Okay.

There's no such thing as ending on time, unfortunately.

Um but we do start on time.

If you haven't double-checked your phone three times, please do because we don't want to hear it buzzing or beeping or music or anything like that.

And then the other thing I just ask is that if you have the need to have a conversation with the person sitting next to you, that's fine, but do it in the lobby.

Okay, because we only want one conversation going on at the time.

Uh so with that, I'm gonna I've called the meeting to order now, and we are going to start with our invocation by council member Nancy Early, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Good evening.

My quote is from Harvey Milk, American politician and first openly gay man to be elected in public office in California.

It takes no compromise to give people their rights, it takes no money to respect the individual, it takes no political deal to give people freedom, and it takes no survey to remove repression.

I pledge allegiance to the fly on the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under individual liberty and justice for all.

Super.

So roll call, please, city clerk.

Councilmember Early.

Present.

Councilmember Donch here, Vice Mayor Shaw.

Present.

Councilmember Webb, Mayor Love.

Here, City Attorney Salzman, City Manager O'Reilly, City Clerk Carico is present.

Super.

So tonight we're gonna start off.

We have two presentations, and the first one is gonna be what's called, it's a mouthful, utility rate sufficiency study.

So I don't know Andrew Burnham, but I assume he's here.

Oh very good.

Oh, yes, I recognize you.

All righty.

So if you'd like to come on up and give your presentation, that would be great.

And I see one of our city employees in charge of billing department, Sonia's here also.

Good evening, Mayor and City Council.

Um my name is Sonia Levert, the director of utility billing customer service, and I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce Andrew Burnham.

He's the vice president for Stantech.

Um he has worked with the city of Gulfport for many many years on our utility rate sufficiency studies, and he has also worked with many communities throughout the state of Florida, as well as many of our neighbors in the Tampa Bay area.

Umrew and his team have worked for several months looking at our utility infrastructure, financial information, and the future needs for the city of Gulfport.

So with that, I would like to hand this over to Andrew Burnham.

Thanks, Sonia.

Thank you.

So good evening, Mayor, Commissioners.

Uh so I do have a brief presentation that summarizes the in-depth analysis that Sonia mentioned that we went through to analyze the sufficiency of your utility rates to meet your identified operating and capital cost.

And so that's really what's at the crux of the conversation today.

So I always like to start the conversation with a bit of context and history in terms of refresher.

So as Sony mentioned, we've been working with the city for several years now, trying to make sure that we can provide the highest level of service at the lowest possible cost to our residents in the near term and the long term, meaning sustainably funding our infrastructure, covering our operating cost, investing in infrastructure that saves money on the operating side, which for us means trying to reduce the volumes that we send to the city of St.

Petersburg for treatment and disposal, so investing to try to save money.

And through that process, you know, we've made a number of recommendations over the year.

So just going back to 2023, that was the last time rates were restructured.

There was no increase in utility rates that year, but a rate restructuring that some of you may remember where we removed a minimum allowance that was in the fixed charge, and so people really just paid for what they were using to make the rate structure more fair and equitable for what folks were using.

And then subsequent, and as part of that, there was a three-year rate plan adopted.

The first year was no increase, but that rate restructuring change, but then two years of increases following that.

So on the stormwater fee, it was a about a dollar each year, two dollars in the first year, and then eight percent on the utility rates.

And then as we move forward through that three-year plan that was adopted and implemented, we then embarked upon establishing a new three-year plan, which is what's in place today, and that's that second box to the right, where we had a rate adjustment for 26 that was implemented of 8% per year for the water and sewer rates, $1 on the stormwater charge, and then the approved increases for 27 and 28 are the same amounts.

With the exception that in 28 we start to get to a lower level of increase.

And so since we've been doing these updates since about 2023, we've been showing that as we kind of sustain this plan and stick with it, we start to see a lower level of increases as we catch up to some of the lack of increases that we've had historically on the utility rates.

So things start to stabilize a bit.

And so that's kind of been the long-term goal that we've been trying to achieve is a balanced approach, softer annual adjustments, you know, trying to spread things out as much as we can, but making sure we're funding the needs of the utility for investing in capital and operations to sustain services to the residents and businesses of the community.

And so that's really what the conversation's about.

And so we use a very detailed analysis that embodies a lot of the information that Sony mentioned.

How much cash balances do we have in the bank?

That's the top left graph that says operating fund.

And we want to make sure as the the black or the gray box says we maintain minimum reserves.

At least two months of operations and maintenance expenses, ideally a little more than that, about three months to be in keeping with accepted industry practices and to give us some buffers.

And then we also want to make sure in the top center graph that the revenue that's coming in from utility rates is covering the expenses going out for operating and capital cost.

So anytime where we're spending more than we're taking in, we're basically eating into those reserves, eating into that savings account.

So having those two lines in the center chart match means we're structurally balanced, where revenues are matching expenses year to year, and that's exactly the intent.

No more, no less.

We're trying to really make sure that the rates cover the cost of providing the service.

And what you'll notice here too is that in the bottom chart for the capital funding, we do try to leverage and identify as many grants as possible.

So we have EPA grants for some rehabilitation projects as well as from DEP for restoration.

So we've really got some good grant funding coming in to pay for our capital needs that minimizes how much have to be covered by our utility rates.

And you'll notice two sets in a lot of these charts, as well as the numbers.

And what we like to do is year over year track what's changed.

So everything in green, or that's referred to as last plan is last year's forecast.

Everything is blue is where we sit today.

And so if you look at the rate increases across the top, we're really on track with what we have in the current plan.

And the reserve levels at the top left chart are very consistent with prior year projections.

So all of that is a long way of saying the plan looks like it's performing as expected, and there's no changes to the recommendations of adjustments that you've already approved previously.

Things are looking pretty good and they're on track.

So no surprises.

So it's it's steady as we go in terms of moving forward with a recommendation from us with what you've already previously approved.

Just for informational purposes and taking the opportunity to help reinforce understanding within yourselves and the community, biggest chunk of our expenses are the wholesale costs that we have to pay to purchase water, treated water from the city of St.

Petersburg that we then distribute to customers, and then similarly the cost from St.

Petersburg to treat our wastewater effluent and dispose of it.

So we're 60% of our operating cost.

And so this has been a big component and consideration of the financial models over time is to make sure that we're investing in capital projects that really help make sure that our distribution system as well as our collection systems are as perfect as we can be, and they're not taking in any groundwater inflow and infiltration on the sewer side.

We have minimal leaks on the water side, because for all those leaks and all that additional volume that comes in, we have to pay the city of St.

Pete to provide that water or to treat and dispose of it.

So that's where capital reinvestment for us saves us money in the long term.

And so we've seen significant fluctuations in the last couple years on those expenses with the storms.

So I've just highlighted a couple call-outs.

This year we've seen obviously drought conditions for the first part of this fiscal year.

So without the rain, there's less inflow and infiltration into our sewer pipes, which means we're sending less volume back to St.

Pete for disposal for treatment and disposal on the wastewater side.

But we've normalized the forecast to make sure we're reflecting more normal conditions for projecting that volume into the future.

But that St.

Pete expense has been a focal point.

This chart just kind of tells a very big story.

Over the years, we've actually reduced our flow from capital improvements by about 17%.

And even that withstanding, because of rate increases from St.

Pete, the expense has gone up by seventy-four percent.

So this is easily appeared.

74%.

So that's the projected increase from going from 21 through 2030 with projected increases from St.

Pete.

So it's a mix of the last six years of history and the next five-year forecast.

So it's again this is the single biggest consideration that we really have for the utility system is investing in it to try to control the volumes that we have to pay for from St.

Petersburg.

And so what is the rate plan that's that's already been approved mean for customers?

So when we did the rate structure analysis a few years ago, over 60% of our bills were issued for 2,000 gallons a month or less.

So this is a very typical bill for the city, is that this amount of volume or less.

And so while our study focuses on the water and sewer and stormwater charges, we just did the total utility bill because your utility bill is going to have all these fees on it for refuse and recycling and then a utility tax.

So we kind of wanted to give what is that total dollar impact on the bill, and it's just under 8%.

Um so it'd be 112 dollars in total as the current bill for that 2,000 gallons of use with these proposed changes and the identified increase for garbage and recycling next year of 8%, which is consistent with Pinells County's tipping fee increase of 8%.

That would be $8.89 on the total bill or just under 8%.

For a larger user at 4,000 gallons, the stormwater change is the same, but you can see the dollar values for other services, water and sewer went up.

So that bill is 176 dollars today, just under that.

That would go to almost 190, about a 14 dollar increase.

But again, about 8% is what that increase is for the total utility bill.

And we also like to just give you some context as Sony mentioned, we do a lot of work locally in the Tampa Bay Area, but then also throughout Florida and across the country.

And so this is just kind of a current snapshot of utility rates.

So it takes the current bill for that typical customer at 2,000 gallons, identifies the water bill, the sewer bill, and then what's the stormwater bill.

So when you can stack them up, you can see how those fees compare against other agencies.

And so for a 2,000 gallon user, you can see we're very comparable in cost.

And if you just did a straight average, we're basically right at the average of cost in the area for many of the surrounding Tampa Bay communities.

When we look at 4,000 gallons, this is where some of our conservation pricing structure starts to kick in.

So we have an inclining block rate structure where when you use higher levels of water, you pay a higher rate for that, consistent with the demands it places on the system.

And so that's when we start to move towards a higher end of the chart for 4,000 gallons.

But for many of the users, again, as I mentioned, we're very comparable in cost.

That 2,000 gallons is really where a lot of our bills are in the city of Gulfport for residential properties.

And then this again, as I mentioned, is a snapshot in time.

So as we move forward and we have the rate adjustments that we've previously approved again, set to go into place for next fiscal year.

Many other agencies are having increases as well.

And I don't want to pick on anyone in particular because a lot of the pressures are the same, but a couple of good recent examples, Dunedin.

They had a 15% increase last year on their water and sewer rates, they have another 15% plan for next year.

They have a large stormwater adjustment of 19% next year.

I think they did over 20% last year.

So we're seeing some pretty large utility rate increases for communities and systems that are really updating their capital needs or haven't had steady increases over time.

That's when you start to see, you know, some of those larger double-digit increases.

So again, just giving you a bit of kudos for being proactive in your financial management, looking ahead, trying to set more smooth and moderate rate plans that are predictable for customers because otherwise you'll be in situations like that where you've got some pretty big challenges in front of you.

Otherwise, some other increases.

So the projections from last year's rate study are what we've included here.

They're looking at about 7% from last year's rate study was the projection for retail water and sewer rates.

And then stormwater was about 15% plus or minus for stormwater for next year.

So you can see some of the others in here as well with notable increases.

So again, our increases are very comparable.

You can look at clear water.

They have almost identical increases to what we're talking about for the next couple years.

And then again, remember, projection is to drop off to about 5% a year soon.

So we'll be very comparable in costs going forward, is what I fully expect to see as well, and hopefully reporting next year.

And one last thing to just leave you with is uh some new information that's that's come up this year relative to your watershed management plans that you've haven't conducted for the system.

There's been some project recommendations from that watershed master management plan uh for improvements for stormwater.

That's a very large number, about 85 million dollars of projects have been identified from that initiative.

We heard 75 don't exaggerate.

So it's it's a very large number.

Um, and so you know, with that, that's gonna be a conversation for future discussions about how and when to start prioritizing those improvements.

What are the funding sources for those?

You know, hopefully we can be successful in and looking for, you know, grants or state revolving loan funding that maybe has principal forgiveness, which is a form of a grant.

Um so maybe there's ways to leverage that or future penny rounds, a penny for penellis money to fund some of that, but in the absence of that, just wanted to give you a sense of context.

So if you were to to take your stormwater fee and set it at the levels of uh Clearwater or Dunedin, uh St.

Pete, that would basically double your current fee in place today by adding another $14 to it.

That would add another one point four million a year of revenue.

So if you were to cash fund these projects, obviously that would spread those costs out over a pretty long time period, right?

If you were to just rely on rates by themselves to cash fund it.

However, if you were to use that revenue from rates to perhaps debt finance some projects, you might be able to accelerate it.

So because if you were to borrow maybe 15 to 20 million, depending upon what type of financing you did, that 1.4 million could be used to repay that principle and interest.

So nothing here that's meant to be you know suggestive of making adjustments today, but this is more teeing up a conversation for you that is part of future updates.

