Welcome and thank you for coming to our April 7th uh city council meeting.

I see a lot of good faces out there and a few new faces out there.

I'm glad everybody made it.

I think we were expecting more rain than what we what we got so far.

So what I'm doing is I'm calling the meeting to order, and we're gonna start with the invocation by Councilmember Shaw that will be followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, so I'm going to ask it everybody's stand.

Spring is a season that reminds us of growth and new beginnings.

In many ways, the work we do here is no different.

Every decision we make plants a seed, and with care, collaboration, and patience, those seeds shape not only our shared present, but the future of our community.

One nation.

Before we do roll call, let me just ask everybody if there's any chance whatsoever that your phone is on or notifications are on, or volumes on.

If you'd please turn them off, I'd appreciate it.

Thank you.

Councilmember Shaw.

Present.

Council Member Webb.

Present.

Councilmember Early?

Present.

Councilmember Donch?

Here.

Mayor Love.

Here.

City Attorney Salzman.

Here.

City Manager O'Reilly.

Here.

City Clerk Carico is present.

Thank you.

So tonight we start with two presentations, and our first presentation is going to be to Mr.

Nikita Johnson.

And we have a proclamation that Councilmember Shaw is going to read.

And we have a proclamation that's gonna be read by Councilmember Webb, my apologies.

Oh, thank you, Mayor.

And this is a proclamation honoring Nikita Johnson, whereas Nikita Johnson at just 17 years of age has demonstrated exceptional talent, discipline, and determination, well beyond his years, embodying the very best qualities of elite athletes and personal excellence.

And whereas as a proud resident of Gulfport, Florida, Nikita Johnson represents the spirit, character, and ambition of our community, serving as an inspiration through his dedication to his craft, his craft, and his unwavering pursuit of greatness.

And whereas Nikita Johnson's journey to success has been marked by years of rigorous training, personal sacrifice, and steadfast commitment, reflecting a maturity and work ethic that that distinguishes him as a rising figure in the world of competitive competitive motorsports, and whereas his remarkable accomplishment and winning the Indy next by Firestone race at the Firestone Grand Prix of St.

Petersburg, leading all 42 laps after a fearless outside pass on the very first turn on the opening lap demonstrates an extraordinary combination of technical mastery, physical conditioning, strategic acumen, split section second decision making, and disciplined preparation, bringing great pride and honor to the city of Gulfport.

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that the City Council of the City of Gulfport does hereby recognize and commend Nikita Johnson for his outstanding achievements, remarkable talent talent, and inspiring example to our community, and proudly congratulates him on his exceptional victory and continued success.

Be it further proclaimed that the City Council encourages all residents to embrace the pursuit of competitive athletics and positive disciplined risk taking as vital to the healthy develop development of young people in celebration of Nikita Johnson and directs a copy of this proclamation to be presented as a lasting symbol of the city's pride and admiration.

Come on up.

It's not every day you have an elite athlete in your meds and seven people.

And his team is awesome.

There you go.

Excellent.

Come on in, everyone.

If you can't see me here, but I can I can't see you.

Mayor, would you like to be in the center, please?

Come on.

Congratulations very much.

Thank you so much, y'all, for joining us today.

This is the helmet as well.

Oh, that's so great.

That's great.

Mayor, he has hometown pride all over his helmet.

If you'd like to hear about the design of his helmet, and this is his trophy.

Here, Nick's right layer.

So cool.

No, no, no, she's trying to get you.

Perfect.

Thanks for joining me.

I was expecting to see a black man.

I know one Nikita, and he's black.

And you were a surprise.

I bet she was not expecting to see a 17-year-old.

Yeah, so I'd like to thank everybody for coming out.

I mean, it means a lot.

And then everybody uh, you know, it's just amazing to be from the city of Gulfport.

I've been all around the world, and uh, you know, there's no better place than to be here on the water.

Um, those of you that know me, I love to be on the water.

I love uh nature and everything about here, so it's pretty amazing to be here.

I'm very happy that the community recognizes all my hard work.

Um, you know, I've been doing this for 12 years now, so there's been a lot of sacrifice, not going to actual school in person, having to go online and traveling, you know, pretty much all my high school years, uh, either alone or with my dad overseas.

So, you know, it's been a lot of sacrifice, but it's uh paying off, and just can't thank uh all the support for you know everything I've been and all the support from the city of Gulfport.

So thank you everybody.

Thank you very much.

Wonderful.

What's next?

Next, I go to mid-Ohio uh for some testing, and then I go to Iowa.

After that, I go race in Indianapolis, and it's a double header weekend, so that means we have two races.

If I win there, then I become the youngest in history.

Well, actually, the only person to win three races under 18 years old in Indy Next.

So hopefully we can get that done.

And we'll all be all be pulling from coming out.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

Oh, yeah.

And uh it's a Florida themed helmet, so we have the palm trees on the side, Skyway Rouge on the back, flamingos on the front, and on the top we have the Florida flag with the American flag and metal because we've been overseas a lot.

So we're just missing the get-go.

Thank you so much for coming.

All righty, and then our next presentation, and he's more than 17, is Kendrick Anderson and our public works director.

Oh, did you hear me?

Our public works director.

Thank you very much, Council and Mayor.

I probably do appreciate that, and I am excited to serve the city and continue.

Um, first, I wanted to go over the C click fix uh program that we've implemented this year.

Uh, a little background behind it.

Uh, last year was brought to city staff attention that we are looking at providing a new service request portal to allow um the residents to streamline and get this information out more efficiently to city staff and provide a little bit more transparency of what's going on out there in the city.

Uh so what uh Dave Mather, our uh assistant city manager and IT director, he went out there and did some research and found that Civic Plus provided the best platform for us, and it's currently utilized throughout the county C Click Fix.

So after an extensive amount of work put in through our uh uh implementation team, which includes Dave Mather and Dwayne Stefansky, who is our utility superintendent, we're finally live, and I would like to just show you where we're at if I can pull up.

Okay, so let's see.

Okay, so this is our live page right here.

And you can see we actually our neighbors with our city of St.

Pete, uh C click fix and Pinales County.

And down below, you'll be able to see St.

Pete Beach, Panelas Park, and Belair and all their other surrounding communities.

So what the user will need to do is they'll go on, they'll click on the uh the portal page, and they're actually able to select a category from here, and then what it will do is it'll streamline this to city staff.

Once you put the and I'll sh I'll do a process of how it works, it actually gets automatically sent to our emails and my work phone the minute these requests come in.

So if you have a flooding complaint, you all you'll have to do is just and I'm gonna show you on the sandbox a little bit more, but you can actually just put your address in, go through add an image if you have one, type in your description.

A lot of these are all drop down to make it a little bit more easy for the user.

So what uh let's use today as well, what a flooding occurred.

You can just say alley roadway, um location.

It goes into detail.

So what we want is to try to see how as much detail as you can provide, so we can try to address it and keep track of of what's actually occurring in the field.

Now, you guys know that in the summertime, most rain events you can call it like clockwork, it happens at four or five o'clock in the afternoon.

So we're not here to actually see what's going on.

So allowing the residents the opportunity to report this and attach photos, it does help substantially when we get those complaints, and I'll explain more uh how that will effectively help us on the back end.

So to go back to the service quest.

So, yes, we have pretty much everything we could think of that we've noticed that have been called into staff.

Um I want to go with the code enforcement when I know that may be a little hairy topic to talk about, but we'll go into that a little bit.

Um, so this platform allows us to add on, uh continue adding on requests that come in.

If there's a bathroom that may need to be cleaned in the library, or just something uh water fountain that may be out.

Like I said, once it's once it's submitted into the system, we get notified immediately.

Um this is basically where we're at with our categories, and I wanted to show you, and let me go back to the code enforcement question here.

So, as you guys know that code enforcement requires complaints are uh by state law need to be reported with name and address.

Um, but what we wanted to ensure that this is not public view, it's all private, no one can see it.

So everything that someone submits in C click fix is all going to be private.

Uh, it's just only code enforcement uh team will know what's going on.

So code enforcement will still get the name.

So we're following the law.

Yes, it's just not that the next person can come along and see it, it's not published.

Correct.

So you'll see down here, whenever you put your location.

Let's see, you can put your photo, you'll see a notification right here per the state law that you have to provide X amount of information.

But once again, everything here is not displayed public, and we'll be monitoring it too.

They're actually part of the system is an AI platform that will actually flag certain things that may come in inappropriately, or if something like this, and Mr.

Mather will tell you yesterday we had a bug come in, and we notify them immediately, and they took it right off.

So there it's definitely as advanced, and so we're gonna monitor it throughout the week or throughout the day as they come in.

Um, what I wanted to show you was this is our sandbox here, and this is how we built the the uh the service request portal, and hopefully I can.

So these are all test uh work order or service requests that came in, and what we will see, and you actually see that too as the public, and I'm hoping I can pull it a little bit bigger, but not playing nice right now.

But the public will be actually be able to see this out uh on the page.

So the reds indicate that's uh submit uh request was submitted, and a green will indicate we acknowledged it, we're aware, we're working on it, and it eventually will be closed out.

And the person that puts in the service requests will get notified if they choose to be notified.

Uh, they're allowed to create a username or just simply put their email uh and phone number.

Well, phone number is not gonna really work, but an email to actually send out a digital uh notification.

So when you um when the user's in the portal, they can click on a topic like this, they can say, Oh, well, there was a pothole reported on my street.

Uh they can see what we comment on.

You can see public works and knowledge, and these are all tests.

Um, and this is pretty much how they get updated as as the uh process goes along, and once again, they'll be uh public will be able to see this.

Um, one of the things I wanted to point out as far as like road floodings, so we're able to internally filter out.

Let's see, let me just give you an example here.

So uh let's say road flooding here.

So we'll be able to filter out all the complaints for road floodings that came in throughout maybe in the month or day.

This allows public works to say, all right, there must be an issue there.

Everyone's reporting this on this two-inch rainfall event.

So let's identify what's going on there.

If it's an inlet and it may be clogged, maybe there's an issue with the storm pipe.

So when we ask residents to continually put this information into this system, we're allowed to track it.

It's all uh reported at the end where we can say, All right, so 27th Avenue, we're getting five complaints every rain event.

Maybe we need to look and try and upgrade the system or uh revise how we're approaching uh proactively to clean the lines, or or maybe there's something else we're just not familiar with.

Uh same thing with potholes.

If we can get the public to report the potholes in this system, we'll know, hey, listen, we know we have this road.

Let's see.

Same thing with the potholes.

If you can have we can get those submitted into our system, we'll know.

All right, so 52nd Avenue, we've had 15 pothole requests.

Let's add it on our paving list.

So this is very important to ensure that we're getting the right information, it's being effectively issued out to the departments.

Uh utility department director, uh, Sonia Levert, she gets notified if there's a water main break or if there's a sewer issue, so she knows ahead of time.

All right, I may be getting some calls in.

Uh the county has the ability for us to send them items.

So if there's something that's obviously not within our jurisdiction, we can inform them.

Uh we put on their items like the traffic signal issues, uh, utility lines down, and we also provide information how to contact uh the communication provider just in case you know we're not able to quickly uh uh address that.

So there's all kind of information that's readily available for the resident to report.

And once again, transparency has always been the word that we wanted to go off of, and this is pure transparency and pure accountability on our end, so you guys can see hey, if there's something that's out there that hasn't been addressed, there's something that we need to ensure that we're doing, and we will get notifications if there's a work order open.

So if there's something that's yeah, hey, you haven't done anything, what's going on?

What's going on?

We will get an email.

I'll get those emails off this test site because we haven't done anything on the on the test site, it's just every day.

Oh, you have this thing open.

So um, and so what we're at now is this is a soft launch, it is live, but we're still working some bugs, just making sure that everything's gonna, you know, uh flow smoothly, but we do want to make sure that this is brought out there to the public to be aware that it's available, and Mr.

Mather and I we're gonna work on some kind of outreach uh campaign to ensure it's out there on social media, it's out there available on the website, and social media is a wonderful thing to have, but it doesn't actually get us as quick as we can to respond as far as the city and public works.

So we want to definitely try to champion using this uh the system.

And uh any questions or I have one and then we'll see.

Um I didn't quite hear how do you get to this.

This is not on our website, is it?

This isn't on my golfport.us.

So where do you start?

Mr.

Mather, did we put this on the website yet?

Okay, so you can go on Google and just type in golf port C click fix, and then it will just take you.

So the Google click uh C click fix.

Yes, okay, and I got it after that.

I just didn't know how you got there.

So, yeah, if you just tip simply type in on Google the C click fix, it'll bring you right to the Gulf Port uh Florida page.

I imagine it will be on our website when we're really 100%.

No, it will be okay.

Got it.

Yes.

Since this is a soft launch, is there a way for residents to provide feedback about user experience?

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

What I can do is when we do the web page uh posting, we can include my email on there in case there's something that's not working right or not making sense, so we can absolutely do that.

Awesome, thank you.

No, thank you.

Did you have any?

I'm I'm thrilled to see that we're here.

