OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Gulfport City Council Meeting - November 4, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, November 4, 2025
BodyGulfport, Mississippi
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, November 4, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:25:17

Transcript — Verbatim
5:00

Good evening and welcome to the let's see what is today's date.

5:02

November 4th council meeting.

5:05

If by chance you have a telephone on, I'm gonna add uh a telephone on.

5:09

If by chance you have your telephone, will you make sure it's not turned on?

5:13

Those of you that were here at the last council meeting understand the irony in that.

5:18

Mine is in the car.

5:20

Okay, with that in mind.

5:24

Excuse me.

5:25

With it with that in mind, the invocation will be given by my uh Vice Mayor Thanos today, and then followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

5:33

Please stand.

5:37

So today is election day, even though we aren't having an election.

5:41

So I have quotes about that.

5:43

A politician thinks of the next election, a statesman of the next generation.

5:48

And that was James Freeman Clark, who is a theologian and writer in 1888.

5:53

He died in 1888.

5:55

And another one, democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely.

6:03

The real safeguard of democracy is education, and that was FDR.

6:16

And to republic stands.

6:29

Thank you.

6:30

Roll call if you will.

6:32

Vice Mayor Thanos?

6:34

Here.

6:34

Councilmember Shaw.

6:36

Present, sorry, no worries.

6:40

Councilmember Jackson?

6:41

Here.

6:41

Councilmember Early.

6:43

Present.

6:43

Mayor Love.

6:44

Here.

6:45

City Attorney Salzman.

6:46

Here.

6:46

City Manager O'Reilly.

6:48

Present.

6:48

And Deputy City Clerk Hartman present.

6:50

Thank you.

6:51

So tonight, um, if you've been looking at the agenda, it says that we're gonna have two presentations.

6:57

But in fact, we're going to have one.

7:01

So the um winners of the Halloween contest, they weren't able to be here tonight, but they have already been here and picked up their award.

7:09

And the teen counsel who was to present it couldn't be here tonight.

7:13

So I'm just gonna have the pleasure of telling you that the winners of our Halloween decoration contest were Alex Garcia and Robert Ware of 531728th Avenue South.

7:27

So no surprise, right?

7:29

Everyone can figure out which house that was.

7:32

All right, and then we'll move right along, and so we'll go to the second presentation, which is now the first presentation.

7:41

Trolley Marketing Plan presentation, Mr.

7:44

Shea, thank you.

7:54

Good evening, Mayor, City Council members.

7:57

Thank you for having me today.

8:02

Welcome the board, welcome aboard the City of Gulfport Trolley Service.

8:06

This presentation is about the City of Gulfport's looper service trolley service, an initiative focused on improving mobility, enhancing visitor experience, and supporting local events in businesses.

8:20

One of the key features of our service is a 20-minute continuous loop ensuring regular predictable transportation.

8:26

Whether attending events, visiting businesses, or just exploring the trolley, welcome aboard.

8:54

On the home page at MyGolfport.us, just simply travel to the special events looper section under the things to do menu item.

9:03

This is our dedicated landing page where residents and visitors can find updated schedules, route maps, service alerts.

9:11

It's part of our effort to keep information accessible and keep the public informed in real time.

9:18

The site provides instructions on how to ride as well as a schedule of events when the service is in play.

9:27

Also on the website, um, we have an interactive map that we'll get to later.

9:32

Um with the support of the public works department, they gave us access to the GIS mapping system.

9:37

The opportunity is endless inside that program, uh, and we will get to that.

9:42

Um, as far as improvements, I first wanted to show what the previous trolley route map looked like.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural███████████11%
Public Engagement██████████10%
Legislative Update██████████10%
Parks and Recreation█████████9%
Transportation Safety████████8%
Community Engagement████████8%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████7%
Environmental Protection█████5%
Technology and Innovation████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Gulfport City Council Meeting Summary - November 4, 2025

The City Council of Gulfport convened on November 4, 2025, for an election day meeting focused on community updates, the Gulfport Looper service, comprehensive plan amendments, charter revision debates, and beach restoration funding. Key topics included the approval of a budget for beach rebuilding using city reserves, extensive discussion on proposed charter amendments regarding term limits and removal procedures, and significant public commentary regarding the enforcement of vegetation codes and local community projects.