That's likely gonna be a consideration that starts to work its way into this process is funding sources for these additional capital improvement needs for the stormwater system.

So just planting a seed here, again, no action needed today, but trying to give you a sense of some context of how this might impact utility rates.

But there's a lot of choices to me made between now and then.

So just in summary, we're recommending um to continue with the adopted rate adjustment plan.

So you have two years left for 27 and 28, and that's what's in the table identified here.

Uh we'd recommend you continue with that and then continue to perform updates to account for changes.

We'll continue to monitor what's going on with St.

Pete.

Hopefully, we're able to continue to make those system improvements that reduce the volumes we send to them and control that expense.

And then again, factor in changes such as updated information about system reinvestment needs, like for instance the stormwater system improvements that might start to come into it.

So with that, I know I had a lot to share, but that's it for for my presentation, but I'm happy to answer any questions to the best of my ability.

Okay, we'll go in speaking order for questions, starting with you, council member early.

Thank you.

The administrative percentage of 13.9, is that our personnel or back to the operations and maintenance expense chart?

I think you're referring to this one here.

Yes.

Yep.

So that's our utility staff in the enterprise funds.

So this would be public works director, line staff, folks doing maintenance field improvements.

That's what that represents are those those staff members in the enterprise fund.

Okay, so that's not what St.

Petersburg is charging us per se.

No, the St.

Petersburg expenses, they represent about 60% of our total expenses.

So this is kind of a breakdown of a dollar.

Every dollar you have in your budget, about 60 cents of every dollar goes to St.

Pete, about 13.9 cents, call it 14 cents go for personnel expenses, and then about 26 cents go for other maintenance expenses like repairs, those kinds of things.

Can you go forward one or two?

Um keep going.

Feel like we're driving.

Another exit, another okay.

Um, it's kind of hard to not draw the conclusion.

Oh, even oh, go for it's kind of in the middle there.

I thought it was closer to St.

Petersburg.

Is that the next, yeah?

That's the higher volume use.

4,000 slide, yeah.

Which we don't have many users at that level, in all fairness.

So about 48% of your users are in the 2,000, 2,000 gallon.

Okay, because that is very high, and it's makes you want to draw the conclusion that St.

Petersburg and us are the same as far as the high.

Oh, well, yeah, the rate structure comes into play too.

So we have that first tier rate is very low.

It's just over a dollar up to that 2,000 gallon allowance.

So we have a very much affordability considered for low volume use, and then we have a very strong conservation signal as you start to get to higher levels.

So, that rate structure is a little bit more aggressive for conservation and more advantageous for affordability than what St.

Pete has.

So that's why at the lower levels we look.

That's why it's that way.

Okay, that makes more sense to me.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

I don't have any questions.

Thank you.

Okay.

Councilmember.

I was primarily interested in the bottom line and you shared that.

Thank you.

Yeah, no, you're welcome.

And okay.

Bear with me because I um I I uh fractured my ankle, so I'm doing the best I can.

I'm on uh some medicine.

Okay, so question I had a question about I and I.

I know that we've been investing in our infrastructure and we have that revolving loan fund.

So when do we expect that I and I to be reduced so that we're don't have you know um over costs?

It's been coming down.

So on this chart, kind of coming back to it, some of the initial improvements that had the highest returns were done in the early 2020s, and so you could see the flows coming down, but then in 24 and 25 we had our storm events, those direct hits from you know Hurricane Debbie, Helene, Milton, and then flash flooding in 25, so it spiked it, and then 26 it's coming back down.

So we've tried to be conservative in the forecast to not overassume benefit from those improvements until we see it in the flows.

Okay.

So as we do future updates, if we see that black line shift down a little bit more because of additional reduction in inflow and infiltration into the system, that's gonna have some rate impacts, all else being equal.

Like positive, like lower rate increases.

So would a correct reading be that that was a stress test in effect in 24 and 25, the no-name storms and the hurricanes, and so do we know where those weaknesses in our system are?

I'll have to defer a little bit to the city manager and utilities.

I know some of the 25 spike was also attributable to flash flooding events too.

So that could have been coming in through manholes and other instances, but I'll let you know.

And Kendrick's and I can address this, but what it is is we've sealed our system as best we can.

Yeah.

But when you're sitting underwater for three, four days, it's getting in the system.

Okay, it's not that the system's foul failing.

Yeah, it's just the inundation of the amount of water flooding the streets.

Okay.

I wonder if there's some kind of financial if tying this back to the storm to storms and to the hurricane impact, if we could offset some of those costs for increase.

But I don't know what the dollar incense of that peak is ultimately, or if it's worth it.

Well, in terms of the annual expense, yeah.

And it's pretty significant.

So I mean you can see the dollars and 25, that orange bar.

You know, we went from about, you know, that four million to about 10, so it's about six million dollars, and then the next year it drops by about a million dollars.

So I mean it's pretty significant, those flow impacts.

And so as Andrew spoke of, we've seen significant uh without the rain events and the storm events, we've seen significant improvements.

Right, I'm just even in normal rainfall years.

Yeah, I'm more thinking about things that we can charge to FEMA insurance, other things when our systems aren't expected to hold to a certain extent if that is I know that we did went through great pains to grade the beach so that we could get money back, and I'm assuming that we've done similar stuff with our um with our infrastructure, so that might be worth looking into because if we can recoup two million dollars and then put that into our uh watershed management plan, that wouldn't that would be a great investment.

Yeah, it would be helpful.

And I'll say this too.

A lot of the capital improvements here on the bottom, you know, we have EPA funding and Department of Environmental Protection or projects that are doing just this, enhancing um resilience or addressing rehabilitation of lines that have I and I issues.

So we're getting some grant funding now, and ideally we continue to get more for some of those capital needs too, including those in that watershed management plan.

Perfect.

We looked through.

Um the chair is going to scold you.

Moment of levity.

Um, I uh you mentioned the 78 million dollar watershed management plan, and I've been, I've heard now three times what um what our neighboring city of St.

Pete is doing with their resiliency plan and the ghost bar, and they're doing they're doing a general obligation fund, and when they did a similar assessment, they they assessed what a rate increase would be and the burden per user and the burden per household for that versus a go bond, and they found that it was more burdensome, like far more burdensome to do to try and absorb the cost through increased um utility rates.

Utility rates.

And so I'm wondering if you've done any similar analysis for golf ports.

I haven't gotten to that point yet, but I think that's probably something that would make sense to do.

This was kind of information that came at the tail end of our study in terms of the findings from this.

So I think that's why setting up the conversation for the next round.

I think there's a lot of funding and financing options that would be explored there before just incorporating it into rates.

So that's why we didn't propose any of that yet, because I think that's analysis that would be well served to do.

Perfect.

Thank you so much.

I won't ask it.

This is my area.

I love that I really appreciate your expertise.

This is very important.

It's important to a lot of our residents because of the fact that their businesses and their homes were horribly damaged just not so long ago.

And so I really appreciate your expertise here.

Thanks, Mayor.

And the only question I had, um, I cannot read your form, so I'm sure we're gonna get the screenshots at okay.

Absolutely.

They say I have 2020, but I can't read that.

Um, so just wanted to make sure I heard this part correct.

Twenty-six, approximately twenty-six cents of every dollar is used for maintenance.

Did I hear that right?

Operations and maintenance activities.

Operations and maintenance, utility bills or repairs to the system, it's covering professional services contracts that do maintenance on the system.

It's largely for operations and maintenance on the so when we charge our stormwater fees today, we are collecting absolutely no money for improvements to our stormwater system.

So this will be for the utility overall, which includes water and sewer.

If we were to kind of parse out the stormwater pieces of the pie, I think it's gonna look a little bit different because the charges for St.

Pete, for instance, that's just for water and sewer.

So we'd have to maybe get you a separate breakdown, which I'd be happy to do for kind of the stormwater revenue, how much is for operations and capital, which we can get that.

Yeah, I'd like to know.

I would like to really zero in because I feel like we've got a pretty good handle on our storm uh on our sewer, excuse me, and the repairs that needed to be done over the last nine, 10 years, but we really have done nothing with stormwater, and that's where we need to be looking at how we're gonna fix things so that golf ports here in 10 years.

And so I would like to know as much as I can about you know what that looks like right now.

Yeah, we can do that, and I think that's part of the thought process too that's infused prior studies about starting to make adjustments proactively on the stormwater fee to start moving it up towards this, but again, it's it's not to the scale that you know any of us you know are seeing today that we need.

So it's but we were starting to try to move in that direction.

Yeah, I think that's good because I think we haven't done anything for 50 years.

So I think it's time.

All right.

I appreciate it.

That was my only thing.

I wanted to make sure I understood what you said on that.

Yeah, no, absolutely.

And I'll get you the follow-up on stormwater.

Okay.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Thank you for having me.

Thank you so much.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

We don't clap either.

We don't boo and we don't clap.

We've got some new students tonight.

We are freshmen here.

Okay.

So with that being said, I'm glad that um everybody has a seat, and there are seats in the front.

In case anyone else comes in, you can send them up to the front through this room.

Okay, with that in mind, then we're gonna move on to our next presentation tonight.

And this is um, I don't know who's doing this by Forbus Mazars.

Yes.

All righty, and you're gonna make the formal introduction.

So this is our audit of where we are as a city, okay, our finances.

Hi, good evening, Mayor, council.

Thank you.

Um, our annual comprehensive financial report was just completed last week to audit along when that was completed.

Um, we're in the process now of submitting that to the uh Florida Auditor General.

That'll happen in the next uh week or two.

Um, when that occurs, that'll also be published on our website.

So the full uh comprehensive report will be out there and published uh tonight.

What I'm uh want to introduce is Jeff Wolf.

He's a partner with Forgus Mazars, and he's gonna present a high-level overview of the audit.

Hello, welcome, Jeff.

Thank you, and good evening.

Um, before I just get started, I just want to thank the council for allowing us to serve you as your external auditor.

Um we work for you and we take that role very seriously.

Um, but with that, I'll get right into the presentation.

Um, first part of your handout, you should have a required communication letter.

Um, since you have it, I won't go too much into detail, it's really standard driven, but I'll just kind of give you an overview.

It really discusses our requirements, our responsibilities of the audit, and that's really just to perform an audit with in accordance with professional standards.

Um, it also discusses what management responsibility is.

Ultimately, you know, they are responsible for that large document, the ACFR in front of you.

Um, they're responsible for putting it together and making sure there are controls in place, provide reasonable assurance that those financial statements are correct.

Um, also just kind of goes into the the role the um the layout of the act for some what what um kind of assurance we we render on each part of the act for, and then it just goes into some significant estimates involved in uh the AC for financial reporting always requires estimates, so um what we deem significant are listed, then also just discusses some um key disclosures in your footnotes, and then lastly, just kind of just goes over um if we had any difficulties during the audit, which we did not, um, you know, management's Chris team is really great to work with, it's really a team effort.

Um, I think it's also important to note if we had any audit adjustments, um, we did not have any, so I think that's important to note, you know.

Because I'm sure you're getting monthly financial information, so it's good to have that you know that that faith that you're getting reliable information.

So, with that, I'll go on to the reports.

Um, I will apologize.

This is gonna be repetitive, maybe slightly boring, but I will say when it comes to audit reports, um, no news is good news.

Um, certainly, if we had a lot of issues and findings, that'd be a different discussion, but I think you'll see that you know the results kind of speak for themselves.

So, our first report is our independent audit report on the financial statements.

Um, that and that basically that report is we had an unmodified opinion.

Um, that is the highest level of assurance that you can receive that your your financial statements are materially correct, so that is your clean opinion on the financial statements.

Um, our next report is our report on internal control over financial reporting and compliance.

And if you're following in the book, we go from the beginning all the way to the back.

Yep.

So it's all the and I'll describe the per the purpose of each report.

So this report um uh government auditing standards requires us to gain understanding of internal controls, but we don't render opinions, so you won't see an opinion on internal controls.

It's really help it's for us to help plan our audit, meaning, you know, as we're reviewing controls over payroll or utility billing.

If we saw issues, we would modify our approach.

But um, we are required to communicate any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses internal control.

And again, I'm happy to report that that report is a clean report, no findings, no issues noted.

Um, this year you did meet the um the federal single audit threshold.

So you had a separate single audit um uh as it relates to your FEMA disaster recovery grant, meaning because you had more than one million dollars of federal expenditures, you're subject to a separate audit.

Um, again, now we test for compliance um with the grant and also internal controls, and again, I'm happy to report no issues, no findings noted related with that report.