Uh, when I was first on council, I brought this suggestion forward, and I really appreciate how hard y'all have worked on it, and I think it's really going to enhance communication as you reference transparency, and and of course, to all of us, that's very important.

So thank you so much.

Thank you.

I actually have a few questions.

So whenever I just have a question.

Um, who sets the priority?

And maybe that would change.

Yes, I can change.

So uh Dave Mather and I are both uh administrators on this uh account.

So once again, these things we can adjust uh as far as uh priority level, like you mentioned, medium low high, and uh reminders as far as hey, look, this needs to get taken care of.

So all these can be adjusted on the back end.

And and you guys have to do that.

And and you guys we have yeah, we're we own this.

Dirty alley may be a high priority to them.

Yeah, you have trees down somewhere else.

Okay, I just want to make sure that you were doing that.

So, what we did was, and I'm the first one to omit I will copy someone else's hard work in a heartbeat.

So we actually St.

Pete Beach was one, uh St.

Petersburg, Pinellas County.

We went off of how they did their priorities and how they set it up.

So we are more than welcome to change it however we need to, though.

Very good.

Councilmember Donch.

Okay, so um when you acknowledge it that you received it, is that acknowledgement just a receipt?

Like we got your message, or does the acknowledgement mean that you are actually working on it?

Does it get a work order number?

Does it get you know so the acknowledgement means we received it, and then our staff what we're doing is setting up a process for them to say we're sending we're following up with a comment.

Now there's drop-down comments that we can include in there.

Uh once again, we're still trying to figure out our flow internally, but yes, we we're trying to ensure that full information is provided to the person who's uh submitting the request.

But as of now, like with the city manager, if we have an issue, he'll know right away sending staff on site, staff is there and work is complete.

So that's the same process we want to do with the residents.

So I actually utilize this program at work every day.

So I I know um kind of how it works.

Um also is there uh do we have it set up so that people people can make public comment back to the original person who posted it?

Yes, yes, we do have it open.

Okay.

Um so just one thing, what a comment about um how that works, maybe for the public to hear or anybody else to recognize that this happens.

Um I I have one that I'd like to read that happened um just a couple days ago.

Um public comment, you know.

So everybody you have to leave your first name, first and last name, and it is public in our city.

Um the city where I work.

You have to leave your address also, which is also then publicly uh shown.

So this person said, is it appropriate for our neighbors to put the trash out on Saturday for Tuesday pickup and the lawn debris to be on the street instead of in a container?

And then there are five comments back and forth calling each other names about somebody commenting on the trash being out too soon, and why is that something that we're even bringing up, and why do you care about that?

Okay, so um which is what I don't want it to be.

Okay, we're right.

Like we want it to be great, and we want people to be able to comment on that.

Um, because then they can say, like, yeah, there's a really big problem, whatever the thing is, you want to get 10 comments on the rain.

You don't want to have 10 separate cases about the flood, but you do want to have 10 comments on the one flood or on the one violation, but it does then open itself up to being that like social media thing, and um become like just another Facebook comment thing where people are just you know, now you're now you hate everybody and it's it's a wrap.

It's turned off right now.

So um not to necessarily turn it off, but just to be aware that that's gonna happen, and um, you know, so I don't know.

I I don't know what the answer is for that because I don't have it either, but it does happen and they're crazy.

So I'm gonna send these to you guys so that you are aware of exactly what these people say to each other.

Um and they're public, and they know that they're their neighbors that they're talking to when they say it out loud and for everybody to see.

Um so there's that.

Additionally um, I realize that they can't connect necessarily to the systems that we use to um, you know, like if you get a police call, it would go into a system that gets a number like 2026 and then 500 cases.

Um so if public works or somebody has you know each system that they utilize, putting that work order number in your reply, like okay, we have received your comment.

This is the work order number for it.

So the next time you call, you now have a work order number that you can follow up on.

That seems to be really helpful for people to feel like they actually got a response, not just a okay.

I heard you.

I'm glad you brought that up.

So last year, council approved PSD citywide as our asset.

Um, and then are were you okay?

Great, sorry.

We did approve the PSD citywide asset manager program for public works.

So we did integrate an API for this system to immediately go to our work order system.

So as you mentioned, the requests will come into PSDC.

Well, come in here first, and then it'll shoot to Dwayne in public works' work asset management system where we will actually be able to create a work order from there, and then like you said, it'll give an opportunity to follow up with the resident.

Hey, a work order was created, here's our internal service request, and then once we close it out, we can update the system.

So great comment.

I totally forgot to mention.

People get confused a lot because you closed your C click fix and they're like, but nothing was done.

Why is it closed?

So it's not actually closed, you just started a new number in a new place.

But this is closed.

So people, you know, don't necessarily realize that when they're doing it, and then it gets more people upset than needs to be.

So thank you so much.

Maybe that'll help people along the way.

Yeah, we just started rolling out the new asset management system.

And once again, Dwayne Savanski and his team has done a phenomenal job.

They're using it right now for the stormwater and the sewer repairs and the water repairs.

So great point.

These are going to talk to each other and ensure that we're keeping track on our end.

Thank you.

So I say great insight because you've been working with it.

Great insight and experience.

That's great.

And uh the issue of hijacking posts.

Let's not even start that.

I mean, you know, it's it's our website.

We control it, you're gonna take care of things, and we're not gonna have uh name calling and stuff going on among residents.

We have too many hijacked posts going on in this city already.

Before I go home, I'm gonna turn it off.

I promise.

I'll go right to my office.

Mayor, may I?

Yes, please.

Um, one thing council member Dawn should brought to forward to us was creating it as we do with the building permits by address is putting the code enforcement violations.

So we have turned that portal on also through BSNA that someone could put an address in to see it doesn't have the actual complaint or anything, it's just the actual violation can be seen through the city's portal, the BSA portal.

Yeah, so you can now just like you can search for people who have a permit or something.

If you just want to go see if that house has a permit, you can put in an address and see if they have a code enforcement violation.

So you can see that, like if you got one, you're like, why did my neighbor get one?

You can check and see they actually did.

You just didn't know, but you can look it up and check.

You can see if I have one, you can check any address you want.

Right.

And I think that's something we'll need to talk about with public records requests.

If someone calls me and say, Hey, can I get this?

Make sure we got our T's cross on that.

So absolutely.

Thank you very much, Kendricks.

Thank you very much.

All right.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Okay, I think our council all has their um tablets back at this point.

We've had a little problem over the holiday, and um so is it too hot out there now?

I usually get complaints it's too cold.

Is it too hot?

No.

Comfortable.

Two fanning, two saying it's good, one saying comfortable, one saying hot.

Okay.

We're kind of on that border, I think, of half and half right now.

We don't want to cook anyone, but we don't want to icebox them either.

All right.

Um, with that, then let's go to public comment.

Show of hands, no applauding, no booing, you know.

Just come on up, say your name, where you live, and you have three minutes to speak.

I saw you first, please.

Hi, my name is Cheryl Siegel.

I live on 12th Avenue South, one block north of Stetson University College of Law.

It's my understanding that since Stetson has been able to acquire the last property on the south side of our street.

It wants to rezone the entire side from residential to institutional.

I have some very serious concerns about this from several aspects.

First, what the college does can affect our property values, and while Stetson owns plenty of properties in the area, it pays no taxes on them.

We, however, do.

Stetson's act, so it's Stetson's actions can affect not only what we can get for our properties, but ultimately what property tax revenue the city receives.

Second, I'm concerned about quality of life.

Whether whatever is built or developed on institutional property could very much change the character of our block and encroach on the residential feel of our neighborhood.

That includes size, height, look, occupancy of buildings.

As a neighbor said, I don't want a brick parking garage across the street from me when I live in beautiful Florida.

But the impacts also include traffic, parking, and safety, including easy access to emergency vehicles.

I'm also concerned because whatever the current dean says he does or does not intend to do with the property, only holds weight as long as he is here and doesn't change his mind.

In the 20 years we have lived here, we have seen many deans come and go.

But once zoning is changed, we are helpless to have an impact on what the college does, especially if and when there is a new dean.

Several years ago, our neighborhood found out by chance about changes that the then dean wanted to do that would have had an adverse impact on us.

Back then, Stetson did not act like a good neighbor, and it cost any goodwill and trust it had with its pro private property owning neighbors.

Here we are again, faced with something Stetson's administration wants that will have ripple effects in our community.

Surveyors have already been out on our block.

I urge the city to require transparency from Stetson with property owners on 12th Avenue as well as the greater neighborhood before the city considers any request.

I also urge there to be deliberate efforts made to notify neighbors of any hearings or votes that could come up.

Any proposals should not be done in the dark with neighbors being surprised when the bulldozers start rolling in.

We should have an we should have ample notice to have our voices heard.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Who's next?

I saw no.

Remember, we don't know applause, no boos, nothing.

David.

You're next.

David Bodensted, 6073 Gulfport Boulevard, the house with the beekine signed in front.

I'm here tonight concerned about the Stetson issue also.

I would like to know some more details about it.

I've talked with 14 of my neighbors in the last couple days regarding this.

And they too have a lot of questions.

So I'm going to put a new sign in front of my house.

It's called Be Nice.

Nice standing for Neighborhood Impact Community Exchange.

And I would uh certainly like this to be an example that the people are involved.

The people voted for this wonderful team.

We deserve each other.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yes, please.

Sweetie.

Hi, I'm Barbara Northsay.

I live on 12th Avenue South.

I'll try not to be too redundant to what you've heard already, but I watched the surveyors come by in March and was concerned about what was going on because they weren't newly purchased.

I knew that that block across the street from me had been completely now purchased by Stetson.

So that meant they they own the entire block from 12th Avenue South to 13th.

And I'd heard persistent rumors for about four years that I've lived here about oh, they want to do this, oh, they want to do that.

And I don't really like the rumor thing.

I would like to know what's really happening.

So I went to the zoning office, and I was uh kindly told that there were conversations being had, um, but no application had been made.

But the conversations were about possibly changing the zoning to institutional zoning, which means that a college can build what they want as far as their needs are concerned a dorm, a parking lot, uh you know, a classroom, I don't know.

Um, so again, it still feels like a little bit too much rumor and not enough specifics.

I also was told within 300 feet, if we're in a butter, we can be made aware.

But I found out also that you only get one week's notice.

That's not enough notice, you know, for this kind of conversation.

Um, so what I'm trying to say today is my goal is to make sure that everyone is aware that this is a plan, there's some kind of planning going on, and uh the the community, the neighbors are not aware of it.

Um, I'm personally concerned about the impact this development would have on my property, my property value, and the aesthetics, the impact on the neighborhood.

Uh I don't want a large building that I look at over the trees.

Um I don't want to see an increase in pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

Uh we already have a lot of students parking on our street.

We actually I had to sort of nag to get the no parking signs on one side of the street so that trucks could get through.

We have a narrower street than Stetson has on 61st and 62nd, and interestingly, they have no parking on their streets.

So I don't understand why students are parking on our street and not on Stetson streets.

That's one of my questions.

Um, so it just seems like there's a history of not having transparent and open communication about things they are planning.

I'm all for progress, but I'm also for dialogue and conversation and negotiation.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Who's next?

Yes.

I'll get you next.

Good evening.

My name's uh Mike Boucher.

Live at uh we have a place my wife and I at 6131 12th Avenue South, and um we've been there for a couple of years, and I I sat on a board like you up in Massachusetts.

It was Board of Selectmen, not a city council, but uh, and so we had to face a lot of the decisions that you have to face.

So I'm familiar with what you're dealing with.

Our concern is similar, I don't want to repeat everything as was just said, but uh our concern is property value.

Our concern is what it does to the traffic, what it does to the water and the sewer, the runoff, the flooding, because we do have flooding at the end of the street.

Um in the height issues as well.

Um right now, you know, we have there's a lot of a lot of trees, as you can imagine.

In fact, I want to say that we like being near Stetson.

We we actually, when we are looking to purchase a place, we will like this is good.

We're near a college, a university.

Stetson seems like a good place.

We've got to know a lot of the people.

Our neighbors across the street are all students, and on except for um uh one gentleman who's uh works for Stettenson.

We have Stetson professors next door.

So we like Stetson, so we want to make sure you understand that, but these other concerns outweigh a lot of the niceties in that.

Um it can have a uh very uh detrimental impact with all the issues I've mentioned.

I think I mentioned water, sewer, um, runoff, things like that.

Um so we just want you guys to really take this serious.

Um that's why we're out here tonight.

Uh we want you to um make sure that the steps for notifying us are properly done, that you hear our voice, that you take into account these concerns, even things like landscaping, you know, if they were to build something, and we're not even sure because there's no plan, as was said, we don't know what the plan is, right?

Uh we'd like to know what the plan is so we could comment on it and give feedback.

Um so you know, things like landscaping could maybe help so things uh didn't look the way because everyone always jumps to the worst conclusions, right?

So we don't maybe it's not as bad as some people thinking.

We don't know.

We don't know until we see a plan.

So thanks for listening, and uh we hope to see you in the near future.

Alrighty, thank you.

Thank you.

Yes, please.

I'm here to talk about uh Tangerine Avenue.

I have a lot of problems.