Consent Calendar

  • Unanimous approval of the minutes from the October 21, 2025 meeting.
  • Unanimous approval of Resolution 2025-91, establishing the 2026 municipal general election date for March 10, 2026.
  • Unanimous approval of Resolution 2025-92, authorizing the purchase and installation of a 20x20 steel shelter at Veterans Memorial Park funded by the Armed Forces Families Donation Foundation.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Francine (Operation Santa): Expressed gratitude for the program's 33rd year success, stating they served 90 families and 300 kids last year and have not turned away any applicants. Requested donations and noted registration opens after Thanksgiving. Position: Supportive of ongoing donations and expansion of the program to include siblings of eligible children.
  • Brad Bruner (Senior Advisory Committee on Aging): Presented the new "Discover Gulfport" walking trail system. Invited the community to the first annual Mayor's Community Walk on November 15th. Position: Encouraged community participation and volunteerism in the new trail system launch.
  • Amy Costa (Midtown Business Collective): Reported on the success of the "Gulfport Citywide Creepy Crawl" Halloween event with over 20 businesses. Promoted upcoming Senior Center Foundation events including Veterans Day, Mad Beach Band, Santa Gift Wrapping, and Christmas Big Band. Position: Celebrated community business engagement and fundraising efforts.
  • Resident (5817 21st Avenue South): Expressed strong concern regarding increasing air traffic congestion near the Alfred Wood Airport, specifically Legion Air, Coast Guard, and private helicopters flying under visual flight rules at low altitudes. Proposed a safety risk and requested a tabletop crash/fire rescue exercise and FAA noise monitoring. Position: Urged immediate city intervention to mitigate aviation safety risks.
  • Wolfgang (Gulfport Grassroots): Reported on recent successful community cleanups collecting 270 pounds of trash. Asked if the Looper service would extend to the Beachway Park 55+ community. Position: Supported local cleanup efforts and inquired about public transit coverage.
  • Karen Schwartz (Resident): Complimented the trolley service revamp but suggested the interactive map include street closure and parking information for events like GeckoFest. Position: Advocated for better mapping transparency regarding parking availability.
  • Julie Armstrong & Courtney Prokopp: Expressed strong support for the "Art in the Yard" event and requested a formalized, accessible process for requesting the Looper service for future community events like the community yard sale. Position: Criticized the current informal nature of service requests.
  • Bob (Bullboard): Raised concerns about drainage infrastructure, specifically advocating for the installation of baffle boxes during current excavation to prevent trash from entering the bay and costly future repairs. Position: Urged immediate implementation of flood control measures.
  • Mary Hanrahan & Laura Oldaney: Expressed opposition to current code enforcement practices regarding vegetation height (13 inches vs 12-inch limit) and citations for native sea grapes. Laura argued that current fines ($500/day) and enforcement timelines (5 days) are excessive and incongruent with the Comprehensive Plan's resilience goals. Proposed a task force to review codes. Position: Strongly opposed aggressive enforcement and advocated for code amendment focusing on native vegetation and resilience.
  • MJ Kozlowski: Asked about the lack of lighting at Pavilion 6 at the AA/Alanon meeting site. Position: Requested repair of public infrastructure.

Discussion Items

  • Gulfport Looper Service Presentation (Mr. Shea): Updated the council on the new 20-minute continuous loop service. Clarified that the "trolley" is a larger 32-passenger vehicle and the "Looper" is a smaller, more mobile vehicle. Discussed an interactive map on MyGolfport.us, benchbacks with the Merchants Chamber of Commerce, and partnerships with Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA). Council members expressed interest in real-time tracking, reflective signage, and potential extensions to Town Shores and Beachway Park. Position: Presented data showing ridership increases in spring and at festivals; sought feedback to improve the program.
  • Code Enforcement Review (Councilmember Shaw): Proposed modifying the code enforcement process for vegetation and sightline violations, including the use of initial courtesy letters, community "line in the sand" notice periods, and educational materials to reduce resident anxiety. Councilmember Early expressed concern that sightlines are a safety matter and accidents, while rare, are significant. Position: Councilmember Shaw proposed procedural changes to soften the enforcement approach; Councilmember Early emphasized safety necessity despite the lack of reported accidents.
  • Charter Amendments (City Attorney & Council): Extensive debate on proposed charter changes including:
    • Terms: Shifted from 2-year to 3-year terms for all members. Debate occurred on term limits (2 vs 3 terms), with Councilmember Early advocating for up to 3 terms for Mayor to ensure continuity, while Councilmember Shaw noted that 3 terms was the consensus for the majority.
    • Suspension/Removal: Council moved the section prohibiting contact with employees and the 60-day suspension protocol from the Charter to Council Policies and Procedures to allow for greater flexibility. Council approved removing the archaic "guilty of a second-degree misdemeanor" language and adding a clause allowing City Managers to serve without living in the city but requiring residence within the city during tenure unless an exception is voted by four members.
    • Vacancies: Modified the rule for forfeiture of office for missing meetings, reducing the threshold from six meetings to four in a 12-month period.
  • Beach Restoration Budget (Councilmember Early & Vice Mayor Thanos): Debated Resolution 2025-93 to authorize spending $811,000 from reserves for beach restoration (sheet piles, sand, pavers) without FEMA reimbursement. Vice Mayor Thanos argued for delaying non-structural phases (plantings, dunes) to ensure a comprehensive resiliency plan, fearing delays in permitting. Councilmember Shaw and others argued that the 10-month delay in getting the initial permit made further delays risky, emphasizing the economic impact of reopening the volleyball courts. Position: Council members were split between immediate action for economic recovery vs. waiting for a full resiliency plan.

