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Record of Proceedings

Gulfport City Council Meeting July 15, 2025: Presentations, Ordinances, and Budget

City Council — Tuesday, July 15, 2025
BodyGulfport, Mississippi
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, July 15, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:26

Good evening.

0:28

And hey.

0:29

And uh welcome to the um city council meeting for July 15th.

0:35

As always, I'm gonna ask that everybody turn off their phones, and that means like everybody.

0:42

Okay.

0:42

If you have any doubt, check it now, please.

0:45

And if during the course of the meeting you feel the need to have any side conversation, I understand, but please step out to the hallway.

0:53

That being said, um, we're going to um start out with um Council uh Vice Mayor Thanos will be giving the invocation tonight, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, and following that I'm going to ask that everybody stay remain standing for a moment of silence for our victims and survivors of Kerrville.

1:15

Thank you.

1:21

Speak up, speak out, get in the way, get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.

1:28

This is what we believed in, what we were all about, a mass movement, an irresistible movement of the masses.

1:35

Not a handful of lawyers in a closeted courtroom, but hundreds, thousands of everyday people, disciplined, peaceful people, taking their cause and their belief to the street.

1:46

And that's from John Lewis, and he died this week on the 17th.

1:51

Not this week, a year ago.

1:53

This week?

1:53

No, no, 2020.

1:55

Cool.

1:58

I pledge allegiance to the United States of America.

2:03

And to the Republic for which it stands.

2:06

One nation under God.

2:15

Oh, I'm sorry.

2:46

Thank you.

2:53

As terrible as the storms were to us and the devastation that they caused for so many people here, we were so lucky to not have the loss of life.

3:04

And truly, we thought we had a mess until you look at their photos.

3:07

They had a mess.

3:09

They have a mess.

3:46

While individual families cannot receive direct aid, your contribution ensures that the vital resources reach the front lines of the crisis.

3:55

So again, after presentations, that will be up there and it will stay up there in case anybody is so inclined and wants to donate, that would be a way to do it.

4:03

Thank you.

4:07

So roll call, if you will, please.

4:13

Here.

4:13

Councilmember Shaw.

4:14

Present.

4:15

Councilmember Jackson?

4:16

Here.

4:17

Councilmember Early.

4:18

Present.

4:18

Mayor Love.

4:19

Here.

4:20

City Attorney Salzman.

4:21

Here.

4:21

City Manager O'Reilly.

4:23

Present.

4:23

Deputy City Clerk Hartman, present.

4:26

Thank you.

4:27

All right.

4:28

So our gym says that we have three presentations tonight, but we're going to adjust that.

4:32

We actually will have two presentations tonight.

4:35

And we will start with our first presentation from uh Duke Energy Clean Energy Connection Program.

4:43

And I believe that I'm going to say the name hopefully correct.

4:47

I see three gentlemen, but I only have two names.

4:50

I have Travis Canuose and Jeff Baker.

4:53

So if you would come up and introduce yourselves, I would appreciate it.

5:00

Good evening, I'm Travis Nauss.

5:02

I'm with Duke Energy, and I am the uh program manager for Clean Energy Connection.

5:07

So Clean Energy Connection is a program that the City of Gulfport currently participates in.

5:13

And I was asked to come kind of give a little bit more information about it since it's been a couple years since we've uh spoken publicly with you about the program.

5:22

So typically, when we talk about sustainability, there's three ways that you're able to kind of reduce your scope to emissions.

5:29

That's either by reducing the energy that you use, having net metering, or your own on-site solar facility that feeds the energy that you actually consume, or to have off-site energy.

5:43

What Clean Energy Connection allows you to do is participate in utility scale solar energy and it's off-site.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Engagement██████████████████18%
Technology and Innovation█████████████13%
Procedural████████8%
Public Safety████████8%
Tax Policy████████8%
Code Enforcement███████7%
Legislative Update██████6%
Parks and Recreation█████5%
Homelessness████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Gulfport City Council Meeting Summary - July 15, 2025

The Gulfport City Council met on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at 6:00 PM at City Hall. The meeting featured presentations on Duke Energy's Clean Energy Connection program and the Charter Review Committee's recommendations, public comments on various topics, and votes on several ordinances and resolutions.