Your name and Mike Wells.

I'm a volunteer at the senior center.

And uh the Tangerine Avenue, I I've almost been hit by cars coming out of there from because they go both directions on both sides of the street, and I think that should change.

I say come out of uh Florida or the city itself, take the first one down to the park, turn left, turn back and come back on the second one.

So you go down one side, come back on the other.

So you're not facing traffic from both sides on a bicycle where people come out of their car or yard like this at angles.

And if you don't watch, you're gonna get run over by somebody, even though you they don't even see you because they're they're they're coming out at an angle at the and they can go either direction, so you don't know where they're going.

So you have to be really careful not a bike like I do.

I have actually been hit in Gulfport, but that's another story in another place.

That guy got away, he wasn't even on camera.

They didn't have a camera in that area.

So uh I just wanted to let you know that uh I think that would be better.

I don't know how long it's been that way, but it's been a long time, but I think it should change.

And I've talked to people there, and they agree with me a lot of them.

They think that they should be, you know, you should only have to look one direction to see a car coming, not have to look both directions to see that they get a when I go on my bicycle and watch them go down the street, two on each side and two on this side.

I think it needs to that needs to be changed.

Just those two cars go down and come back up this way.

So you're not only going down one side and up the other, rather than uh down and up, down both down both sides and up both sides.

I think it's uh a lot of people coming across the street to uh walk their dogs or whatever have to be really careful because they don't really know where the cars are coming from.

And uh the stops that the stop signs are in place because I've I've been I go there on my bicycle, but the stop signs are in place like they should be, but the the fact that the cars go to all in the same direction, it should be changed to be as far as I'm concerned.

I don't know how long it's been that way, but it's been a long time.

But I think it should be would be better if somebody just came and went one day and came back the other to 49th Street rather than be able to go down both sides each way.

Thanks, thanks a lot.

Thanks a lot for your time.

Thank you, and thanks for being brave enough to come up here and speak.

Yes, Laura Laura Oldini, Ninth Avenue South.

So I realize public comment is before you all have have your comments, so this may be coming up.

And I also realize I'm saying this very preemptively given what could unfold in the future.

But I would just like to encourage you as a council to keep the residents informed as this situation we're entering where the gas prices are now over four dollars.

How is that going to impact the delivery of city services?

Our lives as residents.

I mean, there are a lot of question marks in our future about how challenging things could get, how challenging it could be to access energy and resources.

You know, how are we making decisions as a city if those resources are constrained?

What will be will we be prioritizing?

What will we have to let go and how will we be discussing that as a community or at least be informed as residents?

So just raising that on the radar because we don't know what's gonna happen.

Thank you.

Who else?

Julie.

You're next, sir.

I don't know your name, but you're next after Julie.

Hello, Julie Armstrong, 17th Avenue South.

And I just wanted to report that the dog show will be coming down on April 14th, and that the new show, birds will be going up on the 17th.

So when we have our next meeting, we will have new art in the chamber.

Thank you.

That's it.

Very good.

Yes, sir.

I'm John Beebe.

I live at 6119 12th Avenue South.

In the midst of all these other wonderful people.

I've been living there for 35 years.

And seems like I love Stetson people.

I love them dearly, but just like he says, uh sometimes they don't like to communicate with what they're doing and what their plans are, uh, which might affect me uh financially, uh, especially because I have such a little mouth.

So any rate, uh, I just wanted to put my voice behind the ladies and gentlemen that have been here before and say that uh please communicate.

We're your friends.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Who's next?

Yes, sir.

I'll be quick.

Uh Ken Butler, we live at uh 1261st Street, neighbors of a lot of the folks here that are involved with this proposed uh uh rezoning uh at Stetson.

Mainly we're all concerned about uh how it affects our our livelihood, our values, safety traffic, and so on.

Thank you.

You're welcome, yes, Jonathan.

All right, good e good evening.

Uh Jonathan McCoachy.

Um I wanted to talk a little bit about a thing which leads to another thing.

Okay.

The thing is the appraisal of the Lions Club building.

Um I think it's a flawed appraisal.

I think it's flawed because it doesn't factor in uh past and future flood consequences, and I don't know how that's even possible.

We're doing deals out here in the world in the real world, and every transaction is uh massively affected by flooding.

Every flooded house I'm dealing with has lost maybe 25 to 40 percent of its value, depending on remediation level.

So uh in that in that appraisal, he ignored completely took the word of an interested party and said, Ah, no damage.

Great.

Um but unlikely.

If you were a buyer, you wouldn't you wouldn't buy that.

So um, so it's flawed that way.

It's flawed because it would we require uh $15,000 worth of flood insurance every year, which the comps would not, okay.

Uh that caps out to over 200,000 a year in value that you would uh give up by having to buy that flood insurance.

So I think it's pretty far off base.

That's not the real issue that you guys can do whatever you're gonna do about that.

The real issue is the fair market value charter uh amendment changes that were made using allegedly and potentially the same super flawed process for determining fair market value rents for the clubs, okay.

Um if the same process were followed, I think we'll get uh likely get a very bad result.

So I really do encourage please the council.

This is you guys, there's nobody else gonna do it.

You guys to take responsibility for what happens in that process.

So that process truly is fair.

Um by the way, I have successfully challenged a bunch of uh appraisals in the past.

They're not sacred.

Uh I've never lost a challenge.

So you know, you guys are in charge, and I hope you'll um look seriously at what the consequences could be of uh of uh inaccurate or flawed appraisal process.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Who's next?

Public comment Wolfgang.

Thank you, Mayor.

Council.

Um Wolfgang Dininger of Beachway Park, uh Gulfport Grassroots.

Uh before I start, I want to say I thoroughly understood uh Jennifer Dawn, what you had said about uh the quick fix and uh to back and forth banter as the admin of uh uh a community group with uh 65,000 members.

I deal with it all day long.

It's it's trying at the end of the day.

We don't want it to be that uh Gulfport Grassroots.

Uh we do have a uh beach cleanup, uh Beyond the Beach cleanup uh coming up this uh weekend on Saturday the 11th.

It's from 9 a.m.

to 11 a.m.

It's our last beyond the beach cleanup starting at 9 a.m.

until uh the end of the year.

Uh next month in May, we go back to 8 a.m.

to um at 10 a.m.

Uh we also on the same day we have the swap and drop, which is um similar to what uh junk in the trunk uh used to be.

And I did want to say, and I'm very pleased uh that uh keep Pinellas Beautiful is going to send down a representative from their group to um assist us uh in the uh uh process of uh vetting people and unloading vehicles.

Uh our next, oh um this this year, the first three cleanups of the year, we've already gathered 600 pounds of trash and debris from our waterfront area.

So that's uh pretty darn good.

Um it's it's a good record.

That's over 200 uh uh pounds every month.

That's a lot of stuff that's um not going into our water.

Our next uh beyond the beach cleanup is going to be May 9th, and uh my uh grassroots partner, David Dajarardi will be uh running that because I'll be in Utah.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Anyone else before I go to e-comments?

All right, seeing none.

Do we have any e-comments, please?

Uh we have five open public comments and one comment on item 8A for later in the meeting.

Uh so the open public comments.

The first one is from Mary Jane Winstead, PhD.

Stetson needs to be forthright and provide us with their plan and intentions.

We want transparency and the ability to have our voices heard.

We need better understand understand the parameters for any proposed development or zoning changes.

For us, it is important to keep the tone and tenor of our neighborhood intact.

90% of our neighborhood is single family, one-story homes.

Building with more density, higher than two stories, or parking garages would be inconsistent with the surrounding neighborhood.

Second commenter is Deborah Schufs.

Mayor Karen, you emailed me 3132026 that you had thrown away public records violating state of Florida statue 119 records laws.

For months you ignored my emails requesting your 425 42425 written notes took during our Lincoln Cemetery meeting at City Hall while intentionally withholding that you had thrown away records.

Mayor Karen, this is an ethics violation of your sworn oath of office.

Constituents cannot trust your integrity when the when you violate Florida records laws, Deborah Schufs.

Number three is David Shiner.

On multiple occasions this year, I observed containers of human waste left in and around Charlie Market Square.

This is an unacceptable sanitation risk for a public space shared by residents and visitors abled and disabled, housed and unhoused.

I urge the council to prioritize the installation of permanent or portable public restrooms in the Greenway area adjacent to the square to restore dignity dignity to the community and to ensure the public parks remain safe and sanitary for everyone.

Number four is Janet Kittlau Butler.

We are residents.

We are residents of 1200 61st Street South Gulfport, Florida, and concerned about rumors that Stetson is asking for rezoning to build a parking deck or dorms in the blocks between 12th and 13th Avenues.

Neighbors have not been notified if such plans are afoot and need to be included in public discussion.

Janet Kilhoe Butler, she did put her phone number.

I don't feel comfortable reading that into the public record.

But it is on the paper.

Margaret Tober, is the looper only available to people with cars, or can others also ride the looper from other parts of Gulfport to downtown?

Two taxpayers pay for the advertising the city does.

Case in point 400 plus dollars per month to Gulfport Living.

This magazine is discriminatory in its distribution.

All taxpayers contribute to paying for the ads, but tax all taxpayers don't have access to the magazine.

This seems odd.

Why would the city pay to advertise in a magazine whose distribution is discriminatory?

Those are the five.

Thank you.

All righty.

Public comment is now closed, and we will move on to the city manager report.

Um, first item, mayor, and I'll defer to council member webb.

She may have some comments in regards to the steps and issue.

I defer to excuse me, but we only have one conversation.

If you need to talk though, you can go out in the hallway.

Thank you.

I'll defer to council member Webb, and then I have some other items, but if you want to.

Okay.

Oh, you're gonna do that now, not during council comments.

Yeah, I would think because the it was the question would end up going ahead.

Okay.

Thank you, City Manager and May.

Um I want to thank my neighbors for coming out.

I recognize uh many of you, and um, and I'd like to give you a reprisal of the situation and my awareness of it and also where we are in terms of providing you with information that you would need in order to be most effective and having your perspectives heard.

And so I learned of the issue March 25th from a resident or March 23rd from a resident and met with the city manager on that same day.

Um we he had also been apprised by um Mark Griffith, who is our um zoning zoning, our zoning direct planning and zoning director.

Um, that there were initial conversations with Stetson happening to change the zoning of that block that was referenced from what it is currently, which is um residential A1 R1A to institutional.

We had a subsequent meeting with Mark on the 2nd of April so that we could get specifics, specifically what's the process for um going about that zoning change.

And then we met with the Dean Um Barros and Dr.

Eagle, his government of local government affairs person yesterday.

So what the process is.

First, it has to go to planning and zoning.

First, they put in a request.

So they've only had initial conversations with the city about their intent to their desire to change the zoning designation from what it currently is to institutional.

Um from there it has to go to planning and zoning.

After planning and zoning, it comes if it passes planning and zoning, it goes to city council for a vote.

Once city council, if it favorably passes through city council, then it goes to the county.

The county has two steps of review.

First, it goes to forward Pinellas for a review of the plan and a vote.

Then it goes to the Board of County Commission.

Um, finally, then that plan of uh land use change goes up to the state because the state has to approve any land use in the city before coming back to council for a final vote.

So this is not a process that will only take a week.

This is a process that takes months by design.

And um, and so there's and there's also multiple opportunities for your voices to be heard.

What I what Jim would on the city manager and I learned yesterday during our conversation with the dean is that he expressed multiple times that he has no that he the zoning isn't, he doesn't have anything in mind right now aside from changing that zoning.

I mean that's you know, and and I love that those of you who shared how much you appreciated Stetson and the benefits that it bestowed to our community while also recognizing the risks.

I think that is a very fair assessment.

And I and I hope that I did that perspective justice when we met with him.

Umsequently, what we left the meeting and I asked for one thing, that he meet with the community as soon as possible on this issue.

I my perspective is the sooner you are able to that we're all able to see his plan, the better, the more we are able to have this dialogue, the better, and and to move along together.

Uh today, Dean Eagle, his government affair government relations person reached out to me.

Um Friday, May 8th, 6 to 7 p.m.

6 to 7 p.m.

He will be hosting something at Stetson.

So he took it very seriously and responded immediately.

Additionally, however, it's important to understand and have all of your questions answered by the city so that we really understand.

A great question was well, how are we notified?

Well, in what form is that notification?

Is it just a passive posting that we could miss if we were out of town, or is there more intentional reaching out to neighbors?

These questions are best answered by our city staff and our city administrators.

So later on when we do new business, I'm gonna be asking my colleagues to allow me to host a town hall so that I can bring in the appropriate city staff along with the city manager to hear from you, and so that we can answer any questions so that we can also hear your concerns so that in longer than three minutes and so that y'all can really feel comfortable with the process and get your views across.

Um I appre I live right there.

I live in a block where when I was looking at the map, I I learned that right across the streets, Stetson owned all but two all but three of um the houses in the block across the street, and I will tell you I got a little nervous.

And so I have a lot of empathy for those of you who live in the blocks right up right adjacent to that.

And I did urge the dean, and he seemed to really understand.

I was like, think of the foot if the shoe is on the other foot.