Key Outcomes

  • Ordinance 2025-02 (Comprehensive Plan): Passed with recommendations to adopt the state-mandated two planning horizons (2035 and 2050) in the Future Land Use Element, removing outdated policies regarding affordable housing liaisons and water meter replacement schedules that have been completed.
  • Charter Amendment Resolution: Passed to submit the following charter amendments to the March 2026 referendum:
    • Increase Council and Mayor terms from 2 to 3 years.
    • Allow up to 3 consecutive terms for all elected officials.
    • Remove the requirement for a City Manager to reside in the city (with an optional exception clause).
    • Remove the "guilty of a misdemeanor" clause for code violations and remove archaic recording requirements.
    • Adjust vacancy rules for missing meetings.
    • Note: The specific provisions regarding suspension and employee contact were moved to Council Policy rather than the Charter.
  • Resolutions Approved:
    • Resolution 2025-93: Authorized $811,000 for beach restoration (beach sheet pile installation, sand regrading, road/sidewalk reconstruction, and temporary volleyball court relocation). Approved unanimously with public comment urging immediate investment in resiliency (plantings/dunes).
    • Resolution 2025-94: Renewed agreement with Shoemaker Advisors for State Legislative Consultant services.
    • Resolution 2025-95: Renewed agreement with Thorne Run Partners for Federal Legislative Consultant services.
    • Resolution 2025-96: Increased non-resident senior center membership fees from $50 to $100 effective upon renewal in the 2026 fiscal year.
  • Council Comments:
    • Council voted to host a public workshop in February to explain the charter referendum questions.
    • Accepted a request for a presentation on homelessness from the Leadership of Pinellas County.
    • Recognized the "Boomerangs" youth baseball team's charity drive for Thanksgiving meals.
    • Celebrated Julio's winning the "Best Empanadas in the World" award, viewing it as a catalyst for tourism.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome to the let's see what is today's date. November 4th council meeting. If by chance you have a telephone on, I'm gonna add uh a telephone on. If by chance you have your telephone, will you make sure it's not turned on? Those of you that were here at the last council meeting understand the irony in that. Mine is in the car. Okay, with that in mind. Excuse me. With it with that in mind, the invocation will be given by my uh Vice Mayor Thanos today, and then followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Please stand. So today is election day, even though we aren't having an election. So I have quotes about that. A politician thinks of the next election, a statesman of the next generation. And that was James Freeman Clark, who is a theologian and writer in 1888. He died in 1888. And another one, democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy is education, and that was FDR. And to republic stands. Thank you. Roll call if you will. Vice Mayor Thanos? Here. Councilmember Shaw. Present, sorry, no worries. Councilmember Jackson? Here. Councilmember Early. Present. Mayor Love. Here. City Attorney Salzman. Here. City Manager O'Reilly. Present. And Deputy City Clerk Hartman present. Thank you. So tonight, um, if you've been looking at the agenda, it says that we're gonna have two presentations. But in fact, we're going to have one. So the um winners of the Halloween contest, they weren't able to be here tonight, but they have already been here and picked up their award. And the teen counsel who was to present it couldn't be here tonight. So I'm just gonna have the pleasure of telling you that the winners of our Halloween decoration contest were Alex Garcia and Robert Ware of 531728th Avenue South. So no surprise, right? Everyone can figure out which house that was. All right, and then we'll move right along, and so we'll go to the second presentation, which is now the first presentation. Trolley Marketing Plan presentation, Mr. Shea, thank you. Good evening, Mayor, City Council members. Thank you for having me today. Welcome the board, welcome aboard the City of Gulfport Trolley Service. This presentation is about the City of Gulfport's looper service trolley service, an initiative focused on improving mobility, enhancing visitor experience, and supporting local events in businesses.

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