Gulfport City Council Organizational Meeting with Oath of Office - March 17, 2026
Gulfport City Council Organizational Meeting with Oath of Office - March 17, 2026
The Gulfport City Council held its regular meeting on March 17, 2026, beginning with the swearing-in of newly elected council members Jennifer Webb (Ward 3) and Jennifer Donch (Ward 1). The meeting featured extensive public comment, a consent calendar with routine approvals, discussion on vice mayor selection and council policies/procedures, and new business items including a proposal to recognize a local teenager. No binding votes occurred beyond the consent calendar, which passed unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- Approved meeting minutes from February 17, February 26, and March 3, 2026.
- Approved Resolution 2026-11 appointing a resident trustee to the Gulfport General Employees Pension Board.
- Approved Resolution 2026-12 appointing a resident member to the Gulfport Firefighters Pension Board. All three items passed unanimously (5-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Dean Have (5618 13th Ave S), co-founder of Gulfport Environmental Team, reported on the tree inventory project: 1,400 trees inventoried in two months, with the top three species being sabal/cabbage palm, live oak, and laurel oak. The map is available at treeplotter.com/GulfportFlorida.
- Mary Winstead (16th St S) thanked the mayor for being the first mayor she had seen in her 36 years on her block, and urged respect for new council members.
- Courtney Perkopis (15th Ave S) raised concerns about the city's 287(g) agreement with ICE, citing a February 2025 conference call involving Sheriff Gautieri and then-acting Chief Ferrand. She referenced an ACLU report titled "Deputies for Disaster" and requested impact reporting and scrutiny of immigration enforcement policies. She noted that six of eight sheriffs on Florida's immigration advisory board have expressed concerns about current policies.
- Julia Bull (1419 59th St S) praised the Gabber newspaper for its inclusivity and criticized the mayor for allegedly avoiding Gabber readers, stating a disconnect between the city's inclusion resolution and the mayor's actions. Her comments were cut off when she addressed the mayor directly.
- Wolfgang Dininger (Beachway Park), representing Gulfport Grassroots, reported a cleanup at Clam Bayou with 7 volunteers collecting 270 pounds of trash, including the mayor on a kayak. He announced upcoming events: April 11 (Beyond the Beach cleanup and Swap & Drop) and a Nordic walking class at the senior center in May.
- Joe Senia (59th St S) decried a division in town between pro- and anti-Gabber factions, defended the Gabber as the second-oldest business in Gulfport (established 1968), and urged council members to stop attacking the newspaper, comparing it to federal attacks on free press.
- Brenda Graf (5960 9th Ave S) expressed support for the new council team.
- Scott Lindy (60th St S), representing Gulfport Merchant Chamber, reported the Pink Flamingo home tour had a 30% increase in attendance to over 600 people, and thanked city staff, particularly Justin. He called for volunteers for next year.
- Laura Oldaney (9th Ave S) announced a Nerd Night St. Pete excursion on sustainable living on March 21, 2-4:30 p.m., at Little Tree Homestead near Tomlinson Park.
- Lauren Stern (55th St S) reiterated a prior call for childcare at city meetings (estimated $2,600/year), noted that e-comment was missing from the attached policies/procedures document, and criticized the February 20 meeting minutes as editorialized.
- Donna Grace (24th Ave S) expressed concern about the 287(g) program, stating that if officers are trained by ICE they will behave like ICE, and urged the council to find a way to rescind the agreement.
- E-comments: Two were read. Deborah Schubs requested Councilmember Webb require a written legal review regarding a historic Black cemetery annex petition. Mickey Alberts announced a "No Kings Rally" on March 28, 12-1:30 p.m. at Clymer Park.
Discussion Items
- Vice Mayor Selection (Agenda 9A): The city clerk explained that traditionally the vice mayor rotates by ward order, with Councilmember Shaw next. Councilmember Shaw favored continuing rotation; Councilmember Early supported seniority; Councilmember Webb left the decision open but noted that nominations could be declined. The mayor suggested letting those interested self-identify and deferring a vote to the April 7 meeting when policies/procedures are discussed. No decision was made.