You know, I mean, our neighborhood, these aren't everyone, these aren't people's second homes, these are our homes.

These are how we generate security later in life and pass on generational wealth and and make sure that we're comfortable well into our silver years.

And so this is a very serious issue.

And so far it seems as if he has taken that and really heard it.

Um we're very early in this process, and I'm really appreciative that you've all turned out today.

And I'm gonna turn it back over to the city manager to cover anything that I missed in my um recounting.

I just may appreciate the level of detail that uh the council member had spoke of.

Um just I just had three other items.

Um, first of all, the um I was gonna introduce Cam Drix Anderson as our public works director, but obviously he's been introduced.

He's no longer the interim.

Um the next item is that we are out to bid for both the casino dock and the South Basin of the Marina.

Uh that was add placed pub the bid advertisement was placed Sunday to secure contractors.

And also I want to recognize the efforts of Meravelle in the recreation department staff for their efforts this past weekend with the Fun and the Sun and of course the large scale Easter egg hunt.

That's all I have, Mayor.

Okay.

Thank you.

Um I was wondering, can you just um bring our city a little bit up to date in terms of um water uh restrictions right now and also I I'm very much aware that there's a lot of miscon uh misinformation and misunderstanding about reclaimed water versus well water and if they're how they are affected.

Sure.

And I'm gonna bring up um Justin Shea to cover the restrictions.

But I just wanted to first acknowledge a fact the city residents outside of Passing Yacht and Country Club do not have rec access to reclaim water.

Reclaim water is only accessible because in the 1980s, the residents of the city declined to participate.

The city, the Pinellas County School Board properties, and other public properties do utilize reclaimed water.

The passing of yacht country club is tied to the reclaimed water that comes from the city of St.

Petersburg.

With that said, uh the overall watering restrictions that are in place by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Justin's gonna cover.

Okay, just a real brief one.

Sure.

Thank you.

Um just wanted to direct residents to the city's homepage.

Um on this page, just below the fold.

We have uh quick links and top news.

On that link, you'll see the phase three uh water restrictions bullet.

This will direct you to the Swift MUD to get the full detail of the water restrictions.

In addition, we posted it on the public works department page in a city alert, and it's also on uh the top of the city manager's report in community news, and that's all based from the city's website, so you can find that information at my golfport.us.

Okay.

Um I I do want to address the reclaimed water and also wells.

So I'm traveling to the district's water restriction page.

On this page, you'll see uh when it talks about what days residents can water, what times residents can water, um, and it's specific to the last number of your address and what day.

Um that last bullet here in this restriction talks about how this applies to residents on private wells and how water um uh uh reclaimed water, excuse me, is only subject to voluntary watering hours unless restricted further by us at the local government.

Um so that would address um if you're connected to a well and what restrictions are in place if you have reclaimed water.

And uh we can the only location with reclaimed water is the golf course in the city of Gulf.

Thank you.

I think we needed a clarification on that.

I've been hearing uh a lot of the people watering are telling me that they're using reclaimed water, but they don't live in the yacht club, so they're not using reclaimed water, is what I now know for sure.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

And that was it.

All right.

Go ahead, Mayor.

Thank you so much.

Uh City Attorney Report.

Yes, Mayor Council uh to give you an update on the Lions Club.

Uh, we are still waiting for any kind of documentation that would show us number one, who is responsible for receiving any kind of monies and making sure that that has been properly authorized.

If we do not receive anything within the next couple weeks before the next meeting, uh next meeting I will ask council for approval to bring this action as a declaratory action, asking the court to decide who, if anyone we will be paying these monies to.

Um, so we are not doing anything and until we have something for me to bring back to you to show you that this is an authorized group and that we're comfortable with the exhibit that they present us, and if they don't, and I think we we still have an obligation to pay this money, but without a judge telling us who we're supposed to pay it to, I don't feel comfortable providing any legal opinion as to who should be receiving this money.

So uh we want to keep this moving along because otherwise it just sits there and we could be subject to some type of action.

So I think it's the safest thing to do, and I'll keep you updated.

Thank you.

And uh then with that in mind that we're gonna do something at the next meeting.

Um, whether we um pay them the money or whether we turn it over to the court system, I will address the appraisal at that time because I know that I've heard so many rumors and bad information and personal opinions.

Um, and so I'm going to address all of those prior to any action at the next council meeting.

Thank you.

And that's all I have, Mayor.

Thank you.

City Clerk report.

No report this evening, Mayor.

All righty.

Then we're going to go in speaking order.

Council comments, reports.

This is if you've been to any meetings you need to report on them.

Anything else you want to share, or if you have additional questions of staff, you can go for it.

And we will start with Council Member Shaw.

Well, first, thank you for being here and for continuing to invest your time and voice into our shared future.

So thank you for speaking up.

And uh that includes Bill, he's I mean Mike Wells, he's he's tried a couple of times, and so um so another fantastic fun in the sun day.

What a joy to see all of the families and children enjoy themselves.

10,000 eggs.

Thank you to all that made it happen.

Great job.

So I continue to enjoy our vibrant community in so many ways, including events, and it's heartwarming to see so many others do that as well.

I like to always always celebrate our community.

I continue attending monthly Suncoast Lead City meetings, the monthly Florida League of City Quality Cities, and a number of other informative meetings and webinars to stay current and connect with others doing applicable work.

So you all are keeping me busy and I love it.

Thank you.

Upcoming, we will be having a very special event.

It will be a student mock council right here on April 29th, 6 p.m.

So you know, feel free to come and be a part of that and support and encourage our future leaders.

Another one that's upcoming is Bill Drexer and the Gulfport Boomerangs have announced the third annual fundraising model train exhibit on Tuesday, April 14th from 11 to 2 and 6 to 8.

And for if you want additional details, let me know.

But this fundraiser is for the pet animal shelter, and they do have a rain date of Thursday.

We know that they he does it for Christmas and different things, and he's benefited the senior center.

They do wonderful things.

The uh for safe boating week, the U.S.

Coast Guard auxiliary flotilla 716 will be at the Gulfport Marina near the boat ramp to pass out literature in the morning, and then they'll be conducting vessel exams from 3 to 5 30, and they'll be focusing on safety equipment, and that's on Saturday and Sunday, May 17th and 18th, and May 24th and 25th.

And they'll also be providing a safe, they also not providing every month.

They provide a safe voting class on Saturday at the Gulfport Community Center.

So again, if if you're looking for that information and you don't find it online, let me know and I'll be happy to share with you.

They asked me to be sure and let y'all know about that.

Uh also coming up in May, the World Labyrinth Day will be celebrated again in Clymer Park on the first Saturday in May.

That's May 2nd.

And I believe that's 12 to 3.

Wanted to mention for anybody interested or any family members that might be interested that the Florida League of Cities has announced their $5,000 scholarship opportunity for college students interested in local government.

It's uh Florida League of Cities Public Service Pathway Scholarship.

So let me know if you're interested in that, and that's the middle deadline is May 20th.

Uh we've already talked a little bit about social media tonight, but um I I've been seeing quite a bit where people are trying to utilize that for city services or city complaints.

Folks, I I don't know about everybody else, but I tend to think it's like me.

I I don't see all of them, and it's just not the best tool to use for that.

You know, if you're just wanting to complain, that's one thing, but we're happy to hear that as well.

You can contact us directly or or email us directly.

So if if you're looking for a real response and real help, please encourage everyone to to get in touch with us directly instead of using social media.

Um I want to do a reminder about the adopt a drain program that we have, and we're just asking that you please take part in that program uh via Gulfport Connects on the next meeting.

We're going to have a little presentation on that as to how to use Gulfport Connects and what it looks like if you haven't seen it yet.

But the Adopt a Drain Program is a small action with big impact.

So please volunteer and help keep our stream storm drains clean and reduce street flooding while protecting water quality and wildlife.

Um let's see next.

Now I have some questions that people have been asking.

Would that be appropriate for me to do that now?

Of the staff.

Um, well, in general.

Um, for example, people are wanting to know have an update on, and the attorney just stepped out, so maybe I'll save that, but they're wanting an update on the Ian's situation.

Yeah, that would be asked of the attorney.

He just had to step out of the room for a moment.

Right, right.

Well, so we'll just hold that for his return.

Um the other thing that we're asking, and I did send this to Attorney Salzman earlier, so he wasn't caught off guard, but people are asking what the end results were with the end results.

Was there anything that conflicted with existing law or with each other?

And anything we need to consider in policies.

So we'll we'll bring that up when he steps back too.

And then I did send a message to uh Jim Wright about cert training, and I was wondering if we do have information on when the next cert training is.

That's something that I'm getting asked about as well.

You know, we'll get you that information.

I saw I was copied on your chief.

I don't have a date for it, but he is working on setting up the night training.

Okay.

I'll reach out to you tomorrow.

Okay, I appreciate that.

Thanks.

Um the other thing is that, and this this goes along with some of the communication concerns that and and expectations and hopes that we heard earlier.

Um I was um talking with some of the businesses on 58th Street at 15th, and I'm I'm wondering what are the ways that we notify businesses and neighborhoods when a big project is coming, and is there something more that we can do?

Because they're saying that they weren't aware of this upcoming project, and if there's a way that we can, you know, help with that.

On 58th, we had that great big gigantic sign from probably a month at best, and then we had an open house that was well promoted.

Uh-huh.

Okay, well, I'll I'll I'll have that conversation with them or thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Yeah, there was numerous ways, even to the point that when we're talking about the three commercial businesses that are there were have been notified, they were met with the three corners.

Oh, that's that's okay.

Kendrick's can explain talk to that at length about how much public outreach was done with that project due to the fact that we acknowledge the impact it was gonna have on the north-south aspect.

Okay, well, thank you.

Um, and please understand that wasn't a criticism on my part, but you know, people were expressing this, and so I wanted to know what we could do to do make better if if we hadn't.

But we'll we'll we'll have a conversation about that too.

Um and then finally uh residents are requesting an update on recovery expenses, insurance, and FEMA funds, and then also an update on the homes we've not heard from, and not not today necessarily, but if we could be um, you know, working that into like say one of the next upcoming meetings, that would be appreciated.

And that's all I have for tonight.

Thanks.

Did you want to ask the attorney now that he's back?

Yes, thank you for reminding me.

So uh people are asking for an Ian status update, please.

We have heard nothing from the state attorney's office.

It was my intention to talk to you next meeting for approval to go forward with the civil lawsuit since we've heard nothing.

Okay, all right, and then the next one was regarding the referendum questions that I sent to you earlier.

I and I got that email, but you obviously didn't hear a response from me because I haven't looked at all of them yet.

I don't think there is any problem.

Okay, but I'll let you know.

I appreciate that.

Thank you.

Absolutely.

All right, thank you for that reminder.

Appreciate it.

All righty, council member Webb.

The only thing that I would like to add to my update earlier is just I will be paying very close attention to this and working hand in glove with the residents to make sure that no step is taken that we are not aware of and that your voices are brought into any this any rooms of where decisions are being made.

Um and with that I seat the rest of my time and thank the city manager for letting me speak earlier.

Thank you.

Councilmember Early.

Yes, um, I have a question for the city manager.

Um, the gentleman on tangerine.

I think we were sending out surveys.

Can you give us an update on that?

Sure.

We have a letter I'll present to council and I'll put it in your mailbox or send it to you.

Okay, and we'll be sending that when is there still a consensus because of the change in the election?

The consensus to go out and do a survey of the property owners between 54th and 49th.

Sure.

So there's changes.

Well, we're gonna ask them.

Maybe they do.

Maybe they do.

Mayor, if there's any objection, we'll go ahead and do the survey.

Right.

Uh consensus, I see a nod, a nod.

Yeah, okay.

Yes, unanimous.

Thank you.

So we'll we'll try that.

Um what I wanted to mention is uh fusion 49th.

So the last fusion 49th Saturday gathering, if you will, was not well attended.

But something did come out of that because of the very low attendance that people sat around and they stayed for quite a while.

Charles even came down and joined them.

It was more of a community gathering than a food truck war.

I think we had all noticed that it I think there was one food truck, and it wasn't even sole food.

So there you have it.

But we brainstormed and came up with a different way to do it.

So there'll still be vendors and there'll still be um trucks, food trucks on Saturday, the 11th this coming Saturday, but they're going to do other things as well.

They're going to have poetry reading, they're going to have talent show like throughout the day, it's gonna be more of a community gathering than um what it looked like before, which was um pseudo-market pseudo-food truck situation.

So we're hoping um very much that everyone can join, at least go down, talk with your neighbors, they're gonna have little classes set up, there's things for kids.

It's just a different way of looking at it, and I think it's gonna be pretty successful.

So thank you.

And that's all I had.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Extra.

Councilmember Donch.

Um, so last week I went to the historic walking tour in Clambio, and it was really incredible to learn the wealth of knowledge that comes from the arts and culture and the historical society is pretty incredible.

So if you haven't done anything with them yet, I really highly recommend any of the programming that they have.

Um walking through Clan Bayou, they had obviously it was a guided tour.

There were multiple stops throughout the day.