Um, our next report um is our examination independent accounts report, and this really just relates to compliance with Florida statutes as it relates to investments.

You know, is your investment policy in line with Florida statutes?

And then are you following following that policy?

Um again, uh no findings, no issues noted with that report.

Lastly, the auditor general requires a management letter.

Um, and this this report kind of covers several things.

Um, first, if the city was in any kind of financial emergency or any deteriorating financial condition, we would report that to you.

Again, no issues noted there.

And also if we had any other recommendations or findings that maybe didn't reach the level of that internal control report, we would report that here.

But again, no findings, no issues noted.

So I think clearly, you know, the reports are kind of speak for themselves.

They are all clean reports.

And just to give you a little context, you know, we uh we were a smaller firm that was acquired by Forest Mazard, which is a top 10 firm in the country.

Um so we went through a whole new audit methodology, almost like a separate set of eyes uh this year for the audit.

So I think to have these results is really a compliment to the management and in their team.

So just going on some real high, very high level financial information.

So this is your citywide analysis, meaning if the city was the business, um, you know, long-term assets, long-term liabilities, probably not what you're accustomed to to looking at when you look at your budget, which I'll that's really more the general fund, which I'll cover next.

Um, and I think you'll see, you know, although you had net position decreases of 1.8 uh in your governmental activities, and then one million in your business with your business type would be your your water and sewer, your your marina and sanitation.

Um, you're really seeing the impacts of the storm, you know, of the storm.

Certainly with the storms hitting in uh the end of 24 and early 25, it had a really significant impact, but um still a current ratio of 4.3 in the government activities is still is still pretty strong and and you still are all positive in your net position in your business type activities.

And uh I'll show a little bit more.

I think where um you know the impacts of the storm hit the general fund.

Um, you know, you look at you know, obviously a significant decrease in fund balance of 3.6 compared to a positive of a 0.3 last year.

But I I think what you really want the takeaway to me is you know, you're really glad you had that those reserves that assigned and unassigned assigned fund balance, because even after all the storms and you're still working with getting some FEMA money in FY26, um you're still pretty healthy.

Um so I I really think there's some credit, you know, to have those reserves so you could go through a terrible storm season and still have money available to um you know potentially deal with another one.

So although you know you have negative results, um those are really all pretty much uncontrollable, and and but still you're you're still in a pretty strong financial condition, even though you just went through those significant storms.

Um, then just looking at budget.

Um, overall, I think pretty uh this is your final budget compared to actuals, your revenues came in a little bit lower, and it was kind of spread out just between some state intergovernmental money coming in a little bit less, and then on the expenditure side, pretty much offset that um coming coming under in expenditures, just do mostly the vacant positions.

So overall, you could see a pretty uh compare, you know, you came in pretty much right at right at budget.

Looking at the proprietary funds, um, sanitation, I think just dropped down to the operating income was 0.2 million.

Uh it was 0.2 million last year, so very consistent there.

I feel the timing of this presentation after your uh utility rate analysis.

You heard the explanation of why 2025 was a tough year for the water and sewer utility.

It certainly was related to the storm, and also that that uh significant rain event in August.

So, you know, I think you know that kind of explains the loss this year, and you got a great presentation on your utilities, so I don't think I need to cover too much on the water and sewer.

Um, lastly, then the marina, again, it was shut down for a good chunk of the year, so you would expect um, you know, uh a significant operating loss compared to last year.

So, really, you know, all the financial impact was all really mostly related to the storm, but again, I think that the reserves of the city allowed it to really not have a major interruption and still provide you know those services and have those reserves as you know for future.

Um, so you know, I think if if you had one takeaway, you know, from the presentation, I I would say, you know, it was a very clean audit, um, no findings, no issues noted, and then the city still uh remains in in good financial position.

With that, I'd be more than happy to answer any questions on the audit process, the reports, or anything else.

I have no questions, but thank you to Mr.

Cadell and of course to our city manager for running such a tight chip.

Thank you.

Same from me, thank you.

I have no questions, although after looking through this, I might.

But thank you so much.

I didn't notice that, I didn't notice that you had included any monies recouped from FEMA or from insurance related to the storm.

Is that because that happened after?

Or do you think that's it's in 25?

Yeah, you had a large insurance recovery in your general fund of a little over four million.

Okay.

Um, I believe, which was part of that.

That's why you would qualify for that single audit.

Um, because it's I think it was over a million dollars of FEMA reimbursement.

Now, some of that is still being uh up in the air in um some back and forth between FEMA, but yes, that that revenue on both the insurance recovery and FEMA was recorded in the general fund in 25.

Great.

It's thank you, and I'll read through this.

It's hard to keep um track when, yeah, when we're just getting it, but thank you so much.

It was a great presentation.

I like the good news.

Couldn't follow along with the book, so I think all of us are gonna are in the same boat that we're gonna have to kind of look through this.

I'll certainly offer myself when you thank you.

Thank you, Chris.

And I would recommend if you're gonna focus on anything, just look at the management discussion analysis because that is really the explanation of what happened.

So and it's smaller, you know, it's it's 10 pages.

So if you're gonna read anything, I you know the the reports are clean, so I would just go to the management discussion analysis for the for the why of of what happened in 25.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Jeff.

Glad to know we're in good shape, all righty.

So with that, then that concludes our presentations for tonight.

So we'll go to public comment.

And again, because I see several new faces here, which always makes me happy.

The way public comment works is that you'll raise your hand, I'll call you up here when you come up.

Here I'll you have three minutes to speak.

Address anything that you'd like to, okay.

We don't clap and we don't boo, depending on what somebody says, but you can come up and address what you'd like to in three minutes, and you always start when you get up here by giving us your name and the city that you reside in.

So with that, I ask for a show of hands.

Yes.

Diana Schwartz, uh, Club of Golfport, resident of South Pasadena.

Um, Mayor Love and Council members.

Um, here tonight to announce that we are gonna be having our sixth annual Juneteenth celebration in collaboration with the city of Galport, as well as Fusion 49th District this year.

And I'm very excited of the new venue where it's gonna be a Tomlinson Park.

Uh, we're gonna take the evening hours where it's a little cooler.

So from five to nine o'clock, uh we have vendors, we're gonna have some history on Juneteenth, music, um kids' activities, and so inviting all of you for some red velvet cake and strawberry soda.

So I'd love to see you stop by as well as all the city of Gulfport too.

So I have two flyers here.

Um okay, I'll go ahead and leave them.

So hope to see you.

Thank you so much.

And who's next?

Thank you.

Yes, Eileen, I'm sorry.

Good evening, Mayor Love and Council.

Eileen Corning, Gulfport.

I'm here representing us the president of the Gulfport Senior Foundation.

And this is my student board members.

So I have John Colleen, Vice President, Mary Garlic Roll, one of our directors, Rosemary Minton, our director, Amy Buck, also a director on our board, Laurie Averbeck is our secretary.

You know, Bill Griffo, the treasurer, and Gail, our wonderful procurement officer.

Very good.

Thank you so much for the introductions.

Yes.

And everyone say hello.

Hello.

Thank you.

Thank you to our neighbors and community of Gulfport.

The foundation has been doing a lot of wonderful things over the past years, raising funds through grants, events, sponsorships, and the generosity of our community.

But just like Gulfport, we've grown.

And we felt that the image we had really didn't portray Gulfport as a whole and who we were as a foundation and what we represent.

We know that the average age in Gulfport right now is 58.

So we are invested, and our goal is to raise funds for the refurbishment enhancement and expansion of the senior center.

And many of you have supported our events, and we were fortunate enough to get that wonderful grant from Duke, which was publicly announced today.

I will share the link with all of you, the public announcement, because Duke shared it on Friday, we could share it today.

So it's it's a great outcome.

And thank you to Chief Fernandez for helping us with the emergency kits.

We'll have 250 kits to distribute because of the generosity and the knowledge that we have.

The presence that Goldport has, our foundation has, um, is growing beyond the walls of Gulfport.

So we really want to encourage, and Bill will talk a little bit more if it's okay with the council.

If I run over my three minutes, which the clock didn't start, so that means I have another 10 minutes.

Anyway, kidding aside, I know you all have places to be.

Thank you, 50 seconds left.

Um but anyway, I personally am very proud to live here, and I love, and I'm glad that some of them that are on the board who were applauding, um got to see what you all do and to hear how wonderfully you're running our city.

Um our city managers have been phenomenal over the years, and you as a council have been great, and you've come together as a team.

But I'm gonna talk about our new images.

Any of you, um, especially our neighbors who were coming in through the front door, you saw our new logo.

It's very colorful, it's vibrant, and I don't know what you see.

A couple of our friends of the foundation have said it looks like bowling pins.

Um, some said a get-go hand, which uh we all very proudly see a get-go hand.

But anyway, this is our colors, this is what we have.

I have t-shirts for all of you, and we have t-shirts for anyone in the audience who is interested in having them.

So please let us know.

I'm not gonna disrupt the meeting any longer, but if you're interested in a t-shirt, I'll be here after the meeting to hand them out.

Bill, would you like to share about the new logo?

Thank you, Bill Griffo, 5139 Tangerine Avenue.

Uh so you can see we have a new wrinkle on the uh get-go hand, and it's a high five in Gulfport now will be the uh the hand.

And the reason why we have the five fingers, it uh stands for a pillar uh within the community on each finger.

So the first one is to amplify Gulfport's creative culture, you know, and obviously the arts and music and the knowledge of uh bringing that uh is what represents uh that's what we amplify.

We cultivate memorable experiences.

Maybe I should put my glasses on.

Cultivate memorable experiences through performances, events, wellness programs, and opportunities that bring people together.

Three celebrate diversity because Gulfport Strength has always been its welcoming and inclusive spirit.

Four, empower seniors by supporting programs and services that help older adults remain independent, healthy, and active, and five, inspire our neighbors by inviting the entire community, residents, businesses, donors, volunteers, and partners to become part of something much larger than themselves.

Together, these pillars create a community where seniors don't simply age, they thrive.

Major funders are interested in investing in Gulfport.

Why?

Because we offer a compelling story, a clear mission, and a strong community identity.

The logo may be new brand helps us tell that story more effectively.

This is not a departure from our history, it's a reflection of our future.

We are simply expanding our ability to engage our community, attract new partners, and build resources necessary to ensure that Gulfport seniors and the senior center that serves them continue to thrive for generations to come.

So thank you for your support tonight and your support in general.

And uh June 20th, we have a huge event uh brewing at the Maria Center.

It's gonna honor vets.

We have uh a number of uh four-star general, two-star generals coming to give speeches, really make it a celebration of a salute to the soldiers.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, and thanks for all coming up so everybody can see your faces, and if they want to help the senior foundation, you know who to see now.

Alrighty, public comment.

Yes, mayor, just to make a quick note, my timer is not working up here, but it is working here.

Okay, give a 30-second or a one-minute warning if you would like very quietly so that they know.

All righty.

Thank you so much.

Hello.

Hello.

Hello.

I'm Tim Walters of Gulfport.

And I came because I was hoping the Stantec person would do something, some sort of mention about our outrageously high garbage fees.

I spoke last year about this, and it's only getting worse this year.

If you pass another 8% increase this year, that means that it'll be a cumulative 16.6% increase.

And guess what the Social Security cost of cost of living adjustment has been over those two years?

5.3%.

So your expenses are your taxes basically are really outstripping the income that people have been able to generate.

I looked at the budget today and was surprised to see that 7.36% of the garbage fees are actually profits.

And I don't believe that any of the utilities should generate a profit.

They should be passed along as expenses and paid as expenses, but they should not generate a profit.

So for these reasons, I just wanted to say that I am adamantly opposed to these fees.

Last year, I did get some feedback from people saying, well, maybe we should look at the twice-weekly pickup that we do and adjust that, or maybe we should look at outsourcing.

However, uh I haven't heard if any of that has happened, so perhaps some of that has happened, and uh if so, I'd like you to inform me of it.

That's it.

Alrighty.

Thank you.

Um, Ms.

Thanos?

Let's see if you can.

So, Thanus, Gulfport.

Um, I wanted to tag on to that because I know we've talked about before the twice a week service, which for me is unnecessary, and and I put my garbage out usually once every three or four pickups.

And we've talked about before having different size service, which they do in many cities, and that could be a benefit for people who don't generate as much.

So I think that's worth looking at.

