others by simply choosing to show up, and may we carry that same spirit into the work we do together. Here. Vice Mayor Thanos. Here. Councilmember Shaw. Present. Mayor Love. Here. City Attorney Salzman. Here. City Manager O'Reilly. Here. City Clerk Carico is present. All right. So we have several presentations tonight. And we are going to start. Oh, there we are, Chief. We're gonna start with a nar Narcan presentation or demonstration. And I've specifically asked that he would turn around and give the presentation to the audience. Okay. Thank you. Good evening, Mayor and Council and everyone here. Um so we have a multiple Narcan programs and overdose protection out in the community. Programs that's run through Pinellas County. Um, not only do we offer Narcan kits, we also offer anybody that we go to that overdoses that we bring back from Narcan, we offer them rehab. So the way it works is if they don't want to go to the hospital, we have them sign a refusal and we say, hey, would you like to get help? And if they say yes, we have them sign, and within 24 hours, the a place will contact them and hopefully get them into the program. Um the reason I'm here today is to show the Narcan kits that we do offer. These Narcan kits can be picked up at our station. Um we have them in events that we do throughout the community, including um the Friday art walks. Um we have them there as well. Um but you could just come to us our station and get one of these or any other fire, any fire station in Penolas County. It doesn't have to only be our station. But I kind of want to show everybody what it comes what it comes in. It comes in a case. Inside this, you're gonna have the actual Narcan. Um, and in here, it's two the two doses coming here. So you don't give both of them at once. You want to give one at first, and then you wanna wait three minutes and see if it has any effect on the person, and if not, give them the second dose. Um, a lot of people think that it's it's hard to do, but it's actually not. It comes pretty much in a little case like this, and it goes in the nostril, it has no needles, nothing. You pretty much just put it out of the box, put it in the person's nose, and you push down on the red thing and it squirts it into their nose. Um the way that narcan works, it attaches to the opiate opioid receptors in the brain, um blocking the the the opioid from getting into their brain and keeping them breathing is what it does.