It was shaded, it was a beautiful hot, sunny day.

But you went from sun to shade, they explained some of the history of how the plants got there, what the plants do, how they help us during flooding.

Um, and one of the things that came up from the 30 or so people that were there is that we do have um a really big um what's the word?

We have Brazil peppers that are like taking over all over in there.

So a lot of the people that were on that tour asked that I bring up to the city manager and to public works if we could have someone look into the remediation of the Brazil peppers from Clan Bayou so that that could the plants that are supposed to be there, invasive.

That was the word I was looking for.

So that the plants that are supposed to be there are not being choked out by the invasive plants, and you know, if there's something that we can do to organize something where we can clean it up, and then the city can come in and do the you know heavy work of digging them out or whatever it is, but everybody that was there would be happy to participate or at least try to you know motivate other people to that have the strength to be able to do that to come and participate in something like that.

So that was really awesome.

Um I also for work went to the um wildlife safety lighting class that's sponsored by the um Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and it's kind of a it's a great resource for obviously people on the beach because it focuses a lot on sea turtles and the lighting and why that's important because they're guided by celestial light, but um also other wildlife and obviously here we're working towards having possibly some type of lighting ordinance, and while um our lighting ordinance currently kind of sounded like we were nitpicking what people's lights looked like, uh the things that they offer from dark sky and from even the county and the state, DEP gives example ordinances that you can kind of guide yours from.

Um so it was a really great class.

There's a lot of guidance that they can give, and they have a ton of people that are out there that just want to help, and they are not like those government people that you nobody answers the phone and nobody answers their email, like they want to help you.

So when you call them, they have all the information ready for you, and they're like so excited that you even called.

So they're a great resource for everybody.

Um other than that, I'm super pumped to see all of the businesses that are like reopening and getting stronger from last year.

Hurricane Eddies is back.

Umaddis has that awesome second floor now, which is awesome.

The beach is shining, and I'm really excited to see where that's gonna go from here.

So that's all I got for now.

Very good.

Thank you.

Um for my public comments uh Ford Pinellus meeting is tomorrow, so I'm not gonna report on that today.

Um, and it only the um the agenda is only 263 pages this time, so that's like a half of what it is normally.

Um, so a couple of things I wanted to mention.

Number one, Veterans Park.

Most of you've noticed that the we have a new paved uh paver parking lot there, and some people wanted to know why they hadn't heard any discussion on that, because it didn't come before council.

That was a case where um the armed forces families donated 124,000.

We accepted that money last fall, and they there are things they wanted.

So if you've noticed, not only is there a parking lot, they are now starting to work on the um uh covered shelter um word pavilion.

The concrete's been poured for for the um support beams for that.

So I just wanted it to be told, and then I heard somebody say, Well, we could have put a lot more spaces there.

That land, if Jim, if I'm wrong, please correct me.

That land was donated to us, and in order for us to do anything in Veterans Park, there has to be approval, meaning we don't just decide, well, let's double the parking lot in there.

Yeah, the property was purchased by the city through the Florida Forever land grant program.

Oh, okay.

And it was a grant provided this by the state of Florida to the city, and that was approximately 40 years ago.

And what there are restrictions on what it can be developed there now, the amenities that are being added are very utilitarian type, but not there's no major changes anticipated, and uh yes, you are there are there is covenants on the property.

Okay, I knew that there was something, and I again I knew this did not come before our council um except that we accepted the funding, okay.

All right, uh then I wanted to just harp uh for a second on the whole idea of how some people think it's okay to park across the sidewalk or impede the sidewalk with their cars.

It's never under any circumstances ever okay to do that.

And I have um through using going through the city manager, I have asked that the police department pay more attention to that, and that we start seeing warnings and tickets uh for doing that.

We have far too many people in mobility with mobility issues that cannot get around, and at the same time, the number of people that think it's okay to a block uh to park in the street and block the crosswalk, you know, because they just want to run in somewhere for a minute.

Well, the next person coming on the wheelchair is totally screwed by that.

So I've asked that that be watched and that we stop doing that.

And it was raised uh at the last council meeting too, or at the workshop, I guess, about people parking right up to the stop signs or parking at the end of the street, and their back end actually intrudes into the intersection.

So uh spread the word, crack down coming.

Okay.

Um also landscape uh on the sidewalk, you know.

It's not been such a terrible issue because we haven't had a lot of rain, but as it starts raining, those vines, those are tripping hazards, you know, the the thorns that poke out into Wolfgang's leg and he bleeds out on the street, not cool.

Keep your landscape as beautiful as it is, keep it off the sidewalks, please.

Um to our new council members.

I just wanted to say that if you have an out opportunity to attend the emo class, some of the best uh classes that I went to, they're absolutely excellent.

Put on the Florida League of Cities, not only do you get to meet a lot of people, but the training itself, it's not like 101, it's really really good.

Um I was very impressed with the training and so glad I went through it.

And then on social media, you know, it doesn't seem fair that I should have to be apologizing because I'm not the ones that take posts rogue, but um, you know, if people reach out to me on email, they know they get a response from me, okay.

Um, but when they go on and they ask all kinds of questions on Facebook, I maybe get 20 minutes a day on Facebook, and it's usually my personal stuff on my personal time, it's not to answer questions from people, and it's not safe to answer questions.

I mean, I don't I just want to throw out there to everybody who's listening.

Do you realize that if somebody asks me a question and I dare to answer it, the next day somebody's wanting them to take my personal computer and look at it to see what I said, okay.

Um if somebody who's been a friend and acquaintance of mine for a long time says, Karen, I don't quite get the difference with active minutes.

What does that mean?

And I forget and I respond to a friend, long-term friend, somebody's going to make a request that all of my PMs be pulled.

Okay, it's not worth it.

So if you email me, I'm so easy to reach email.

K Love at my golfport.us, that's why.

Also, so many questions that are on there have been answered a billion times by me.

But and it's just a matter of you taking the time to go to the website, go to the posts and read them.

Um, the answers are there.

So I just wanted to say that.

And I hate when people hijack.

The city makes a nice post about something, and then somebody comes in and starts taking the their comments down another avenue and we get into this fighting back and forth.

It's ridiculous.

Stop it, please.

Um that's it for me.

Thank you.

And mayor.

Yes, please.

Could I ask a question?

Yes.

I bet that Dave could assist with this.

Um there's a way that you can put in your um direct messages or private messages on Facebook that just automatically says if this is city business, please contact me at and your email address and your phone number.

And it's a more advanced feature that I have to reteach myself every time I have to figure out how to update it.

But I bet that if that would be of use, I mean that on my personal pu computer, it would be on use because I type over and over again.

K Love, please.

And it's just automated, so any time somebody reaches out to you by Facebook Messenger, it will automatically populate this message and say, if this is city business, kick it over here.

And I don't respond for that reason because I've had Facebook since I was 20, and I don't want the general public to read what I was writing about when I was 20 years old.

But I mean, and and and that might be a I don't know.

Yeah, okay, I'm getting a head nod.

That might be a great service to all of us of updating that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

All righty.

With that, then city clerk.

Consent item six A, consider approval of meeting minutes from meetings held March 17th, 2026, and March 26, 2026.

And item 6b, resolution 2026-13, a resolution authorizing the city manager to issue payment to the city of St.

Petersburg for the 49th Street Corridor phase one improvements.

Motion to approve.

I second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Passes unanimously.

All right.

And with that, we will move to uh resolutions.

Because we have no ordinances tonight.

Item 8A, resolution number 2026-14, a resolution appointing a vice mayor to the Gulfport City Council and providing for terms.

Thank you.

So that being said, I am not in a position to make a motion or a second, so it needs to come from the other four of you, and then we'll do a vote.

Okay.

Sophie wanted to come.

Pardon?

We started to talk at the same time.

We don't have to do a motion or a second on that, right?

That's what I understood the instructions were.

We do need a motion to nominate.

Okay.

And then someone would need to second.

If there is no second, the motion would die.

If there is a second, we would go to a roll call vote.

Okay.

Well, I I make a motion to respectfully place my name and nomination for vice mayor.

And I'm fully prepared to support the mayor and this council and would be honored to serve with dedication, accountability, and integrity.

I'll second.

Okay.

I would also like to throw my ad in the ring.

I do believe that after this year, it's a it was a big learning year, but I could seamlessly walk through and take that roll over.

There's a motion on the floor.

Can there be two motions on the floor?

No, there can only be one motion on the roll there.

I thought that's how we read it.

Okay.

Okay.

So the first motion was for uh council member Marlene Shaw, self-nominated.

There was a second by council member Donch.

So the roll call vote on that would be uh council member Shaw.

Excuse me one second, just because we haven't done this before.

So we would take a vote on this before we know if somebody else was nominated as well.

That's why I said that you make the motion to nominate.

There has to be a second for it.

And then we would do a roll call vote.

Or okay, but if you'd like to if you'd like to make nominations and debate it, we can do it that way too.

I was under well, I just felt I I the reason I'm questioning it because when we set a motion, they both tried to speak at the first time at the same time.

And so if we take a roll call right now, and then we find out that uh there was another case.

Question it doesn't that's not seem to believe this is kind of what we spoke about when it attorney.

How do we handle this?

Well, we were just I was just talking about um you you had your first, your second, and now there's questions, discussion, and then vote.

Okay.

Now you can we've talked about this before.

You can do this process however you want to do it, but once you have a motion in the second, that's that's the appropriate way of dealing it, dealing with it.

Which is questions and discussion at this point.

Can we still obviously I put the second, can I withdraw that if I wanted to?

Just for the sake of the conversation if something wanted to change.

You can still have conversation.

Right.

I mean, debate right, not that I necessarily would want to, but just saying if they wanted to change the process of how they're going to um appoint or nominate themselves if they both wanted to be nominated in some way.

Could that well there is as I said, it's open to any way you want to do it.

I mean, I we've done it in the past where people, you know, we do a ballot and they fill out the names and then you sign it, and then we we determine but who gets the most votes.

Um it's it's any you could take names out of a hat.

You could do it however you want to do it.

So if with the uncertainty of what's going on, if you want to withdraw your circuit, we could do that and have further discussion.

Or we could just go forward with discussion at this point or nothing.

Okay, so where I'm at is I I'm totally okay with us having a transparent vote.

Okay.

It's it's just a matter of if only one person gets a nomination.

I don't know.

I might have four people up here that want to um well you could hear that, Mayor, in discussion.

I mean, in discussion, honestly, you know.

Uh anybody could say, by the way, I'm interested in it, so I'm not necessarily gonna vote uh yes because I'm interested in solves.

So then let's have disc we can do this.

We can have discussion in speaking order.

Yes, mayor.

Okay.

So with that in uh councilmember Shaw, your first in discussion.

What more do I understand?

I already nominated and made my statement.

Okay, councilmember Webb.

I am going to be voting favorably for your vice mayor.

Um for you as vice mayor.

Uh I think it's important to have someone who has experience.

I know we have two council members with experience, but we only have one council member who the voters have voted for.

Um I think that's an important uh that's important for representative democracy.

Not that and I am privileged to serve with each and every one of you, but that is um, but that's my debate on the issue, and I will be probably voting in favor of your vice mayorship.

Okay, council member early.

Well, I'm not gonna fight you in the parking lot for it, Marlene.

So it's all yours.

It's all yours with my blessing.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

So uh part of the discussion is though that we provide the terms, right?

So um how long is the term for the vice mayor, right?

Um is that up for discussion?

Or no, because each council gets to prove the vice mayor uh uh at this particular time in the new council.

Okay, okay, okay.

Oh right, I'm ready to call the vote then.

Okay, and this is for council member Shaw to be vice mayor, is that correct?

Councilmember Shaw.

Yes.

Yes, Councilmember Early?

Yes, Councilmember Don?

Yes, Mayor Love.

Yes.

This is awkward, and I was told this is why we did the rotation.

Yeah, what are we doing?

Well, that it does make it easy.

The reason I asked about the terms is I was hoping that maybe it could change to three months or six months, and then if you know it would give maybe more people a chance to have that, you know, throughout the course of their I I have seen that in one in Tarpin did that only because they couldn't get a unanimous vote.

Well, not for that reason, but I mean, when it was rotating, um, you know, some wouldn't get the opportunity to be the vice mayor, so then we would you know lose out on maybe having some great person be the vice mayor.

So if it was a shorter term, then you know everybody might get to see how awesome everybody is, and it'll be even easier to vote for the next mayor someday when that might happen.

And my response to the to you is as uncomfortable as this was, we don't want to do it every quarter.

I'll be absent on the same night.

All righty, thank you.

All right, moving on to item 8B, resolution number 2026-15.

A resolution appointing members to serve on the board of adjustment and providing for term of appointment.

Right now it's just a motion to discuss.

Oh motion.

Okay.

Again, I approve what.

Right.

Okay.

But that's just an option, right?

There can only be one alternate, correct?

Right.

And we were each given the names of the applicants.

And so I think what we're looking for is for somebody to nominate and second one of those individuals, and then a vote.

Yes, so the alternate is the only one that has to be chosen by the council as a whole.

So that's why you I provided you with all of the applications that were left.