And also the other thing that goes with the um reports we heard before is where are we with our adaptation um survey for the stormwater study, is what I wanted to know.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next.

We can these out to each of you.

You can leave them with the city clerk.

You start with your name and your city of residence, please.

Okay, my name is Aaron Angst, and I was a longtime resident of Gulfport and now live down the street, technically in St.

Pete.

And this is my name is Joshua Forst.

I've had the pleasure of meeting some of you.

I live in South Pesadina now.

And we're here to uh ask Mayor Love and the city commission to bring back a tremendously beneficial amenity that existed for a long time at Gulfport Beach.

It was the live cam of Gulfport Beach, showcasing the beach, volleyball, um, storm events and and much more.

So we can go through this sheet here one on uh line by line.

It's it's pretty short and pretty simple.

We also brought with us um 140 um signatures of a petition, a small representation of probably hundreds of volleyball players and people that are active in the community that would benefit from being able to know before they go, know how crowded it is, if the ports are open, if it's raining and what the what the weather conditions are.

Um, this isn't something novel to the city of Gulfport, it has existed in the past.

Um, you have a wonderful gentleman by the name of David Mather who had some very innovative forward-thinking mind that had a camera up at one point.

It was very expensive for the city, and also it's just it was up there for a long time and it wasn't operating as effectively as they had in the past.

So we partnered with a company here in Parkview, and that's who I'm representing.

Josh is and we're both volleyball players and representing both Parkview and the community, the volleyball beach going community in Gulfport.

Yeah, I can jump in quick.

So I I run organized events partnering with Vet Sports recently.

We did a tournament about a week and a half ago, and Aaron's been a part of our community.

Parkview is incredibly valuable to all of us for a plethora of reasons that some he just mentioned, but so much so that during the start of the tournaments I made an announcement that we were trying to get a petition going.

We had 120 players, another 560 of family and friends.

We had 140 signatures.

People came up by themselves to say yes, this is something we want and we value.

And that's why I'm here with some of my friends and some of our community members just to show our support that this is something that benefits all of us.

Back there.

Yeah, thanks.

We're a small representation of a much larger group that's that's supporting this.

We probably I think we have a group chat of several hundred.

We have about 600 in our group, but there's three to four thousand across St.

Pete.

And the rest of the sheet will identify the rest of the items on this, but we're really our whole goal is to help save the city money and drive locals and visitors to the community to increase an economic impact on the city.

So we're just asking the city to enter into a one-year pilot with local partners with uh Parkview and GVT to bring the community an amenity that the Gulf Port has had in the past, support local businesses, tourism, and give residents a service they've repeatedly requested and allow both the community and the city to evaluate it before it's a long-term partnership.

Okay, sorry about going over there.

Thank you.

Alrighty, who's next?

Yes.

Good evening.

My name is Sharon Wheeler, and I'm a Gulf Port resident.

Uh I'd like to say a few words tonight on the benefits of using professional grant writers and hopefully encourage the council and city manager to seriously consider doing so on a full-time or even part-time basis.

It's my understanding that currently most, if not all of the responsibility for pursuing grants for town projects is on the town's department heads.

While it's true that they are the best in the best position to know the details about the big projects Gulfport needs to accomplish, the potential cost involved and the timeline for getting them done.

They also have full-time responsibilities.

I believe that the priority for those hardworking individuals is and should be to do their best at what they are we're hired to do.

Managing and maintaining the city's infrastructure, policing, keeping our beach and city clean, recreation, and community development.

Grant writing is a time-consuming task, and the work doesn't end when a grant is approved.

Successful grants need to be managed after the dollars rolls in.

Financial record keeping needs to be done, reports submitted, and compliance with the grantors' guidelines needs to be tracked.

I would not expect our public work supervisor to keep our streets clean, our water flowing, and our lights on, and do all of the above too.

Grant writing is a specialized skill.

It doesn't just involve writing.

Professional grant writers and consulting firms have access to more funding opportunities.

They track federal, state, and foundation funding streams.

Many federal agencies have grant programs that Gulf Board could probably take advantage of, but they also have complex timelines and niche eligibility rules.

A professional grant writer would know where to look and how to match opportunities to Gulfport's priorities, and they could create a pipeline of funding for our town.

Professionals do best working at their trained profession.

Professional grant writers have higher success rates, they will save staff time, and they can help shape projects so that they are fundable.

And they know the compliance requirements of grants and are best positioned to minimize risk to the town of failing to conform with the grantors' conditions.

I know that the biggest obstacle to hiring a grant writer or consulting firm is always financial.

But hiring even a part-time or a contract grant writer has a good potential for a strong return on investment.

They can bring in funding that far exceeds their costs, even landing one sizable grant for infrastructure, parts, climate resilience, or stormwater infrastructure upgrades.

There are many good municipal grant writing consulting firms out there and encourage the city to actively investigate them.

To get you started, I like to share a name of some of those consulting firms.

Thank you.

Miss Costa.

Hello, Council, Mayor, Amy Costa, I'm here as Wonderworks 5314 Gulfport Boulevard South.

Just wanted to remind everyone that this Saturday, June 6th, is our Pride Festival in downtown Gulfport on behalf of Gulfport Pride Florida, our nonprofit board that is hosting the event with the support of our city and Wonderworks as the producers.

We're looking forward to about 70 vendors, tons of music, a full stage lineup.

We've got interactive activities, a mural, an art mural, some there's stuff going on all over up and down the block.

I wanted to give a special thank you to Justin and his crew for all his support and help in the planning.

This is our first year doing it, so there's some learning curves there for me and Aaron, but we're really excited about it.

We encourage everyone to come, swing by, come visit everybody at the tents.

We've got a lot of the local prides that will be represented as well.

St.

P.

Pride Winter Pride, Tampa Bet Pride, they're all coming, and we have a reciprocal relationship with all of them.

So it's been really wonderful setting this up.

So just spread the word and hope to see everyone on Saturday.

Thank you.

Thank you, Marilyn.

Marilyn McClellan, I live on uh 56th Street.

And I just want to say I am so proud to call golf port my home.

Saturday was an amazing event, and across the country, a lot of towns have canceled their pride because of loss of funding, and this little town stepped up.

It was great to see you all out there.

It was so much fun.

I'm so proud.

And I know that it's we're just going to grow and grow.

Okay, change now.

So I live near Climber Park, and my neighbors must think I have a big mouth because they come to me and they go, I should say this at the city council.

So anyway, one of the complaints I'm hearing a lot right now is there's a lot of dog poop in Climber Park.

The people aren't picking it up.

It's even on the sidewalk.

And it's a problem because these older people, you know, nobody wants to walk in that.

So then they also brought to my attention that Ibis Park doesn't have that problem.

But of course, if you live near Climber, you don't want to walk to Ibis.

And the difference being that outside of Ibis Park, there's a couple of signs that say the statute or whatever the law is.

If you don't pick up your dog poop, we're gonna fine you.

And I don't really want to see signs all over town, but maybe we need to think about some of that for climber park.

I know it's used a lot a lot for dogs, people run their dogs there.

So anyway, that's my that's my downside.

Thank you.

Who else had their hand up?

Yes, Lenny.

Good evening, Lenny Gukenheimer, 5213 Delight Avenue South, and I want to thank Justin Shay from the Recreation and Cultural Services Department for helping the Golf Park Democratic Club hold a very successful candidate evening on uh Thursday, May 28th.

He helped us set up the room.

Uh we had uh audio with a speaker and microphone.

Uh it was a fabulous event.

We had six candidates come from the Manatee and Sarasota area.

As you know, we're now in Congressional District 16.

So we have a whole new slate of candidates.

And the Gulfport Democratic Club wanted to introduce those candidates to Gulfport.

And it was a very successful event.

And just want to thank the city for their help with this holding us, helping us hold this event.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Who's next?

Let's see.

Jonathan, you just walked in.

I'll do Wolfgang and then Jonathan.

Thank you, Mayor.

Wolfgang Dininger, I live in uh Beachway Park, and I am with uh Gulfport Grassroots.

Uh uh Gulfport grassroots.

We have our next Beyond the Beach cleanup uh coming up on June 13th.

Uh, which will be our sixth uh cleanup of the year.

Uh so uh this uh time of year uh we usually get a smaller amount of volunteers be uh because of the heat out there and also I guess there's less people here because a lot of people have gone north for the winter.

Uh so I hope everybody shows up on June 13th, a Saturday morning, shelter number four on the Gulfport Beach, 8 o'clock to uh 10 a.m.

We have all the supplies everybody needs pickers, pails, gloves, uh, uh uh sunscreen, all sorts of stuff.

Um and then on June 15th, um I'm pleased to say I'm gonna be uh uh instructing a uh a Nordic walking class at the senior center at 5 30 p.m.

I uh Nordic walk, I'm not exaggerating if I say six days a week.

Uh usually every uh morning uh the three and a half to uh four miles, and I've been doing that for many years.

Nordic walking is uh is an enhancement on a regular walking, it actually works 90% of the uh muscles in your body.

It also helps your bone structure, your your posture, uh, and all sorts of uh benefits.

So if anybody's interested in learning more about this wonderful activity, uh 5 30 p.m.

the senior center.

I will have extra polls for uh people to try it themselves.

Um I'll be uh showing them how to do it.

Um I think the mayor might be there to help me uh demonstrate, and uh it's it's gonna be a fun activity.

And in the future speaking with the uh senior center, if it uh comes off well, we will have another one in October, and then also perhaps organize a Nordic walking group for uh people to do.

Oh, yeah, and one thing I didn't uh mention the Nordic walking uh takes polls, as you see here on my shirt, but you don't need to hold the polls.

So it's especially good for elderly folks who perhaps have uh uh problems and in arthritis, thank you, you know, in their hands.

Uh the uh straps in the polls do all the work, so anybody can do this act activity, and if you'd like to learn more about that, thank you.

Uh the 5 30 p.m.

uh on the uh 15th.

Alrighty, thank you.

Jonathan, I saw you next.

Okay.

Jonathan, excuse me, Jonathan McCoachy, Gulfport.

Okay, so this is a micro thought.

Um, could you put a screen up there for the council?

And put a screen on that wall for the people on this side of the room who can't see anything.

And the council can't see anything, can't see anything.

And maybe new resolution, maybe a little higher resolution, or or get me new glasses.

Thank you.

Yes, in the back.

Thank you.

I second that.

I can't see that screen.

Yeah.

Tom Hanley on Newton Avenue South.

I want to talk about bicycle safety for a few minutes.

The safest country in the world of for bicycle safety and for friendly for bicycles is the Netherlands.

So the Netherlands, so if that's the safest place for bicyclists, what percentage of the Dutch do you think wear bicycle helmets?

Three percent.

Wow.

Only three percent of the Dutch wear bicycle helmets.

And why is it the safest place in the world for bicyclists?

Everybody's because it has bike paths.

They have places where bicycles are separated from traffic.

They don't paint little things on a road with a that's like a bicycle and then mix bicycles and cars.

Because you don't get hurt by fall tipping over on your bike and clunking your head, you get hurt by getting run over by a car.

And that's what's the most bicycle-friendly city in Florida?

St.

Petersburg.

Now, who would have guessed that?

And why is St.

Petersburg known as that?

Because what bike path?

No, that's true.

The Pinellas Trail.

The Pinellas Trail runs right and it runs right by Gulfport right up here.

So if we, you know, would Gulfport want to be known as a bicycle friendly community with more bikes and fewer cars?

That seems like it'd be better for us.

So what you need to do is you need to build infrastructure.

But you've already got the top, the northern east-west route is the Pinellas Trail.

You've already got that there.

Then what would you have to do next would be, like St.

Pete Beach, to run a trail along our shore so that people could ride their bike along the shore here?

We talked about a living shore, the beautiful shore that we have here.

So then you could run a trail there.

Then the last thing is you'd have to connect up from the north part where the Pinellas Trail is, and this trail down there, and the two natural routes for that would be 55th Street, because the spur that comes off the Pinellas Trail that comes down in the golf port, goes by the high school and comes down 55th Street.

If you ever drive down 55th Street, it's always full of full of bicyclists coming to and from that trail.

The other natural one would be 49th Street.

Because you're doing fusion 49th, you're rethinking 49th Street.

Why not have a bike trail there?

But it has to be separate, has to have a curve.

Thank you.

And who's next?

Do I see a show of hands?

anybody else for public comment?

Um e-comment, please.

Oh, I have a lot of papers.