Presentations

  • Duke Energy Clean Energy Connection (CEC) Program: Travis Nauss and Jeff Baker presented the CEC program, in which the City of Gulfport currently participates. The program uses 10 utility-scale solar facilities (each 74.9 megawatts) to offset the city's scope 2 emissions by 10% as of 2024. The city pays a monthly subscription fee (835 per kilowatt) and receives credits (4 cents per megawatt hour). Over the first three years, the city paid in $57,000 in fees and received $50,000 in credits. The estimated break-even point is between years 9 and 13, with a payback period of 17 to 24 years. Councilmembers asked about wind energy (not feasible in Florida due to inconsistent wind), land use (Duke Energy noted they use already-cleared vacant land and consider wildlife corridors), and the difference between this program and on-site solar on city buildings.
  • Charter Review Committee Update: Chairperson Joe Guenther presented the committee's recommendations on sections 103, 302, 305, 306, and 1005 of the city charter. The committee found sections 101, 102, 201, 301, 303, 305B, 305C, and 307 adequate as-is. They also provided feedback on Section 304, which was not originally requested. Councilmembers expressed support for reviewing the entire charter and aiming for a March 2026 referendum (rather than November 2025) to avoid low turnout. The committee will continue its review.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Lauren Stern (Ward 4): Requested a remote public comment option for residents unable to attend in person (snowbirds, those with childcare, night workers). Noted the city is working on a solution using Granicus software.
  • John Bryan: Urged the city to focus on enforcing existing littering laws rather than creating new smoking bans in parks.
  • Marilyn McClellan: Thanked Tom Nichols and his team for restoring Hoyt Field after the storm.
  • Lenny Guckenheimer: Praised the 4th of July parade and suggested a workshop on the charter review for public education.
  • Wolfgang Dininger (Gulfport Grassroots): Reported that 18 volunteers (including 6 children from Scout Troop 285) collected 170 pounds of trash at the "Beyond the Beach Cleanup." Noted the smoking ordinance appears to be reducing cigarette butt litter.
  • Karen Schwartz: Supported a remote comment option, noting that seniors and ill residents cannot attend in person.
  • Lisa Melkey (Waterfront District): Expressed concern about 10-14 vehicles being used as homes along the beachfront, with occupants bathing in public restrooms and leaving belongings on public spaces. Proposed extending overnight parking and no-sleeping-in-vehicle rules to adjoining streets, implementing metered parking or time limits, and allocating parking revenue for outreach. Asked for proactive solutions.
  • Deb Atkins: Praised the 4th of July events, suggested trading fireworks for an annual picnic, urged documentation of storm changes for the history museum, and requested that presentation materials be posted online for residents.
  • Bob Carring Schulden: Presented a baffle box system to catch trash, cigarette butts, and fertilizer from stormwater runoff, aiming to reduce flooding and red tide. Noted an engineer has offered free services but hasn't been called. Also reported someone using his outside shower and requested a time limit for parking in commercial areas.