So we all got logged out again.

So the nomination would be like a nomination for whoever as the I thank God.

Yeah, okay.

Well, okay.

This is why the clerk still goes by paper.

Um I make a motion for Aaron East to be the alternate.

I'll second.

And this is for the Board of Adjustments.

I would have to contact her to see if she'd be like, I would wait a minute.

No, she was on for planning and zoning.

I'm sorry.

I'm confused because I don't I I can't look at my screen right now.

Yeah.

Okay, so what we're gonna do is seven thirty seven.

We're gonna take a uh ten minute break and see if we can't get our computers up and running again.

And then we'll come back at that point.

Thank you.

I did think that's the same thing.

So I do apologize for that uh delay.

Uh I don't think we've had this happen before, certainly not in the last year, and we don't have everything memorized, and all my notes are always in my computer, and I wasn't able to get to those either.

So I think everybody's up and running for now, so let's go back and start that section again, please.

Okay, so this is item 8B.

And this is resolution 2026-15, a resolution appointing members to serve on the board of adjustments and providing for term and of appointment.

So what I would need is a a first and a second so that you can discuss who you would like to nominate as your alternate for this board.

Right, you don't have to put in the actual names at this time, just a first and a second.

So we can discuss or discuss.

I'll I'll I'll make I'll um make the motion.

I'll second.

All righty.

And then we'll have discussion on this, and what we're discussing is who the all uh alternate would be.

Correct.

Yes.

Okay.

And is this the case where um our uh we the alternate who's on it now would like to stay?

Correct.

And then we have three new people that also have applied.

And so we have to make that decision.

Yes.

All righty, so uh discussion do you want to have discussion or do you want to have a nomination first?

It's up to you while how you want to do it.

Okay.

I'll make a nomination.

Let's go.

Um I nominate Richard Gluck.

He has served faithfully in the role of alternate.

He has been offered the opportunity to become part of the voting members, and he has declined because he actually really enjoys the process, and he uh he has attended and has an excellent record of attendance, and so I see no reason to remove him from that position.

And I would uh the motion on the table is to nominate him for the alternate.

Second okay.

So now we have uh a motion and a second, and do we need discussion on this now?

Only if you wanted to want to, Mayor.

Okay.

Okay.

So we'll just go straight to the roll call vote.

Of course, I don't have that in front of me.

Uh council member Shaw?

Yes.

Council Member Webb?

Yes.

Councilmember Early?

Yes.

Councilmember Donch?

Yes.

Mayor Love?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

And on to item eight C this is for the planning and zoning board.

Item eight C resolution number 2026-16, a resolution appointing members to serve on the planning and zoning slash local planning agency and providing for term of appointment.

And this would be the same situation.

Okay, may I make a motion to appoint Aaron East as the alternate, please?

I second.

I don't need to discuss, we could vote if you want any discussion on this topic.

Okay.

Uh Council Member Shaw.

Yes.

Council Member Webb.

Yes.

Councilmember Early.

Yes.

Councilmember Donch?

Yes.

Mayor Love?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Moving on to 8D.

Resolution number 2026-17.

A resolution authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract with Pyro Productions Incorporated for the City of Gulfport semi-quincentennial 4th of July for fireworks display.

Providing for the necessary closures and safety requirements as determined by the fire and police departments, providing for insurance and providing for a fireworks permit.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Okay, we have a motion and a second.

Discussion first, and we'll go in speaking order if you have any questions or anything you'd like to say, please.

Councilmember Shaw.

How does that sovereign immunity apply?

Sovereign, if I may.

Please sovereign immunity limits the exposure that you have.

If the understanding is basically you cannot sue a municipality except to the extent that you allow a lawsuit to occur in a tort.

So in this particular case, if the Florida statute say you could sue a municipality for well, it's 200 and 300.

200 um per person, 300 per incident.

So you're in essence waiv your blocking of any lawsuit to be sued up to that amount.

Okay, so I understood that part, but the part I'm trying to figure out if they're required to provide all the insurances, how does that come into play then?

Because there's a limitation for I mean, we're trying to cover the city.

Okay.

Right?

So we don't know who's going to sue us for what or anything.

Okay.

So when you have a hold harmless or an indemnification, you still want to do it to a minimum of the of what our exposure is.

Okay, I understand that.

That's good.

Thanks.

You have anything else?

No, thank you.

All righty.

Councilmember Webb.

I'm um I want to say thank you to the staff for looking into alternatives alternatives to the big boom fire crack uh fireworks.

I know that we are all pet lovers and nature lovers, and it's highly disruptive to our environment.

And yeah, it still does bring people together and bring brings us together as a community.

And I think especially now in light of not having them in previous years because of the hurricanes, I am excited to vote favorably for the fireworks show.

And I would just encourage staff to continue to price drin shows because with new any new technology, it present the cost precipitated precipitously drops.

Um, and so maybe by this time next year it'll not be a hundred times more expensive than traditional fireworks.

So that's that's all I have.

Thanks, Mayor.

Councilmember Early.

I have no questions.

I received so many emails last year, um, approaching July 4th.

So many.

So I'm glad that we're back on track.

So my only question was about uh the radius.

How do you clear everybody out?

How do you get rid of not get rid of, but move somewhere else?

The police department starts early that morning and moves.

We drop buoys.

Okay, primarily, and the size shells is controlled by you keeps the casino outside the radius of shooting it.

But the police officers clear the area.

There's 600 600 yards, Justin.

Is that what it is?

600 yards radius, and we get we move them out with the police department.

Uh per code, we have 420 feet with six-inch shell, but we do 600 to give a buffer to allow for police to catch up, if you will.

So the boats yes, or moved outside of buoy line.

Okay.

And that buoy will go up on Tuesday, and then we are asking for the Williams Pier to close on Thursday.

Um product arrives Friday with a security detail overnight with a launch on Saturday at 9 p.m.

And obviously, I don't know what voters do or don't watch these meetings, so are they given some type of notice far in advance of July?

The marina staff is out there notifying them.

Exactly.

And it's one of the factors of why we put the buoys out early as well to you know get people talking about it because that word of mouth spreads on the bay.

Cool.

Thank you.

I have several questions.

So when folks are paying rent on a mooring ball, and they enter into, I don't know, uh, at one time, I guess a six-month lease.

I think that's the longest lease that we have.

So when they enter into a six-month lease, uh, do they agree on the front end that knowing that they have to pull their boat out on this particular time?

Yes.

Okay.

And there's a there if there's a if there's mourning is there are moorings that are available outside the four, as Justin spoke of.

Not all of them are within the 600.

Oh, okay.

So they may have to move mooring balls, but they don't have to.

Okay.

They don't have to.

And and what about if somebody's uh on one of the mooring balls and they're not here, so they don't get notice.

We can move the vessel.

We have the right in that lease to move that vessel.

Okay.

So then the next thing for me is about cost.

Um, because I'm looking for 75 million right now.

Um my understanding is we're talking about a 20-minute fireworks show, and we're talking about 38,000 is what it says.

But my question is the 38,000, does that include the cost of the additional security, sanitation, road closure, uh, and or boat removal?

No.

Those are city sponsored cost associated with putting the event on.

Okay.

This is a product we're buying from the vendor for the $38,000.

Okay.

The other cost are absorbed within city operations.

Okay.

All righty.

All right.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of fireworks, but um I would like to hear public comment on this.

First, April your second.

Amy Costa, 20th Avenue South.

Um, wildly unfavorable opinion, but I'm with the mayor.

I think um fireworks for so many reasons are yes, they're fun.

I know we all grew up with them and they were great, but these days the detriment to wildlife and animals is significant.

Um, veterans who already are struggling with PTSD, and especially now while we're in the middle of a war, I think it could be a little traumatic to hear bombs going off in their town.

Um, $38,000 is a lot of money for a 20-minute event that that money could be going to tons of programming in the city.

I think that would probably serve more of the community than just one night of fireworks.

I think we have a wonderful parade coming, a whole day of festivities.

I think there could be there could be a music show, there could be a talent show, there could be all kinds of things, a movie night for the whole town to watch.

I think we could be really creative, excuse me, in finding ways to celebrate the 4th of July as a community that doesn't involve so much waste, so much money, and you know, the detriment to uh the wildlife and other people in our town.

So just wanted to share my thoughts.

Thank you.

Thank you.

April.

So um April Thane is on 53rd Street now.

Um I want to ditto what um Amy said, and speaking for all the pets in town and for the money that I I don't think it's a useful thing to do.

And I had advocated for laser things, and I know they're way more expensive.

I love the idea of a movie.

You know, you could get people into Veterans Park or someplace and and have a movie to get them downtown to get help for the businesses.

But um, I'm against having fireworks things.

Okay.

Anyone else, Jonathan?

Um yeah, I'm just about to lose two friends.

Um I think I think fireworks in this case are really cool.

Um it's a tradition in the 30 years we've been here for the most of those.

It was a big deal.

Um I wouldn't want them randomly, I wouldn't want them weekly.

I I uh all that's too.

I think uh culturally, there is something about something that is un uh unpleasantly loud.

Um that is kind of shocks the senses a little bit that I think we grew up with that kind of experience, and I would hate to lose it to a safer, quieter, politically correct, whatever, whatever type experience.

It's just how I feel.

Okay, I'm just one of many.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else for public comment on this?

So um before we go to the vote, one thing I just wanted to clarify because um Ms.

Costa said something about that.

We are going to make the celebration in Tomlinson Park that much bigger this year.

Our parade is gonna have floats in it.

I have at least three groups working on floats right now.

We're gonna have prizes for different categories of of floats, okay.

Um we have two bands committed at this time, and we're working on getting a third band to be in the parade.

All right.

And then the other thing I want you to know is because I look around and with the exception of a handful, most of you remember what an old fashioned Fourth of July uh parade and picnic was.

We're gonna move right into games.

There'll be the adult category, the child category, and the adult and child will have the sack races, we'll have the balloon toss, we'll have the egg on the spoon.

You know, all those silly things we did.

We'll also have food.

I have two of our residents are gonna organize a community um buffet to supplement what CERT's gonna do for us graciously.

So um it's not gonna be a 10-minute parade, it's going to be an event probably that's gonna go three to four hours.

And then the last thing I'll say on the and then I'll give everyone else a chance because it might not be fair.

Um, when it comes to the fireworks, it's not like if we don't do the fireworks and spend, I'm just gonna guess 45,000.

It's not like we're not gonna have an opportunity for our community to get together, number one, and number two, it's not like there won't be fireworks available.

You can stand on our beach and you can see fireworks from no less than anywhere from 12 to 20 locations.

You can see fireworks going off, whether we do that and spend money or not.

So because I just got on my soapbox, I'll give everyone else an opportunity, and then we'll call the vote.

Wow, lots of topics to cover here.

Uh I too struggle over the funds.

I also um very cognizant that people did miss the fireworks.

Some people missed the fireworks after the storms when we didn't have it.

Um I'm very uh sensitive and respectful to those that are neurodivert neurodivergent or PTSD, and of course, our wildlife and our fur kids.

Um I wish that I had more input from more of the community to know what the overall community is thinking.

Uh I'm all about traditions.

I will say I will I will be at the Tomlinson Park part of it, and I won't be at the fireworks, but this isn't about what I want.

Um but considering all the factors, I think I'm just gonna have to be brave and say I vote no.

Oh, we're not doing the vote.

We're right, this minute we're just doing discussion.

Okay, well, you know where I'm at once.

Council member.

Um council member Webb.

I have a question for staff.

What's the economic impact for the our Fourth of July celebration?

Justin, would you wanna thanks, Mayor?

So ultimately, um, and and I'd like to add in in the morning time um that there is a um bicentennial time capsule positioned uh just behind City Hall, that in 1976, um the administrators, the council, the city um put items in this time capsule, and this year, 50 years later, we are unveiling those items on the 4th of July at 9 a.m.

right here at City Hall.

Um, for economic impact, um, I can tell you what we spend on the 4th of July, um, but the incremental dollars that the fireworks brings to the waterfront, um the the the elevated number of people that are downtown to view the show, um, and if I went into each book and captured that data, I could accurately speak about that.

Um, but the numbers um when people come to the event is essentially um why events are successful because the businesses see that revenue um in their books, if that makes sense.

Thanks, Justin.

Glad you reminded me of that.

That's it.

I think that's important.

Okay, council member early.

With people disappointed last year.

And I do, because of my work on the on the chamber, know how important that crowd is to our businesses.

So I'm not voting though, right?

Okay.

Alrighty.

And council member Dawnch.

Yeah, I mean, so yes, $38,000 for the actual product, and then the discussion of additional staff.

But I mean, on 4th of July, you're gonna have all of that additional staff anyway, whether there's fireworks or not.

There's gonna be tons of police working.

There's gonna be tons of extra city services working.

All of those things are gonna happen, whether we have these or not.

So to me, that's not necessarily a factor.

So the $38,000 is for the fireworks.

Um yeah, that's to me that that doesn't factor in.

Okay.

Call the vote.

Councilmember Shaw.

I changed my mind to yes.

Councilmember Webb, yes.

Councilmember Early?