We did have one uh public open public comment, and this is from a Gulfport resident Margaret Tober.

I'd like to give a shout out to Deanna and Kelsey, the admins in the public works department.

They are always kind, efficient, and very helpful.

We know that public public works does a great job, and I think most of us would think of the feed on the street when public works is first mentioned.

We sometimes forget that there is also employees that help to hold everything together and to make it work, and that would be Deanna and Kelsey in this case.

Thanks to them for all they do.

All righty, and that's the only one.

All righty.

So we are closed with public comment at this point, and we will go to consent.

Oops, excuse me.

I scrolled too far.

Apologize, I didn't think it sounded right.

City manager report, please.

First item, mayor.

Um, in regards to the adaptability resiliency study.

Kendrick, do you want to briefly where we're at with received deliverables today for the additional information that was requested?

Yeah, so we actually are in the process of closing out the original grant for the vulnerability assessment.

And as mentioned in the previous council meetings, we were given the um direction to apply for an adaptation study, which we are going to be putting in the application in July.

We should hopefully know notification if we receive that grant uh in the fall.

So once we get that notification, then we'll start the second phase with the adaptation study and then we'll do the implementation afterwards.

Okay, thank you.

Can I ask a quick and this is what's needed in order to apply for state and federal or specific funds?

So at the state level, yeah.

So the vulnerability assessment is the first step.

We obviously now have completed that, so now we can continue applying for our grants toward that toward our initiative.

That's all you can.

Sorry.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Mayor, um, the other item this evening.

I've got some couple items to cover.

First of all, I've given you each of you the um property appraisers estimated increase in property value uh very flat this year.

It's less than one percent, uh, 0.72%.

Um we've got very numerous contributing factors, a lot of them are tied to the age of some of our properties here in the city and also the restoration process that we're going through with a lot of these properties.

So it's kind of flattened it out this year.

I was low last year, and it's um we're just in a cycle right now where some of these properties are not being turned over as fast, or they're in a stage where they would be rebuilt and if the property is not there.

As we spoke of, we had a minimum 25 demolition permits.

We have some sizable properties that are in the process of demol being demolished, and we have also older buildings that are not either in a market that is now driven by um their age and the requirement to have reserve funds, and that's in the condominium process, and uh there's a lot of different models going on related to condominians due to the age of them, the seaside issue and down south and my area, um, and the reserves that's necessity and the engineering studies that they have to maintain.

So those are all factors that are impacting property values here in the city of Belport.

And we'll we'll talk more about this during the budget process, but I just wanted to give that to you.

I received it the other day.

Okay.

Uh the next item it's been confirmed that we will not be included in the congressional program for the three million dollars for the senior center.

We had requested it, we were moving along.

Uh subsequently we were not included in the final presentation of Congress.

Um, we'll have to explore other means to fund that.

I appreciate the efforts that the foundation's doing, and also uh we'll keep looking for ways to fund that.

Now I have to bring up a topic that was passed in the legislature today.

And um I have to tell you this.

We have 15 months to prepare for it, depending on what happens with the outcome of the election.

Um the governor had directed the legislature to adapt adopt um a amendment addressing the expansion of simplified the expansion of the homestead exemption.

The first year to 150,000 the second year, 250,000, and then subsequent legislative action with a goal of eliminating it.

Um as you know, and you've spoken of Mayor, um property taxes make up about 33 percent of our annual budget revenue.

We will be talking to you again about that.

We are now running the models now that we now have specific and direction.

I couldn't tell you what it was gonna be before we didn't know what today was gonna bring in the last two days.

Um, what I'd like to do, Mayor, is on the 18th of June to have a workshop so I can give you some broad numbers about what the first year's impact, second year's impact, what it would cost you, and also identify where your funds are going today.

Secondly, then to look at the different items on your list today that that you fund that may not be in a position to be continually funded.

Those are hard decisions.

We have 15 months to take care of this to prepare for it, because if it is to pass in in November of this year, it'll be effective January 1st of 2027.

It will reflect on your October 1st 2027 budget that you'll adopt next, a year from now.

This budget this year.

But I will tell you we have started internally to curb discretionary spending.

We're looking at positions that we can possibly reduce by attrition, and that's all gonna start now.

It'd be remiss for me to try to do all this next spring and say, oh, we've got to I've got to start now.

I mean, as much as I I can't be absorbed, and I've spoke to each of you individually, absorbing emotions, the opinions or political issues.

I have to deal with the factual numbers.

And that's what we're gonna start with you on the 18th, if that's okay with you, Mayor.

That's okay with me.

I need to do we have a consensus.

Can we agree to that?

Because we had just passed our policies and procedures where we said it would try to be the first uh Thursday of each month, but that would be two nights from uh now, uh, which is not enough time for our city manager to prepare.

So can we live with the 18th?

Yeah, yeah.

Yes, absolutely.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you for bringing that up.

And uh and uh and I think that's the biggest thing is that to understand that your staff has started the process internally and we'll bring you some options, but it's a process that won't happen the on the 18th, but it'll happen.

Thank you.

Well, no, I think that's really important that we have that conversation, and I hope that every one of you sitting out there will attend and that you'll bring your neighbor to attend too, because this is reality now, and uh the more that you learn at this meeting too will impact how you will choose to vote uh in November.

And you know, so the more people who are involved and know how it actually affects us, because all the um talking points on this is how they're gonna save our homes from excessive taxes, but there's absolutely no mention of how many services will have to be cut, and so by attending a workshop, you're gonna start to get a feel for that.

June 18th at 6 o'clock.

Pardon?

Six o'clock.

Yes, six o'clock, thank you.

At least we'll keep the time consistent.

All righty, thank you very much.

Thank you.

Uh city manager, uh city attorney report.

No report, ma'am.

Okay.

Um we will then go move to council comments and reports.

City clerk report.

No report, mayor.

What's wrong with me?

What kind of five?

Okay, um, now I'm sorry, let's try this again.

Council comments and reports in speaking order, please.

I just wanted to thank Mr.

Hanley for coming up and talking about the bikes.

My brother-in-law lives in the Netherlands, they have three boys, and they don't even have a car.

Um, I live off of the trail as you know, sir, but I live off of the trail, and it's before daybreak, well into dark that people are driving by.

So we could probably do a little bit better with how we have um even the spur can be a little shaky, and I just appreciate you bringing that up.

Thank you.

That's all I had, Mayor.

Oh no, I'm sorry, along with Mr.

Hanley's um thoughts.

Kendrick's um 49th Street on Safe Streets.

There is going to be um a built-in bike.

Is that correct?

Mike Lane.

He had mentioned it.

I believe it's built in.

Not the first phase, I understand that.

Yes, that's one of the proposed um concepts.

And when we get ready to start the process, we're gonna do a further analysis of the uh section to see if that's if it's feasible.

So, thank you.

So we're good.

Thank you.

Thanks, everybody.

All righty.

Councilmember Donch.

Thank you.

Um, so number one, this week is code enforcement week.

So plan new.

If you have to have any reason to interact with code enforcement, or if you don't, um, just know that they are really important to the public safety and health of our community, and they're not just there to make you move your boat or whatever, cut your grass, but um, they are really important to our community, so you know, show some appreciation for them.

Last couple weeks ago, I went to a historic walk in Clambayou that was led by the historic uh Gulf Port Historic Society, and they are having another one this Saturday.

So I just wanted to let everybody know that that's happening.

I know pride is Saturday too, but maybe pride's not your thing or whatever if you want to participate in something.

So Saturday, June 6th at 6:30, they're starting at the marina, and it should end around eight o'clock by Osgood Point.

So you should be there for a good sunset.

Um it was a really great time.

They gave a ton of information.

Um while I was there, I learned about a lot of the history of the area, but also about the significant amount of invasive plants.

So last week we had an invasive plant cleanup, and we got our notification today that there was over 8,400 pounds of invasive vegetation that was removed that day at that cleanup, so it was super successful.

And I know that um Keep Pinellas Beautiful is planning to organize another one in the fall, so when that comes up, I hope everybody can participate in that too.

And maybe going to this will make you appreciate the area a little bit more and motivate you to come and participate.

And I'm sure that that will be on Golfport Connects, so you can all sign up and you know get going with that.

Um, the Memorial Day ceremony was awesome, emotional day, was great.

I went to a chamber mixer this week at uh V-Roll.

If you haven't been there yet, check it out.

Great business right in the middle town, awesome.

Everybody should go.

The Pride Parade was incredible, and I have started having office hours, so if anybody needs to find me, I'm here on Wednesdays from five to six in City Hall.

I'll be here.

Come on up.

That's all I got.

Thank you.

Councilmember Shaw.

I too agree with you on all celebrating all the great things happening in Gulfport, and I've enjoyed all of them as well, and and for what I could tell, others did as well.

Um, I also have reports to give, but I'm going to delay those as well because there's been something that's on my mind, been on my mind a while, and as of today, it's been on my mind even more.

And it was just over a year ago, the council came together with a shared commitment to focus on storm recovery, strengthening our infrastructure, improving policies to mitigate future natural disasters, and enhancing communication and collaboration with our community.

As we moved forward, we reaffirmed those priorities and made a long-term commitment to storm recovery and resiliency efforts along with the expansion of our senior center.

I think we can all agree that honoring those commitments should continue to guide our decision making.

Our city has experienced significant losses as a result of the storms.

While we're grateful for the assistance that's been provided, we have not yet received all anticipated re-reimbursements, and history has shown that such reimbursements can take years to fully materialize.

Likewise, despite ongoing advocacy and lobbying efforts, there remain funding opportunities that have not yet resulted in dollars reaching our community at the same time.

We're facing additional challenges.

None of us can predict exactly what the financial landscape will look like in the coming years.

Because of that, I believe we have a heightened responsibility to exercise thoughtful stewardship of public funds.

I offer these thoughts not as criticism, but as a reflection and an encouragement because we have a concern that and I've carried this concern forward for some time.

How best to balance the priorities we've established, our financial responsibilities and the unknown that remains ahead of us.

As we consider future expenditures, I hope we continue weighing them against our established priorities and long-term obligations, and that we proceed with the level of caution and deliberation these circumstances warrant.

I also hope that our residents support us in that fiscal responsibility is often not about what we can do, but about ensuring we are positioned to do what we must do.

So please thank you for hearing me out.

Thank you.

Councilmember Webb.

Sure.

All right, good evening, everyone.

Um I have my report.

Uh I was unable to attend uh our last city council meeting because I would had a previously agreed to be out of town for work, um, and that happened prior to the election, but and so that's why I missed, but I did hear the requirement to report out on all of our meetings.

I take my notes in terms of like how it applies to Gulfport and action steps moving forward.

I submitted that to each of you, um, and actually some of the reports kind of talk uh intersect with what you were sharing, um, council member or vice mayor shaw.

The one thing that I have been asked, and so so that frees me up to provide an update on the bills that pass and the impacts on the city of Gulfport, and so I was asked to do this.

As many of you know, I work with the Sun Coast League of Cities, and so I give this presentation along with how property tax proposals can impact us, but since we will be having a um entire workshop on property taxes, I will basically just defer that, although if you'd like a rundown of my analysis that happened today on what what we've seen, I'm happy to share that with you.

So, Mayor, is this when you'd like me to do this?

No, I was actually hoping that you would lead us from out there as a presentation at the next meeting.

Oh, fantastic.

Um maybe if I can stand, but yeah.

Well, I thought it was for the next meeting.

I thought you meant this meeting.

Oh, fantastic, okay.

Well, that's it.

So you can you can give us your report if you want.

Great.

Um, well, you y'all have my report a week two weeks out of schedule.

All right, so I attended um switching gears.

I attended Go SPAR uh presentation for um for elected officials, local elected officials.

What goes SPAR, GO stands for general obligation.

It's a kind of bond that some cities um use to fund different pro different things.

Um, SPAR is stands for St.

Pete Agile Resilience Plan.

And the reason why they were presenting this to local elected officials outside of St.

Pete was because some of the projects that they're working on will impact our could and will or could impact what we experience here in Gulfport.

So some of the so the projects that are part, and they're the SPAR is part as a subset of St.

Pete's um CIP program.

And they have an estimate 2.7 billion, that's with a B billion worth of projects that they need to invest in infrastructure resiliency.

So our 78 million, 75 million or 85 million, depending on the source, could be worse.

Um, they will be focusing on a clam bayou project that is to improve uh to have uh raised infrastructure that will protect their homes up to five or six feet.