Discussion Items

  • City Manager Report
    • Budget Delivery: The city manager delivered the completed balanced budget as required by charter.
    • ADU Issue: Met with Forward Pinellas to assist with accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations. Council agreed on maintaining 40% lot coverage, setbacks, and not permitting "obtuse" structures. Outstanding issues include parking (currently requiring two spaces per unit), owner occupancy, and utility/sanitation. A potential conflict with Senate Bill 180 was raised by the county attorney's office; the city attorney is reviewing.
    • Coast Guard Building: The building is 90% destroyed and contains asbestos. Staff will bring options for removal or rebuilding (which would be expensive due to elevation requirements). The Lions Club lease may not be renewed, triggering a buyout clause.
  • City Attorney Report
    • Code Enforcement Process: The city attorney explained the statutory process: notice of violation, opportunity to correct, formal notice (certified mail or posting), hearing before a special magistrate, and potential fines ($250/day maximum for first violation, $500/day for repeat violations). Liens can be placed and foreclosed, but usually fall behind mortgages. The city can seek court orders for injunctions or abatement in hoarding or emergency cases.
    • Vehicle Encampments: The city attorney clarified that sleeping in a car is allowed, but "living" in a car (with furniture, umbrellas, etc.) is not. Such violations should be reported to the police department.
  • Council Comments
    • Vice Mayor Thanos: Supported remote public comment, praised 4th of July events, reported on Midtown meeting. Asked about enforcement of state law requiring owner-builders not to sell or rent their property for one year; the city manager said it's citizen-complaint driven due to limited resources.
    • Councilmember Shaw: Visited the senior center; residents requested pothole repairs and bicycle safety on Tangerine Street. Support for remote comment and a workshop on charter review. Encouraged attendance at Citizens Police Academy.
    • Councilmember Jackson: Updated on virtual public comment solution (Granicus). Raised Lions Club permit fee waiver request; no consensus due to fairness concerns. Announced August 5th absence for Alaska trip.
    • Councilmember Early: Discussed Fusion 49th's Sunday farmers market starting in October. Announced absence for August 5th meeting. Suggested rescheduling that meeting if possible; city clerk will poll council.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Calendar: Approved meeting minutes from July 1, 2025.
  • Ordinance 2025-03 (Smoking in Parks): Approved on second reading after adding the word "parks" to clarify applicability. Vote: 5-0.
  • Ordinance 2025-04 (Green Space Definition): Continued to the next meeting because the updated version (requiring 100% pervious surfaces and excluding walkways) was not included. Vote: 5-0.
  • Resolution 2025-58 (FDOT Grant): Approved, authorizing the city manager to accept a Section 5310 grant for seniors and individuals with disabilities capital assistance. Vote: 5-0.
  • Resolution 2025-59 (Proposed Millage Rate): Approved, setting the proposed millage rate at 4.0258 mills for FY 2025/2026 (same as current year). The vote was 5-0; the rate generates 3.91% more revenue due to property value growth. Two public hearings on the budget and millage will be held in September.
  • Consensus on Intern: Council agreed to have the city manager and HR review a student intern candidate (resiliency and sustainability focus) before making a decision.
  • Consensus on Customer Service Cards: Council supported implementing customer service feedback cards for the permitting department.
  • Presentation Posting: Council discussed posting presentations online after meetings, but noted the cost of ADA remediation ($3.90/page). Decided to make presentations available by request through the city clerk rather than automatically posting.

Next Steps

  • Charter Review: Committee to continue reviewing the entire charter; council aims for a March 2026 referendum.
  • ADU Regulations: City to receive written analysis from county attorney on Senate Bill 180 impact; process will proceed with Forward Pinellas.
  • Storm Recovery Workshop: Scheduled for July 22, 2025, at 6:00 PM at City Hall.
  • August 5th Meeting: Likely to be rescheduled due to multiple council absences; City Clerk will coordinate.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. And hey. And uh welcome to the um city council meeting for July 15th. As always, I'm gonna ask that everybody turn off their phones, and that means like everybody. Okay. If you have any doubt, check it now, please. And if during the course of the meeting you feel the need to have any side conversation, I understand, but please step out to the hallway. That being said, um, we're going to um start out with um Council uh Vice Mayor Thanos will be giving the invocation tonight, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, and following that I'm going to ask that everybody stay remain standing for a moment of silence for our victims and survivors of Kerrville. Thank you. Speak up, speak out, get in the way, get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America. This is what we believed in, what we were all about, a mass movement, an irresistible movement of the masses. Not a handful of lawyers in a closeted courtroom, but hundreds, thousands of everyday people, disciplined, peaceful people, taking their cause and their belief to the street. And that's from John Lewis, and he died this week on the 17th. Not this week, a year ago. This week? No, no, 2020. Cool. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God. Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you. As terrible as the storms were to us and the devastation that they caused for so many people here, we were so lucky to not have the loss of life. And truly, we thought we had a mess until you look at their photos. They had a mess. They have a mess. While individual families cannot receive direct aid, your contribution ensures that the vital resources reach the front lines of the crisis. So again, after presentations, that will be up there and it will stay up there in case anybody is so inclined and wants to donate, that would be a way to do it. Thank you. So roll call, if you will, please. Here. Councilmember Shaw. Present. Councilmember Jackson? Here. Councilmember Early. Present. Mayor Love. Here. City Attorney Salzman. Here. City Manager O'Reilly. Present. Deputy City Clerk Hartman, present. Thank you. All right. So our gym says that we have three presentations tonight, but we're going to adjust that. We actually will have two presentations tonight. And we will start with our first presentation from uh Duke Energy Clean Energy Connection Program. And I believe that I'm going to say the name hopefully correct.

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