Yes.

Councilmember Dawn?

Yes.

Mayor Love.

No.

And I do it intentionally because it's independence day.

And you want to know that we're all free thinkers.

Moving on to uh item 8E, resolution number 2026-18, a resolution approving the vet sports spring beach volleyball tournament event application, providing for the temporary waiver of provisions of the code of ordinances, city policies during said special event, and providing for responsibilities.

I make a motion to uh approve the resolution approving the vet sport spring beach volleyball tournament event application.

Second discussion.

Uh we do have some reps here if we have any questions of them.

Uh anybody have anything they want to say about this pro-con questions.

I'm super excited to have it back.

Yeah, let's go.

No questions.

I will say thanks for sticking with us and for waiting for our courts to be ready again so that y'all can be on the beach volleyball sand in our thank you.

You know, I've waited this long.

I have to, you know, say thank you for you know building the beach back to you know, from what where it was to where it is now.

It looks amazing.

I saw the guys putting lights up down there last week, and I'm just like so excited.

We're gonna have volleyball back.

And uh, you know, just a little plug on vet sports.

Uh we have a website, it's uh vet sports.org.

We have over 15,000 members across the United States and I think 25 different states we have chapters now.

And um, you know, our whole mission is about getting vets back out and you know, better physical, mental, and emotional health through sports and community involvement.

It's not just sports, you know.

We do we've participated in some beach cleanups and other types of community events as well.

And uh over 80% of our members say they take fewer medications because they're getting involved in in sports and community in their community.

So a little that's that's a little bit about vet sports.

And I do have a representative with um SSOVA here, his name's Prem.

He's kind of the my partner.

He he does a lot of the organizing for these things.

Um the Saturday event is gonna be men's and women's twos, and then the Sunday is gonna be juniors, junior girls and boys, like 18 and under, 16 under and 14 and under.

A lot of these um are these girls or girls and boys are aspiring to get like college scholarships.

I thought vet sports, I really thought they were all veterans.

No, they're not all veterans, the veterans play for free.

Um, but no, not all participants are veterans, and then there is a charity component to the tournament as well.

Yeah, but um the juniors, you know, they're all aspiring to get college scholarship.

There's over there's probably like six colleges in the state of Florida that offer beach volleyball scholarships.

So you'll see some of those people competing on on Sunday.

But uh Prems Premier as well if you want to.

Yeah, I would like for him to come up too, because I have a few things I want to say, and I want to look at you both right in the eyes, so you know I'm really serious, okay.

Hello, City, thank you for your time.

All right, thank you.

So, number one, I'm so excited to have this uh event back, and I thought we would have volleyball back maybe two weeks ago, but to kick it off this way, I'm just thrilled to death.

And I um I I'm so impressed with vet sports as well as volleyball.

So when they come together, that's all good.

But here's my request, and this is where I'm looking you guys in the eyes, okay.

Um I would like for you to ask your players, your healthy players, to not park in the uh beach parking lot to get off onto some of the side streets are gonna be there for long hours of time.

We have two other big events going on that day.

We've got the um uh uh uh what do you call not the junk in the trunk, but the drop and drop swap and drop.

I can't get that new board swap and drop, and that's gonna take up a good bit of parking, and of course, we're starting off with a beach cleanup at nine o'clock in the morning.

So if your folks could get on to some of the other side strokes streets further to the west, because we know they're healthy and they can walk, that would be really good for those that can anyway.

And then um, so this is kind of be gonna be the first really big kickoff for our our beach again.

So it's so important.

We ask our residents and we require that they not bring their dogs to the beach, that they not smoke on the beach, and they not drink on the beach.

So I'm asking you guys as the leaders of these groups to kick it off right.

I want I want a zero tolerance, and if they came with their dog, they need to go home.

Okay, so that's all I ask of you, and I'm very excited.

And besides the fact that I have to work at swap and drop, besides that, I'm gonna be there as much as I can.

That's great.

And all of that is definitely fine, of course.

Okay, thanks a lot, guys.

Um and I if I if uh may I just uh say just a comment.

Um, I just want to introduce myself.

Uh my name is Praim Prasad.

Um I ran I started running volleyball tournaments here back in 2013 with Dan.

Um, and now I'm the proud owner of the Sunsign Sunshine State Outdoor Volleyball Association, and I run uh one of the on one of the largest beach volleyball tours in the country.

So I run 40 events a year, 40 weekends of events from Clearwater Beach, St.

Pete Beach, uh Gulf Gulf Port soon to be Anna Maria, Siestike, and Pompano, uh full-time and part-time staff, and at every one of our locations, we're A plus students because we're not just coming and using the beaches.

I live here in St.

I live in St.

Pete, but we are a community and we want to be welcomed back to the beaches many, many times, and that's why all of my beaches I'm not I'm at.

I can bring recommendations from every one of them.

They love having us there, hence why I have 40 weekends of events.

Also, I'm in Costa Rica now, too.

If you guys want to come down to that event or be there next month, and we already had a successful event in December there.

So every place, every place we're at, we follow the rules, we do whatever is required.

Every beach I run, no dogs are allowed, only ones are allowed alcohol is Treasure Island, you know, since yes the key.

Other than that, so all of those rules not a problem.

Uh we actually even have a relationship with Krabby Bills, um, and we run some small events or too and follow all the rules there as well, because we we do want to be welcomed back.

And super and one of the biggest things for me too is is working with not just the in the community but the business community as well.

I used to be on the chamber when I used to run the golf board chamber when I used to run beach volleyball tournaments here to integrate our all these players that come here to integrate them with the community.

Show them this amazing gem of golf port, which I love to be part of.

You guys probably, if you ever come down to the courts in the past, you probably have seen me out there a lot because I I love this community and I love to respectfully bring back the beach volleyball players, not just when we have this event, but any time we the volleyball community is out here.

So thank you.

Super, thank you.

Thank you both.

Thank you.

It's the studio call the vote.

Councilmember Shaw, yes.

Councilmember Webb, yes.

Vice Mayor, excuse me, Councilmember Early.

Oh, yeah.

Yes.

Councilmember Dodge, Mayor Love.

Yes, passes unanimously.

Moving on to item 8F, resolution number 2026-19, a resolution approving and adopting revisions to the city personnel manual providing for the addition and amendment of certain sections.

Motion to approve.

Second, city manager, yes, Mayor.

Our human resources and risk management director, Shannon Farrell's gonna give you a brief overview.

Um some of the changes that we're proposing to the human um personnel manual and uh go ahead.

Okay, there's not, I mean, you'll see a lot of red strikes through the personnel manual.

A lot of it was grammatical errors and some typos that we found.

Um in the memo, there's a couple of the main sections that I did change.

Um, the on-call pay, bereavement leave, education incentives, the blood donor program, the emergency preparedness, and then the DUI policy.

So if you want me to go through all the changes in each one, I can, or if there's questions about specific ones, I'm more than happy to answer.

Did anybody still need?

I mean, I know I got briefed on it already.

Did anybody else I read through it already?

Yeah, I read her.

I'm good.

All right, nice job.

Easy.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You want to stay?

Because you got to talk about the budget changes.

Uh, we have a motion and second.

Did you have anything to add, city manager?

No, no, ma'am.

Council member Councilmember Shaw.

Yes, no public comment.

I suppose yeah, we can do public comment.

Any public comment on this matter?

Any e-comment on this matter?

No, but that does remind me that I missed the one from Ms.

Tober on 8A.

Oh my apologies, Ms.

Tober.

Okay.

Um read it after this.

Yes.

Uh Councilmember Shaw.

Yes.

Councilmember Webb.

Yes.

Councilmember Early?

Yes.

Councilmember Donch?

Yes.

Mayor Love?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

All right.

So we'll do 8G and then we'll go back to 8A because there was a public comment.

I mean we did vote, but that public comment should be read.

Thank you.

Moving on to 8G item number, or excuse me, resolution number 2026-20, a resolution amending the fiscal year 2025-2026 budget to reflect personnel restructuring with the fire, streets and sanitation departments providing for severality and providing for an effective date.

Motion to approve.

Second.

No, this is pretty much identifies the changes as I spoke to you individually.

Um improving our capabilities in the fire department.

We had a long-term firefighter.

We recommend that you replace that position, excuse me, with a paramedic.

Right.

And in regards to the we had created the assistant public works director as we were going through secession planning.

And subsequently we're returning to the original model that we had prior to the succession planning.

Um Mr.

Anderson's position will return to streets and sanitation supervisor.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any discussion?

Anyone have anything they need to say or ask on this matter?

Okay.

Is the superintendent already in position?

They're just getting a new title, or this is a job that's going to be a good idea.

This will be this will be a vacant position.

Okay.

Okay.

Any public comment.

Seeing none.

Councilmember Shaw?

Yes.

Councilmember Webb?

Yes.

Councilmember Early?

Yes.

Councilmember Donch?

Yes.

Mayor Love?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

All righty.

That takes us to the discussion.

And I remember this from last year.

So this is kind of like our business meeting here where the council will do uh have an opportunity to discuss their policies and procedures.

Oh, I didn't let you read 8A.

Go ahead.

I'm sorry.

This was for 8A, which was the decision on the Vice Mayor.

Ms.

Tober does say please continue with the rotation method.

Past attempts to select a vice mayor in other fashions have not worked well and even created hard feelings amongst men members of council.

The council nor the residents need such to happen.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Alrighty.

So our discussion item tonight is uh for the council members.

We won't be having public comment on this.

This is an opportunity for the actual council members to see if they're comfortable with our policies and procedures, and if not, uh, for us to discuss what changes we might want to see.

And um it'll be a a vote in that case if need be.

So I don't remember how we started it.

Did you lead us last year or so?

I believe last year you kind of went council member by council member and asked what changes you want they wanted to see, and then you guys decided on that.

I remember okay, but it's up to you how you go about it this year.

Okay, I'm comfortable with that.

Um, and so that would put uh council member Shaw uh up first.

Okay, um trying to figure out which one this is okay.

This would be J.

Sorry, I think three, but I just need to make sure.

I think it's J three.

Oh no, uh J during the placement of items, is that agenda setting you're looking at one of them was uh regarding the consent agenda and um I think it I'm trying to remember how it reads right now, but I think it it suggests that we move it to new business, and I'm suggesting that rather than move it to new business, if something is moved from the consent agenda for this for to to consider further, that we create a section like items removed from consent agenda because it keeps the item in its original context.

And I think I'm trying to remember how it reads right now, but I think it it suggests that we move it to new business.

And I'm suggesting that rather than move it to new business, if something is moved from the consent agenda for this for to consider further, that we create a section like items removed from consent agenda because it keeps the item in its original context.

It is automatic.

If you remove something from consent agenda, it moves automatically to new business.

Okay.

Vice Mayor Shaw, I think you're on J three and the third paragraphs.

Have you seen the sort of thing?

But I'm suggesting that we not move it to new business that we address it along with the rest, but under a second line, put a second line there saying items removed from the consent agenda and talk about it right at the same time of the other consent agenda and consent agenda items.

The only thing I would tell you procedurally is consent agenda.

So you have no discussion on consent.

You vote, let's just say you move item four.

So item four is not part of the vote for the consent agenda, and then item four is immediate.

Yes, the procedure is item four is immediately heard.

Okay, right after the consent agenda because you've removed it from the consent agenda and it becomes a separate issue that you discuss at that point, which is open to the public.

All right.

Well, I've seen it done different ways, and that seemed like a good way to do it rather than separating it, but you know, however, is fine.

I I would certainly defer to that.

Um the other one would be K.

I guess just can I make a motion to table this?

Mine is not working and has all my notes in it.

I couldn't possibly participate.

Okay.

Yeah.

So what are we gonna what just happened?

I'm gonna table and not paying attention.

Um mine is now down, and you want mine?

I can't get well.

I can't get my notes to made a motion to table the policies until next meeting.

Motion to table doesn't require a second.

It's just a vote.

I are just up to y'all.

Okay.

So we have a motion to table this because I can't everybody else well is in and out.

Okay, it is.

Yeah.

Okay, okay.

I think all righty.

We're gonna uh do we need to vote on that, or we just make sure that everybody is in consensus with it.

Everybody is shaking their head, yes.

I did not this is important.

Thank you.

If I could only ask if council has in the meantime, between this meeting and next meeting, if you have any questions or suggestions that you want to have us um research or make sure that uh we're prepared to answer, please let us know so we can have it for your next meeting.

Okay, okay.

Thank you.

All right, yeah.

So now we know we'll go in speaking order, and I think we all have the if you don't have the printout version.

I think you do though, don't you?

Yes, okay.

All right.

So then with that, I think we're gonna move on to uh new business and we'll start new business in speaking order once again.

So again we're back to all right.

Shaw um the first thing is that um we had an initially agreed to host a Suncoast lunch um lunch meeting, Suncoast League of Cities lunch meeting here, and then uh that was changed, and and now apparently some additional discussion took place, and they would like to go ahead and um have us host one here on May 7th, and it would be at the uh 49th Street Neighborhood Center at uh from 11 30 a.m.

to 1 p.m.