That is immediately adjacent to our um houses and Gulfport.

So it will be interesting to see the water is not going all over what what that modeling looks like for our residents and um in Gulfport.

They're also going to be working on drinking water projects to reduce the number of times St.

Pete would have to interrupt drinking water service.

Um, this impacts our communities and other communities, and also um they will be working on the South, oh the Southwest, I think, um, sewage system uh years ago when they spilled into Clan Bayou when they released, when they intentionally released into Clam Bayou, um, this was uh results to needing to improve the sewage system, and so they've they made those improvements there, they're raising the system up and doing further resiliency efforts for uh our conversation.

I thought the financing that they're using and the way that they have done analysis was really helpful, and so some of the questions that I came away from that presentation were have we done these analyses, and that's what I asked um the presenter earlier today.

Um, I'm also curious about how we do our CIP programming.

We are an outlier in terms of having one year CIP program um projects instead of five or twenty-five-year plans.

Um, generally they're longer because these projects take generations to, they can take 10, 20, 25 years to complete, and so it's a way of laying out the projects.

Um, uh I was curious about the we have multiple ways of funding CIP projects.

Penny for Pinellus funds can be leveraged for state grants, both the state grants and the penny for pennellage fund, as long as the state grants aren't flow through money, can be leveraged for matching federal grants.

What are the next steps to getting this done?

And what that means is that we turn 500,000 into 2 million dollars, and so that's a significant way of amplifying the funds that we identify or earmark for certain projects.

Um, how can we best order projects to protect residents from burdensome increases in utility rates or in millage rates?

And um, what projects can we temporarily delay to ensure that folks are not going to flood?

For example, the dog park and the little league together is just $50,000.

But if we that $50,000 becomes 200,000 if we leverage it in certain ways in order to protect our infrastructure and our homes and our businesses, and so these were the thoughts that I had coming out of that um presentation.

These were amplified by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council's resiliency summit.

I serve as our representative on that board, and there was a very interesting um presentation on how to finance um these projects and also how to do capital stacks is the new lingua franca of these finance guys, and so that led to a whole host of additional questions.

Um, and then finally, and I won't go into those.

Um, mainly it's more like meeting with people and following up to so that I can understand more in depth what the financing options are for these types of programs.

Um, there's new ways of generating revenue that they were identifying, they were identifying philanthropic dollars, and I'm not um sure what if any of these options are appropriate for Gulfport and the kind of work that we need to do, but it's worth looking into since this is has such a hefty price tag on it.

Um, finally, I uh met with some parents who are interested in supporting our schools, so totally changing out of the world of um of uh stormwater and infrastructure projects and financing into into elementary schools, and so I will um and right now we uh the district is redistricting.

So the school, the Pinellas County School Board or School District is redistricting because of the school closures.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to have all of our school children go to the same elementary school.

This wouldn't, this is the first time that this would have happened in since Jim, since our city manager was in elementary school, and so and and it's a way of consolidating our community support and resources and wrapping the our public schools um children in the support of our community in a way in which we do our seniors, and so that was very exciting.

And I've had follow-up um meetings and emails and conversations with the superintendent of schools, the principal at Gulfport Elementary, and um, in order to see if we can take advantage of that, and so that for is all is all I appreciate the opportunity to report on the meetings that I attended, and if anyone has any questions, feel free to see me after.

Thank you.

Okay, under my council comments and reports.

Most of the things that I was involved with and I attended have been addressed already.

But um, most of you know that I do attend the forward panellist meetings, and I missed the last meeting, but I did have an opportunity to sit and read the entire recap of the meeting.

Um, these meetings, just so you kind of get a clue.

I've seen um the agenda be up to um or the supporting documents for the agenda to be up to 500 pages per meeting.

That's not unusual.

Okay, so when I say I've had an opportunity to read the read cap, I think the recap was only 19 pages, something like that.

So that's good.

But the most important thing, because I've been kind of keeping you involved on the um the fact that we're gonna be merging the planning uh organizations between PASCO Hillsboro and Pinellas.

Okay, that uh again, that's not an absolute sure thing, but it's pretty much an absolute sure thing.

Again, to refresh your memory, um the order kind of came down that you either do it yourselves or the state's gonna do it for you.

So the last time I reported on it, you I told you that after a five-hour meeting that we did not pass the agreement in terms of how the seats would be handed out among the different counties, and there was definitely a stalemate at the meeting, and there was an attorney there who pretty much said you're gonna do it the way um Hillsboro wants, or it's not gonna get done.

And we kind of said, Oh well, and it was changed.

So the way that those seats are now distributed is that there will be 10 seats will go to um Hillsborough County, eight to Pinellas County, and five to Pasco County.

Much much fairer than what was laid out originally because on the first plan, the way it was ruled uh rule laid out was Hillsborough was gonna have more than if you combine PASCO and Pinellas together.

So Hillsborough really would be have the say on in everything.

So that's really good.

And then I wanted to report that so with Pinellas getting eight seats, this is how it's gonna be broken down.

Uh two will go to county commissioners, two will go to the city of St.

Petersburg, one seat each to Clearwater, Largo, and Pinellas.

Excuse me, not Pinellas, Pinellas Park.

Yeah, thank you.

And then the last one, which we fall into will be rotated among all the smaller cities, so it'll be rotational probably a year at a time, but it might be three years, that's what it is now because it really takes I'd say a year of attending these meetings before your brain can hear more than blah blah blah blah blah because they they talk in acronyms.

Everything's acronyms, and it's very hard to come in and get oriented to it.

So I wanted to share with you that and I think um the workshop, the Ford Panels.

That's all I had for myself under council comments and reports.

So could we move to consent, please?

Consent item six a consider approval of meeting minutes from meeting held May 19th, 2026.

Motion to approve, seconded.

All those in favor?

Aye, aye.

Any opposed, passes unanimously, um, and now we will go to ordinance 7a.

Ordinance numbers, excuse me, item 7A, ordinance number 2026-03, a second reading and public hearing, and ordinance of the city of Gulfport, Florida, amending Chapter 20, traffic, Article 1 in general, Section 20-4.1, resident only parking of the code of ordinances of the city of Gulfport pertaining to parking areas designated for resignant or excuse me, residents providing for the removal of resident-only parking signs, providing for the repeal of ordinances or parts of ordinances and conflicts here with to the extent of such conflict, and providing for an effective date.

City manager.

Mayor, this is second reading of the resident-only parking signage as outlined in the memo and in the ordinance that had existed in the area to the southwest part of the city, west of Beach Boulevard and east of 58th Street, south of 28th Avenue.

Yes.

Okay.

Do we does the council have any questions, concerns?

Any discussion?

Okay.

Motion.

Pardon?

Oh, we need a motion, excuse me.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Motion and a second.

Any discussion among council?

No.

Okay.

Public comment on this matter.

A comment on this matter?

There is one e-comment, and this is from Gulfport resident Margaret Tober.

Uh please clarify do all of the affected properties have front driveway or alley parking.

If not, it seems this action is a bit unfair to those residents.

Okay, thank you.

To call the vote, please.

Councilmember Early?

Yes.

Councilmember Donch?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Shaw?

Yes.

Councilmember Webb?

Yes.

Mayor Love?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Moving on to item 7B, ordinance number 2026-04.

First reading, tabled from the meeting held Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

An ordinance of the City of Gulfport, Florida, amending the City of Gulfport Code of Ordinances.

Amending Chapter 22 zoning, Article 6, supplementary regulations for all districts by amending section 22-6.03, accessory uses and structures.

Excuse me, to accessory uses and structures, excluding accessory dwelling units, and by adding section 22-6.15, accessory dwelling units, ADUs, providing for applicability, providing for definitions, providing for general standards, providing for development standards, use and occupancy requirements, providing for parking requirements, providing for administration approval, providing for nonconformities, providing for codification, severability, and for an effective date.

Thank you.

So I don't know the exact protocol on this, um, but I would like to address.

We've had um some comments uh from our residents as well as um some folks that were on the committee, and um after planning and zoning passed the recommendations to us, one of the members of the planning and zoning board did ask that another recommendation be provided to us, and that didn't sit well with a lot of people that that was done outside of that particular meeting.

So at this time I'm going to ask that that particular item that was added that was not passed by the entire planning and zoning board to us that that be removed, and again, I don't know the proper protocol on that, but um, I it I need a motion before you guys start discussing mayor.

Might I make a okay, so motion to approve so we can move forward.

Well, no.

Oh, I'm sorry, okay.

Okay.

We need a second, right?

Then you could discuss it.

We have a motion and a second, and so my question I was asking um to the city attorney, um, what the protocol is on that because I don't know, and I I think I explained and defined pretty well what it was.

We have a planning and zoning board.

This went before them.

They passed recommendations to us.

Okay, and then when the meeting was over, like maybe a day later, there was somebody from the planning and zoning who then passed another idea, but it was not run through the entire planning and zoning board or through the meeting.

So I don't think that it should be part of the ordinance, which I understand that anybody here on council could take and request that that be put back in, but it shouldn't be on the initial ordinance because that is not what the planning and zoning zoning council what they passed to us.

Pretty much you've said it, Mayor.

Um basically this is the enacting legislation.

Staff and I had taken under consideration that the additional language reflected for treating of nonprofits.

Pinellas County used the same policy.

We didn't see any issue with it.

I understand your concerns.

If we overstep, I apologize, but we felt it was something that was very applicable to our community.

But if council would like that section removed at this time, that added language, that's not a problem.

But they please understand that council does have the ability to return that language with clarifications and such.

The planning and zoning board's an advisory board.

Subsequently, that's strictly an advisory position, that you make the final determination on what language is included in the ordinance.

Okay.

I believe that I understood that, and I think that that is exactly what I'm asking is so that we don't step on the toes of a uh count uh commission meeting that was held.

Uh, that we do not take that because that was not part of what they sent to us, and then if there's somebody on council that wants to add that back, we can add anything else to this and amend it as we see fit is my understanding.

City attorney, mayor, you are correct.

What we would do is uh when you're done discussing everything, how the board wants to proceed, we would just have the motion made the maker and the secondary just remove that section, but we don't want to do that yet because you may want to the majority of you may leave it in, therefore we don't have to do anything, but it it'll be brought back to the maker in the second or after you've had public comment and you've discussed it.

Okay, so we are going to discuss the things that were passed to us, um, from the planning and zoning board.

So not that one item.

That not that what item unless I would have you discuss everything you want to discuss, and then you can determine to remove that section unless a majority of you want to keep it in.

Okay, and um what happened at the last meeting was that while um we had Linda Fisher here, we asked our questions of her at that time, but we did not have conversation or uh up here because we tabled it.

Therefore, whereas some of us heard that then there really wasn't an opportunity to address that at that time at that time.

Correct.

So with that in mind then, uh, in speaking order, and we'll start with council member early.

Do you have anything you would like to share?

Thoughts, questions, concerns?

I thought that was.

No, I don't, I don't, you're good.

Okay.

Councilmember Donch.

I don't have any questions.

Thank you.

Okay.

Um the only thing that I'm particularly interested in, apart from that issue, is if Ms.

Ms.

Fisher was able to find out anything more about the uh flood hazard area.

Okay, um so um I did look into that issue to the extent that I could.

Um unfortunately, there's some new information that has come to light that I learned from uh from city staff that um FEMA uh as they they uh outsourced their local technical assistance on the community rating system for the national flood insurance program to a consultant firm called VERESC, and they are the only ones that are authorized to talk to local governments.

Unfortunately, that contract has lapsed, and the uh federal government has not authorized its own staff to talk to local governments, uh and they have not contracted with anyone else, so that remains in limbo.

Um there is apparently no one who can talk to us right now.

Um, and I hate coming back to you with that answer, but this is just a really weird time for governance, both federal and the state level.

Uh so I apologize, I don't have an answer to that.

The issue.

Well, we don't want you to make it up, so that's okay.

Well, no, we appreciate that because you know um the plan was not to include the CHHA and SFHA in this, and and that's fine until we have that information.

So I I'm satisfied with that information.

Correct, council member correct.

You can always expand it.

It'd be harder for you to contract it.

The definitions that we're talking in the coastal high hazard zone.

So, what you're saying is it's it's it's easier to leave it as it is, and later on, if we want to add in the SFA.

CHHA, excuse me.

It would be harder to take it back because you've now given someone something.

Okay.

Yeah, talking about acronyms.

Can I ask a real quick question based on that?

Yes.