- Council Policies and Procedures (Agenda 9B): The city clerk presented the existing policy (Resolution 25-32) and asked each council member to review it and bring suggested changes to the April 7 meeting for discussion, with a resolution to follow on April 21. Topics to address include e-comment handling (e.g., whether to read all 70 identical comments or summarize), use of clarifying questions, and agenda order. Councilmember Early insisted that all e-comments should be read aloud, even if repetitive.
- Lions Club Payment: In response to a question from the mayor, the city attorney explained that a payment due under the Lions Club lease is on hold because the entity may have dissolved. The city is awaiting documentation to identify the proper payee and has prepared a release. If documentation is not provided, the city may deposit funds with the court.
Key Outcomes
- Approved consent calendar unanimously.
- Deferred vice mayor selection to the April 7 meeting; council will discuss and potentially vote on the method (rotation, seniority, or nomination/declination).
- Deferred adoption of council policies and procedures to April 7 and 21 meetings; staff will prepare a resolution based on council input.
- Consensus reached (4-0) to issue a ceremonial proclamation recognizing Nikita Johnson, a 17-year-old Gulfport resident who won the 2026 Indy NXT race in St. Petersburg.
- Council received updates on state legislation: House Bill 382 regarding e-bike speed limits on shared paths (requires audible warning and 10 mph limit within 50 feet of pedestrians, prohibits cities from restricting e-bikes on multi-use paths) and ongoing Forward Pinellas merger discussions. No council action taken.
- The city clerk will include e-comment address requirements in the policy review.
Meeting Transcript
Hmm, I wonder why we're all gathered here tonight. Not only do we are we all gathered here, I see so many joyous smiling faces, so that's really exciting. So I officially call our March seventeenth twenty twenty six meeting to order, and with that we will move on to the swearing in oath of office for our newly elected officials. If I could have Council Member Webb and Councilmember Donch join me in front of the seal, please, as well as if your spouses would like to join you. And you can stand in front of us and you're gonna be there. Okay. As a recipient of public funds, as such officer that I will support the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the state of Florida, and that I will, in all respects, observe the provisions of the Charter and the ordinances of the city of Gulfport. I do. May we may we speak with integrity, with serve with humility and disagree without division. Let us our perspective sharpen us, not separate us so that together we can accomplish what none of us could alone. Let every decision reflect our shared commitment to the people and the trust they place in us. We must lead without ego, guided by service and principle, letting the needs and voices of the community shape our choices. Let us guard ourselves from pride that divides and from habits that favor comfort over community. Let us hold fast to the courage to choose principle over popularity, progress over politics, statesmanship over showmanship, and collaboration over competition. Now, may we serve without hesitation. Let this term be remembered, not for who was right, but for what we made better together. Amen. And to the Republicans, sounds good. Roll call, please. Councilmember Donch here. Councilmember Shaw. Present. Councilmember Webb. Present. Councilmember Early? Present. Mayor Love. Present. City Attorney Salzman. Here. City Manager O'Reilly. Here. City Clerk Carico is present. Very good. And today, because of the swearing in, we do not have any presentations on the agenda. So with that, we will move directly to public comment. For those of you that have not been here in the past, just remember you can speak about anything that you'd like that's not on the agenda. And you have three minutes, and we ask that you give your name and your address before you speak. So let me see a show of hands, and I'll try and call you up. Dean, I saw you first. P.S. I love all the green out there. Hello, my name is Dean Have. My address is 5618 13th Avenue South. I wanted to first say personally that I'm happy that we continue to have a progressive uh council in front of us. And is it your birthday, Madam Mayor? Yeah. Oh, happy birthday to you as well. I'm one of the founders of the Gulfport Environmental Team. And I just wanted to provide a progress update for you.
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