Uh and what they do is they provide $500 to help defray the cost of the lunch lunch uh and it doesn't have to be an elegant one, and um so I'm asking for a consensus to um to allow us to host that Sun Coast League of Cities lunch meeting.

Okay, so we have a request for consensus.

We know she's a yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and did you say that date was May 7th?

May 7th.

Okay, thank you.

May 7th, 11 a.m.

to 1 p.m.

at the 49th Street neighborhood center.

Right.

And all are welcome from the council, is that correct?

So it's at 11 30.

11 30.

Yeah, they said 11 30.

Okay.

Great.

Okay.

Okay.

All right.

Is that all that you need, City Clerk?

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

Um, the next thing is I wanted to bring up it was mentioned that after the election that we should remind that now we do not have Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council Council Member Representative.

Uh now that Councilmember Thanos is no longer the council representative, so I'm not suggesting that that be decided upon now, but if any of you haven't considered it to please be considering that it was my job, but I had it on my list as a reminder.

Um actually that's all I have.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Councilmember Webb.

Yes, I would um uh request your consent to allow me to have a town hall meeting to discuss the sets and proposal to change the zoning of the block uh north of their campus.

Um it's my understanding that that requires um your consent, and it would also require staff time because of the specific questions that they have related to planning and zoning.

Okay, right.

And what day is that uh to be determined we'll have to work with Justin to check the availability of the room.

Okay, okay.

And um is the plan to um have are you gonna need that to be videoed?

We will we'll have to talk to Justin about what our capabilities are that we do have internet connections and things to that effect, but I would have to check on videotaping.

Are you asking for sunshine rules?

Um just in general.

Yeah, I um I am not sure about that.

I do know that we do need um capability to have people stream in, and so that's something that is that has been requested.

Right, yeah.

Okay.

Um consensus.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, thank you.

I appreciate you all and your help there.

Council member, I'll have Justin reach out to you directly.

Perfect.

Councilmember Donch.

Where were you done?

This one thoughts of you, Mayor.

Um Nancy's nice.

Council member.

What is it?

It said seat.

I'm sorry.

It is a seat.

Council member early.

I'm so sorry.

Always bypass Port Close C.

It used to be me.

I don't care.

I used to get over here from now.

I I don't have any new business it's easy to do that, right?

Um I can take my new business with the agenda stuff, the uh rules next time.

So I'm good.

Oh, you're gonna combine your yeah, because it has to do with that anyway.

I just wanted to bring up again that I would like to have a standing time for um having workshops.

So if that's something that needs to be worked in with the rules of the meetings, um, I think it might fit in better there than having it during new business, but okay.

All right, and that's it.

Yep.

Okay, all right.

So I have a couple of things.

Uh um, and I'm gonna ask, we've got several consensus already, and I'm gonna ask for at least three right now, maybe four.

So um I thought we had a really really good workshop um the other day um on the whole parking plan.

Okay, and there were two things that there was definitely consensus that night.

I'm just uh looking now for formal consensus.

So I'm asking that we have consensus to direct the city manager to do what is necessary to reduce the speed limit on beach and shore to 20 miles per hour.

Yes, yes, yes, to do it's necessary, meaning look at the traffic study.

Yeah.

We would just do it.

The council has the authority to because of the limited scope of it.

Okay, it wouldn't require as you're correct in the fact that if you did a major change to the speed limits in the city, then you would have to do the traffic study to support it because it's only shore boulevard and beach boulevard.

It's very limited.

Okay, yes, all right.

So that's a consensus on that one, and I know that he heard us.

The second one is I'm asking my second consensus is to direct the city manager to go ahead and remove all of the remaining resident only parking signs south of 28th to shore between 56th and 58th.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, all right, and that will include the east, just so it's council's aware that will require it's not just north and south.

There are east and west signs also.

Yes, residential parking.

Everything south and and to the west.

Yes.

All righty.

So then the next consensus, so that I didn't mess up and didn't say it right, I actually wrote it, okay?

Uh, because I get, you know, after eight o'clock.

All right.

So my third consensus is I'm asking for a consensus to allow me to submit the application to the CPAT pro bono group for consideration.

Okay.

That's the group that has a deadline the end of this month to come in and send all their planners to do the work for us.

Uh I'd like to know what the professionals have to say and what they could do with our initial plan.

Okay.

I have revamped the application based on the workshop feedback.

I'm asking for studies to include effects on small business, deliveries, sanitation, and postal service.

The other night I was asking for one ways on 54th and 56th.

I still am, but I am not asking them to incorporate one ways on any of the avenues.

I am asking that they specifically study uh and consider angled parking on 54th, taking into consideration the need to feel like a residential street and maintaining an acceptable distance from parked cars uh to residences.

I'm no longer asking for angled parking on 56.

If we were to um uh if you give me the consensus tonight, it'll be an opportunity at no cost to us to see what this would look like once the professionals fine-tune it.

And then I would totally expect there to be another workshop following that where we could share the plans.

Maybe there's alternate plans, maybe more than one, and discuss it all again with a lot of community input at that time.

Um I'm also asking that uh in the plan as I rewrote the application that they increase handicapped spots and add some 15 minute spots during peak pickup hours, and I got that from the business community.

So that is the consensus that you allow me to rewrite this application for the third time and ask uh Dave Mather to fine-tune it and to make the deadline to see if we were to be accepted for this free service, and we'll go in order, Councilmember Shaw.

Yes, Councilmember Webb.

Yes.

Okay.

I just want to make sure when we apply for it, it's a we're not under any obligation to do anything that they say or take we don't if we say no, we don't have to like pay them anything, or just they're just gonna look at it for free for no reason just because they want to.

Okay.

All right, I have the consensus.

So that's good.

And then the last thing that I wanted to do was so you have this little drawing in front of you.

Okay.

This was done by at my request from one of our wonderful artists, uh David Feldman.

Okay.

And uh what I asked him for is I feel, and I don't know if you all will agree, but I feel very strongly that our black and white sign at the entrance to our neighborhood on 49th at 18th, is awful.

And I have been told that there's historical significance.

Well, I don't think it's good historical significance, okay.

Right there on the border there to have a black and white sign when we live in such a colorful town, a colorful city full of artists.

So, what I'm asking for is that we do uh official, and I don't have every detail worked out, but we've done it in the past.

I have this is a a different call for artists for something years ago for Climber Park.

I'm asking that we do a call for artists and ask our own uh local artists.

Well, I'm not saying we have to limit it to that, but for them, anyone who wants to to give us um their their drawing, their rendering along these lines, uh knowing it's a rectangle.

Uh what would then happen, of course, is if we were to decide on one as a group vote, decide which one we wanted to do.

We we would take the glass plate off the existing sign, which is just black and white, and we would have this put on a new glass plate, probably as a wrap.

So I think it's time to move out that sign, and I'm sorry if I offend those that want to hold on to that history.

I think um we could have a much more appropriate sign addressing the trolley market square and welcome everyone.

So would it be okay with you if um I ask a couple of the artists and um and we get this uh going for a call for artists?

I'm f I'm agree with that.

Um do we want it to say golf court anywhere?

Should that be a recommendation?

There's there's no rules right now.

You know, we're just determining uh it can say it it and and then again if we just put it out there to the artists, see what they come back with.

Maybe we have a frame favorite, and the only thing is that the council requested it's a golf court.

Um great with you.

If you and I provided council, if I may, mayor.

Please.

If we prov have in the past done formal call for artist, and we do have some basic criteria that it addresses some things that you'd wanted to do.

It's in case of the monument sign that we had designed at Climber Park, we subsequently utilize those for our parking directional signs.

If you look at them, they're kind of a set.

Um what we would do is put some minimum criteria that you want to reference the city of Gulfport.

It's a place noting sign, so to speak, pla creating space place.

Um we would do that.

But the question I have is council would make then would be the this would be it's a it has to be a staff operation because there are legal aspects of it.

It's like submitting a bid.

We would advertise it such as a similar to a bid.

At the same time, council, we would need to create the criteria that council would be the one that ranks now.

Because in the past, this gets very strange because in the past staff has selected one and then made a recommendation to council.

Now you can do it as council will make the final determination.

I much prefer that because then it's you know, we don't get in a situation where we're debating our choice.

If council was to look at all of them, and you could have a two-step process, narrow it down depending on the number that you receive, narrow it down to the top five, then council at the second meeting could look at it and see if it each of you could recommend one and then basically reach a consensus or vote on which one you would like us to enter to contract for.

Now, are you willing to pay for this?

Well, I think the call for artists is going to be a frabe, and they get to do what they want to do.

But if it's selected, yes, I think that's the same.

That's where I'm going.

No, no, that's right.

Yes.

That's that's the point.

Yes.

Are you willing to pay for art?

And if so for the winner for the for the one that we would like to use as an entrance to our subdiv uh subdivision, my real estate days for the entrance to our city, yes.

I think that it would be appropriate to pay for those rights.

That becomes, are you willing to pay in the five to ten thousand dollar range?

No.

Okay, go ahead.

Can I ask a question, Mayor?

Yes.

Um City Manager, I know that we've done this in the past.

Um what were what's the what's the have we done it recently?

The gecko.

Right.

That was more of a sole provider because the merchants had brought that to us.

Okay.

Because I was wondering what the going rate is for those that you have common.

Yeah, and a smaller sign, I'll use a signs, what we've done is signs.

And of course, the I believe the larger one was over 20,000, the smaller ones are in a five thousand dollar range.

But because you're not you're gonna have the cost associated with just taking this and putting it into your glass frame, it's not building something or paintings.

They're just gonna give you a rendering and you're selecting that to use.

Because once they you select one, the reason I talk about compensation is once they you purchase use make your selection and we pay them, the city owns the property.

Yeah.

Right.

And has control of the use.

They it's part of the agreement is that once you provide us art, public art becomes public art.

I I think the difference though, city manager, is when you were talking about the expense of the previous sign.

Right.

That artist didn't just provide us uh rendering of it, he actually built it and the materials and the whole bit.

So this is a case where we are going to be asking our creative minds to create what they would like to see out there.

And I like this the idea that we would vote in the top five, then would go on to the next step.

Absolutely.

The only thing that I might like to add to it is, and I don't know how well this could be in effect, but I kind of would like to keep it a blind that we don't know who the artists are.

That's fine.

That's fine.

That's easy for us.

So that it's not a personality contest.

Understanding or who needs the money the most.

We would provide those to you blind.

That's not a problem.

Understand that they're gonna have to submit an application, and then we can number match them up, things like that.

But that will all become public record.

The artists have to understand that this all becomes public record.

So that's one issue that's gotta be that we'll deal with.

It's not, you know, they may copyright it, but they have to release that to us.

Right.

Okay.

But I think what I'm looking for is how much are you willing to pay for that?

I understand they're not building the sign in the but how much are you willing to invest because to motivate certain artists to submit.

Right.

Well, my response to that is that though I have this contract from the past, I did not have an opportunity to read it.

So I would like to go through this and then kind of red-ink it and come back to you in our meeting and tell you what I think would apply here and what wouldn't apply.

And in the meantime, I would like to, you know, go to some of my experts and see what would be a reasonable from their opinion, you know, what would be a reasonable fee for the person whose sign would then be, and do they get their signature on that sign?

That's an interesting.

I mean, you would have to make it probably couldn't be read from up there, but for everybody to know it is, you know, well, you know, so and so did that.

Yeah, yeah.

My concern is that you're will it's the simplest way to put it is are you willing to pay, or is just generic.

So my whole goal tonight was just um, and I appreciate Dave doing this for us, because I I felt like for me to just ask about a sign without just showing you a colorful gallport, you know, uh wouldn't be as effective.

So all I wanted to do right now is to get uh a consensus that you would be open to doing a call for artists and for us to look at replacing this sign, and then um I'll come back with some additional questions and and some answers for discussion uh at another council meeting.

I'm open to discussing it again with more information.

Yeah, like especially for me, it's the criteria based on previous calls for artists and community feedback, integrating maybe a community panel where they vote on the top five, like that I think would are the top their favorite top three, so that it you have that community engagement would be good, and having an award for the person, like paying the person for their artwork, I think is important for me.

Um otherwise I'm open to the process, and yeah, we can thank you for bringing this forward.

I really appreciate it.

It's a great idea.

We can bring you a process also.

You can bring it up.

So with that as a community type.

I'd like to weigh in too.

And that that is I'm definitely open to the process, but as conceptually, you you won me on color, and where everyone is welcome.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Exactly.

So I again I will go over this past um because what just by reading through the previous call for action will make me think of things that I haven't thought of that probably need to be in here.

And so when I come back again, I'll probably have some better questions or better answers for you and issues, and we can discuss it.

And we won't do anything in terms of a call for artist until uh we have that.

But um that's a huge sign, and I think that we could make a statement with that sign, and it's not the statement that's being made right now.

Then people won't want to crash into it, right?

Nobody's hit the sign yet.

Yeah, the sign's been saved, dog on it.

Oh, I said that out loud.

All righty, with that in mind, then if there's nothing else, I'm gonna adjourn the meeting.

Thank you for your patience with our computer issues.

Meeting adjourned.