Who here prepares our CRS report to give to them?

I do it currently right now.

So do you know the answer to the question?

We do get points for open space.

I'm not exactly sure of the interpretation of them whether or not it we would be losing open space because of the addition of ADUs and the expansion of the footprints.

So we don't have an exact answer.

Okay.

There are also some enhanced regulations that at least in the information that we've been able to get, we don't know whether this would run afoul of the enhanced regulations in the special floodhouse.

Do you have other cities asking this exact same question?

I do not.

Oh.

This is the first time that it's been brought to my attention.

Okay, thank you.

Alrighty.

Anything else, Councilmember Shaw?

That's that's all on the initial conversation.

And then if we're going to discuss the aspect of nonprofits, then I would want further discussion on that, please.

Okay.

It's on the table.

All righty, uh, council member Webb.

Sure.

Thank you.

Um, and thank you for um looking at I have um I did reach out to our senator to find out if she could find get any more information for us on that issue, and her staff um was puzzled as well, so our staff is not alone in that um confusion.

Um, I was just thinking that I could also look out, reach out to Homeland Security and Government Affairs because they have oversight, governmental oversight of FEMA, and this is likely not the sole.

We're probably not the only city that's had that issue.

My question is if we take up just part of this today, I agree with the concern about process.

Um, so I'm I that is not my cons my concern is about giving something and then having to take it away.

So we cannot regulate based on who the owner is.

That is there's lots of case law that the attorney that our attorney would talk about about how cities lose in those instances.

So we could not later go back and say, and and create parking requirements, say for one type of ownership over another, but we could in terms of like if you own three consecutive houses in a row, then you need to be able to provide off-street housing.

So that has nothing to do with ownership and everything to do with um changing undue burden to a neighborhood.

My concern in passing anything today is that anything we pass today, if we later want to provide a provision for let's say Pinellas County schools, they are currently looking for someone, a nonprofit partner to rezone distant heights to build affordable housing and um ward four, that that would not we would not be able to do that.

They are we wouldn't they wouldn't be able to build out with the additional ADUs.

Um same thing for Stetson.

We um my neighborhoods, my neighbors um and their contiguous neighbors do not want the planning and zoning didn't um think through that this would be an entire block being built out with ADUs in their discussion.

It was just a one-off like uh ADU here and there, and so I want I guess my question is if we pass is it better to hold off and pass this, send the entire package back to planning and zoning, have them look at it as an entirety, and then pass it as an entire amendment later down the line once planning and zoning has a chance to look at it because of additional stipulations that we know that we would need for continu like ownership of consecutive parcels, say that's my question, and I don't know.

I'm looking both at the city manager, the attorney and the sweeping in this direction.

Mayor, if I if I can respond, you can do it either way.

I mean you could pass.

I wasn't clear on the question, so hopefully you'll clarify the question too.

You could have first reading and then wait on second reading.

I mean, we can make any changes between first and second.

It's just how you want to do it.

You could wait on the whole thing, as council member web said, and wait for the whole package to go in, go back to planning and zoning, have them look at everything and come back with the final version.

So are we talking about CHA?

We're talking about all aspects of this, right?

Okay, so we will so you've I mean this the interesting thing about this is it's not a you know half hour discussion planning and zoning.

They've already had an extensive discussion on it, and they probably will need another extensive discussion.

So if council is uncomfortable with passing any part of this tonight, we can just wait and bring it back to uh PNZ for with everything that we have, or you can pass it tonight.

We won't set it for second reading until it's gone back to P and Z.

It's it's either way is fine.

Uh it's up to you if you're uncomfortable with some of the language, then I would say, or lack of language or lack of discussion, then I would say do not pass it.

You could still take public comment tonight as it currently exists.

So if you say choose, did not understand council member webb what your question was.

I I'm I didn't know which part of this you were questioning.

So the entire so what um this the city attorney said earlier is that, and what Jim um echoed or the city manager echoed was that it's easier, you don't want to take something away from someone.

If we send this back to planning and zoning specifically to look at the nonprofit language, um the the problems that have been expressed to me by my constituents are um parking mainly because and so if we had to change have add language in about nonprofits and then add a parking requirement, you can't add a parking requirement based on ownership.

So you can't say nonprofits, you have to have parking because that will be thrown out in court.

What you could say is if you have three um houses in a row, that because of that characteristic, you have to have off-street parking, but then that would be taking something away from the residents because we had already if we go through first and second reading to um the city attorney's point.

And so that's what I that was my question was um would would that be considered taking something away from people and then risk us getting into a jam where we can't regulate parking because we've already let the horse out the barn.

So that part I understood, but then what I was trying to say at the very beginning of all of this is that I don't want to consider unless one of you asks that that be put in.

I don't even want to consider the nonprofit part of this because that did not come from uh that was not a recommendation from our planning and zoning.

That's so that's what I'm trying to say.

So if that was removed from here, which is what my ask is, okay, and down the road you have the answers to that question and you want to come back and ask that we it would be too late at that point.

All right.

So that was what I was asking clarity on.

It would be too late at that point because then because the way to regulate that is by contiguous ownership of property or like parcels in a row and instead of by ownership status.

And so then so and because the motion on the table right now is this in its entirety it is all open for debate and discussion.

And that's why I'm bringing up the nonprofit stuff because that's the motion as it stands right now.

So are you asking this council to consider adding the nonprofit no I am asking council to table this entire um to table this entirely and to send it back to planning and zoning to consider it in its entirety because anything that we do today will impact moving forward.

Just to be clear are you making a motion at table right now?

I well no I don't know I'm not thank you.

I am not what let me speak conditionally what I would be making a motion to do would be to do that.

I mean that would be where my um stance is because of the sensitive nature of we have one bite at this apple and if we don't do unlike the CHHA and FHHA we we can't add in this additional thing for nonprofit owners um later down the road there might be creative and I and there and so that's why I'm asking for it to use it to be clear I'm sorry mayor just to be clear we're talking about a taking setting up a situation where you're taking and which is a Bert Harris claim and the law has changed I think everybody's aware where it used to be uh complete taking of the property now it's partial taking so you could end up having a lawsuit um and claiming uh value to your property because of a partial taking parking requirements things like this have uh arisen as part of the taking procedurally there's many ways you can do this as I said you may want to consider just allowing public comment and then if you want to who counsel if you want to table it uh until we get the other information we can do that meaning you've already taken public comment on these issues and as we've talked about you don't have to take public comment more than once on a particular issue before you vote on it or we could do what we did at the last meeting which is basically table this issue um and let's uh make the changes bring it to P and Z have them look at it and when they're done and ready bring it back to you okay so what I'm trying to ask of of everybody up here is do we need to send it back to P and Z to ask them what they think about the nonprofit can we not decide that aspect up here amongst ourselves.

You can decide it unless you're going to no the short answer is yes you can decide it.

Planning and zoning is an advisory board.

To the extent that you want them to go back on something you can have them you don't have to that's up to you they give you advice and then you make the final decisions.

Depends on how you want to handle it.

What I really appreciated from the discussion of um the nonprofit ownership was the opportunity to think through to revisit the pro planning and zoning hearing and to hear how they were conceptualizing it and where their gaps were because Stetson Pinellas County schools are not the only owners that might have contiguous land like that that might have partners I mean parcels of lands um and own the majority of a block and and knowing the nature of building um building out properties the way that the limited amount that I do I do know that there it is more affordable to do all of the ADUs on your rentals instead of just one in a block.

And so I think that this is an opportunity this affords us the opportunity and affords the PNZ an opportunity to be more nuanced in their thinking around how to preserve um property values for all of our residents and not to cluster the street with off with parking with additional cars.

Yeah so even so even if it yeah what I would ask then is the council before it takes any action tabling or votes to give us clear direction about what you're looking to accomplish because the big okay do you want to have address nonprofits?

Okay that's one question.

But the second question is if there's multiple units owned contiguously by anyone any group that's qualifies that you have specific requirements put on that area.

That's two different things would I'm I understand the question about nonprofits.

First of all do you that the question direction would need is do you want us to include nonprofit language for ownership for the development of an ADU.

The second question is do you want to put special restrictions on if there's contiguous properties owned by an by one entity is that pretty much it council members it it is thank you.

I think that's accurate.

So of course I do I would like to hear from everybody because to me as we've talked about in the past about ADUs this was one ADU on one owner occupied property that is how I have envisioned it from the very beginning and I'm not uh finding myself uh open to the idea that we could have um uh uh the university for example who owns a lot of properties putting an ADU or multiple adus on on the property so that's why I'm questioning uh the the council themselves if there's an interest in sending this back to address this the to kind of add this concept which is not something that we gave direction to um planning and and zoning to initially for them to then come back to us.

So Jennifer Dawn uh council member jaunch you're you're you're new and weren't involved right from the very beginning in the early discussions about this could we just share our thoughts on this right now?

Okay.

Do you want me to yes please okay I've always been nervous about parking in the ADUs when I live in word four there's a lot of rentals and there's a lot of cars right about up to the door to the lawn so I've always been nervous about that and if this presents an even worse scenario that is a problem for word four oh you were looking I thought you guys were giving me some kind of summary um sorry yeah I thought that um when we heard last week that it I I actually specifically asked is this only going to be for single family homes not multifamily homes not anybody else and that was a yes so that's what I understood it to be so yeah they just they can be unfortunately a nonprofit could have single family homes the problem that arises is you have ownership requirements.

I thought they were homesteaded I'm sorry to interrupt no no if somebody so if I own a piece of property and I and I have an ADU yes the way it it's written is that I have to live either in the ADU or the or the main structure, right?

Right.

Now we let a nonprofit in to do this.

Who's gonna well who's gonna live in the main structure?

So to me um from my background, like if you came to apply for a building permit um if your home is in an LLC, that LLC, like the person who maybe is the person who represents them, can sign it, but the LLC can't physically sign anything.

So the LLC can't live in that unit.

So to me, that like wouldn't even be a thing because they can't live there.

They're not a and I'm sorry, and I think that's what the mayor is saying.

So we would have to change that language to not allow a non-profit or it's not even a nonprofit.

Somebody has to a principal owner has to live on that property, and one of the other so a non-profit couldn't do it, an educational Stetson couldn't do it the way they're set up, because it has to be an owner of the property that lives in one of the two buildings.

So further than what if that property is in the name of a trust or an LLC, like if I just have my property listed as Jennifer Donch Trust with Jennifer Daunch as a trustee, um my trust can't live in my house.

But you're the owner of the trust, so you're the owner.

I'm a trustee.

You're a trustee.

But I mean, so how like to what end?

Like how far do you go down?

That's the question.

And we want to be careful on this because if we allow, you know, I think the point is is if we allow it in the language, then it's hard to take it away.

So if you don't allow it, that's one thing.

But if you allow it, then it's gonna be hard down the road to take it away.

Because now you're affecting the sale of my property too.

And the somebody could come as often as they would like to and come petition us to change that.

They could and maybe someday someone would.

They could, but if you remove it now, then we don't have the issue.

Right.

Which I think if we go back to what the mayor said is when you first discussed this, the whole idea was to have somebody who owns it living in one of the two buildings because that's how you control this parking issue, these other issues, because you have somebody that we can go to even in a code enforcement matter and say, hey, you can't do this.

Otherwise, we're going to the to potentially, as was discussed, two tenants, and they go, we don't care.

You know, yeah.

Councilmember Shaw.

From initial discussions, one of the issues was that the owner would live in in one of them, and then they could do whatever they were with the other unit as far as an ADU to rent it or family or whatever.

And I'm not hearing anything that would um allay my concerns or all the residents that I've spoken to to do otherwise.

So the the concept of nonprofits or institutions being able to put whoever they want in either unit, it still remains to be a big concern of mine.

And um I um I mean I've I've seen what what these organizations do.

They can be pretty tricky, and so I want to know that we are protected against that by maintaining the owner being in one of those units, and that of course creates an immediate management scenario as well.

Thank you.

I think you're clear on them.

I feel like we are trying to create um additional workhouse uh workforce housing and in-law housing uh at single family homes, and I think that this is being done where it would be monitored by an owner occupant living on the property, and so I was not happy that that uh added language that was not approved by the entire board that that was uh run through there.

So I would like to see that removed from this uh ordinance.

Mayor can if you want to at this point, the maker and the second, if they would agree under F1 that we stop, we stop the sentence, the property owner shall occupy either the principal dwelling unit or the accessory dwelling unit as the property owner's permanent residence, period.

Remove the rest of that sentence and then we're we're done with the issue.

What is the rest of it?

Could you read the rest of the sentence, please?

The part that would be removed would be accept for property owned by the nonprofit entity and use for institutional or educational purposes or for affordable housing purposes consistent with chapter 420 Florida statute.

Yeah, remove that.

So that would be removed, therefore we go back to vice mayor what you said, which is we have either the principal owner of one of those two.

Okay, and I believe I was the maker of that motion for this.

Yes.

So we could proceed with discussion.

Right.

So now I am moving.

You'll amend your motion accordingly.

Yes.

Thank you.

And who made the second?

Me.

And that's okay.

I agree to that.

Okay.

Now, Mayor, we have the ordinance as proposed without that language for your consideration.

Okay, so now any additional conversation and discussion among counsel before we go to public comment in speaking order.

I have I have no comment.

Okay.

I have no more comments.

Nor do I.

Okay.

Council member Webb.

I think my comments are, you know, in Ward 3, we have particular.

We have a lot of institutional land and a lot of and all and we have large institutions that own a lot of residential houses.

And I appreciate I would appreciate.

I would like the planning and zoning board to look at nonprofit ownership consistent with chapter 420 with the additional requirement of parking as a way of.

No, I'm done.

Okay.

And my comment is that I asked if this was possible during the question and answer last time, but I still would like to come back and see if uh 26 22-6-15 F2, we uh references there being a restrictive covenant, um, so that the owner is acknowledging that they are complying with the owner occupancy.

Okay, so that's in there, and I like that, but I was wondering if we could add F3 or F2A and F2B and make F2B be that no ADU could be used as temporary tourist housing and get that in writing in the same type type of way.

Could we use a restrictive covenant?

Could that be addressed right there so that we don't run into a um the property sold down the road and then the new owner starts using it as a ADU and says nobody ever told me?

You know, if it's a restrictive covenant, they're going to see that at title.

The mayor, the intent was to put that in the uh restrictive covenant, yes.

That no short-term rentals would be or uh tourist dwelling, transit accommodation, would be allowed.

I didn't know we were gonna already do that by restrictive covenant.

We were broad with the language in here, so we could include that and or anything else that comes up that we're not thinking of as we sit here.

That was the only thing that I wanted was that that was I was good with everything else, just wanted to zero in on that.

Okay.

Alrighty.

Um can I open this to public comment?

Um, April Thanos, Danos?

And then I saw a hand.

Okay, I like having you decided this, because I don't think it should be allowed for institutional or nonprofits, but your point about trust, because like I have property and trust, so I have three properties.

Two that are my trust that are rentals.

I don't live there.

My house isn't a trust, but I do live there.

And so I would think as long as you as a trustee live there, that it should be okay.

But what about snowbirds who actually own the property and you know they permanently live there?

I mean, they may have two houses, but that's a permanent resident here.

Would they be able to have an ADU even though they're maybe not be here the whole year as long as they didn't rent the place where they normally live.

Say if they live in the primary house and built a smaller house, could they still rent that have an ADU that they rent even when they're not here all year?

So those were my, because I'm I'm sure it could come up for because it would be a way for snowbirds to be able to better afford their houses, especially if they're not homesteaded.

Thank you.

Cheryl Siegel, 12th Avenue South.

I've had prepared comments that are a little bit messed up now, but um obviously I'd prefer also not to have dorms across the street from us, but um I also wouldn't mind not giving Stetson the ability to mess with our neighborhood at all.

Um the idea of my concern with the nonprofits, even though I understand I can't specify nonprofits, is the multiple properties that they own.

The impact assessment that was done for you guys was done in March and doesn't even mention nonprofit, and now I understand that it's because it wasn't even brought up then, and so I mean the impact obviously is clear on parking, possibly on uh stormwater runoff and and access and demand for emergency services.

Um, you know, just to give you an example, Stetson and I and I don't know if it just can be contiguous if you were gonna end up doing it, or in that block, because I know that like Stetson, for example, owns three houses in the 20 in the 1200 block of 61st Street, five houses in the 1200 block of 62nd Street, three houses in the 1200 block of Hull Street, four houses in the 1300 block of Hull, and on our block, they own uh six of the seven houses on the south side of us, so right across the street from us, and and my concern is and was that you know, if they can build, you know, if they are gonna build, they're gonna build, they're not gonna just build one ADU, and then you have doubling the houses from six to twelve, you have doubling the the residents if you say there were two, so now we're talking 24 instead of instead of 12.

You're talking about 24 cars, you know, for for you know, for those six houses, and that is going to have an impact.

So my hope is that if you do end up doing something where it's it's non-owner occupied, that you look at those impacts and have some kind of regulation.

I mean, you think about from six houses to twelve houses.

I mean, you're literally doubling the number of houses, and I just can't imagine that if if it was anything else other than an ADU, if you were doubling the number of houses, you'd still have some kind of regulations beyond nothing that's in here now.

So just hope you'll consider that.

Thank you.

Uh-huh.

And let's see, Courtney, and then we'll get Marilyn.

Hello, Courtney Procapas, Golfport.

I say yes in my backyard.

I live by Stetson.

Um, one issue that I think you're gonna maybe shoot yourself in the foot about is if you need to put a uh condition that says if you have so many, you have to have off-street parking.

But are you prepared to also then eliminate on-street parking?

Because there's nothing that says that you have to park in the parking place on the property, unless you really want to do that.

So ask yourself all of these questions as you move forward.

But yes, I would love to live near dorms.

I would love to live near uh a burgeoning institution that is well now sort of growing and expanding and moving in a direction of doing things that are good for environmental impact.

I don't know if you saw the bioswale that's been installed on Stetson campus.

That was a student initiative, and there are students that are working hard for that area to mitigate what the institution had done and the choices they made.

So the community, the greater community is working to minimize impacts, and the more ideas you have at the table, the more ideas you have.

So keep that in mind.

And yes, yes, in my backyard.

All righty.

Um Marilyn.

Marilyn McClellan, 56th Street.

I remember when we first started talking about ADUs, it was really about our aging population and the ability to stay in your home.

A lot of the communities not happy about the big houses.

Well, if you can't afford to stay in your house as you're aging, you sell your property, they tear it down, and they build a big big house.

So that's where it started, so that you could have either a caretaker live on your property, your older child, what you know, and I think we've lost the focus of that.

It seems like this nonprofit and all this other stuff kind of got through it at the end, like, oh wow, it's gonna be a free-for-all, and we get to do all of this.

I'd like us to kind of take a step back and remember what the original issue was.

Um, I like what April said.

If a lot of the older people now have their properties in trust, so if you are living on that property, even though if it's in a trust and you're the trustee, you should still be eligible, right?

Um, and the same with the snowbirds.

I think we also discussed if somebody goes for six months or they go to Europe for two months, you know, they're they're still considered that resident because they're not re the house is empty now, but that's where they're coming back to.

So I I think we should try and focus what our original intent was.

Thank you.

Yes.

Who's next?

Yes.

And I don't know, so would you give us your name and city of residence?

My name's Laura Botsford and I live in Gulfport.

Um lived here about five years.

I have a duplex, it's up on a half acre, and my sister lives in the other side of the duplex.

So I just wanted to give some kind of insight on what it looks like for my family.

Um, she had got a divorce and was having hard times, and so I sort of took her in and she's been living there.

It's been a really positive experience for us, and I would like to uh build an ADU in my backyard.

Um I would like to do a garage apartment.

So I feel like that would take care of parking.

Maybe that's something to consider if you require a garage underneath for vehicles.

Um also I think people are gonna do it regardless.

Like I used to manage um Airbnbs, and people would have garages and illegally kind of rent them out or have family members or their parents in the backyard, so um having a legal route for residents to do is a positive thing.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Who's next?

Amy.

Jonathan, you're next after that.

Amy Costa, 28th Avenue South.

Um, thank you for bringing this to um to talk about and for considering passing it.

I'm very excited.

Um, I think for personally, I think the affordable housing issue is gonna be big.

I second what Marilyn said about um, you know, I know my neighbors, I have a lot of senior neighbors that are um, you know, worried about growing older in their homes alone, things like that.

And I one of the things I want to ask the council to consider is to rethink the coastal hazard locations.

Um I am right on the very, very edge of the AE flood zone, but it just crosses over the very tip of my yard.

Um, and I don't get water, obviously.

We just went through a hurricane, I was fine.

Um, I think if if I were ever gonna build an ADU, I would build it to the specs of what if I would build in the flood zone, just like anyone else.

People who've lost their homes are now building in the flood zone to the specs of the zone.

You know, I do have a garage, I could do something above, which would then create the clearance.

I just think, you know, taking that away from people that are in these zones because just because it could.

I know in the last um when Linda was here, there was talk how it didn't really affect density, and I know now we're finding that they're not getting back to us about how it's gonna affect our ratings and all of that, but also I think if you think about the number of people who probably realistically are going to build ADUs, I think it's very small.

I don't think most of us have the financial means, the backing, we're not corporate people coming in.

I would much rather see a town filled with locals with a little bungalow for a senior or a young family or you know, a couple in the back than these people who are coming in tearing down our houses and building these giant McMansions that are changing the fabric of our town.

Um, so if you can save a property by offering a space where people can have these spaces, I think that's really important.

And I would just I'd like to maybe get a little bit more information, maybe do some of the digging with some of the agencies to find out how those flood zones would really affect because people are building in them anyway, and they have to meet those codes.

So I'd hate to lose that opportunity to help someone have an affordable location to live just because my backyard is in the very tippy corner of the flood zone.

Um just a thought.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Jonathan.

Hey, I again, sorry.

Um, first of all, I want to thank the mayor for your comments about preserving the structure of uh citizen government here where people go through the effort to do something and not willy-nilly changing that, and I appreciate that.

Otherwise, we could just do it all on AI and skip all the people and all the their opinions.

Um, so thank you for that.

I would encourage the trust the covenant to handle things like short-term rental.

Um those are in my view, transitory.

Right now they're at it's out of fashion.

We don't want short-term rental.

Uh 10 years from now, it might be like, oh my god, we we need to get short-term rental, the golf boards dying.

You know, that would handle that without adding another layer of bureaucracy on it, is my view.

I should have started.

I'm on planning and zoning.

Okay.

Um, from what you're saying, it sounds like there's probably a good reason to kick it back.

There's a lot to talk about, more than I could type out here.

Um, I would recommend if we do that.

I'm sorry I missed the last one where there was a big discussion of the uh of Stetson and all that.

I would recommend that somebody from Stetson come and talk to planning and zoning and make a case because I'm I'm not getting the case.

Okay, so sitting here now, it's like I'm not hearing it.

All the ADUs that are built in town are potential rentals for faculty and students and staff.

So whether they're on the property or not, there's still you know increased housing.

So I'm not clear on that whole case, and as a member of planning and zoning, that is something I would want to hear about.

Um, that was about that.

Um, and as far as parking being absolutely jammed up in Ward 4, um, I would sincerely, particularly if we're gonna look at this again, sincerely like you to show me where.

Okay, because I I would like to see that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Seeing none.

Uh e-comment.

There's one e-comment from Gulfport resident Mary Hanrahan.

I am sorry, I'm unable to be at council in person in the proposed ordinance section F of 22-614 is not as recommended by the PNZ board, except for property owned by a nonprofit entity and used for institutional or educational purposes or for affordable housing purposes consistent with chapter 420 flat Florida statutes was added by city staff.

I am deeply perturbed by this addition and the manner in which it was done.

It raises a topic not discussed at PNZ, it raises numerous procedural questions.

Who has the authority to request a change to a recommendation passed by P and Z to any PNZ board member?

Any citizen, any member of the public, city staff?

Who has the authority to change text in a motion passed by a city board?

On what authority can a member of staff added?

A recommendation from a city board to council.

I believe that appropriate action is for this proposal to be referred back to the full P and Z commission for discussion, consistent numbering to twenty two-six point one four.

Thank you.

So I heard a lot of public uh a lot of public comments that you know were kind of off base on what the ordinance actually says.

There is no um required off street parking.

Um, so just to clarify, I think we have a motion and a second to um to call the vote on this ordinance and we have removed the section dealing with the off um excuse me with the nonprofit.

Um mayor, if I could just make one comment.

Yes, you can.

Restrictive covenant would include anybody who's a s excuse me, a snowbird in that situation, we would have them just acknowledge this is their primary residence, even though they'll be gone for long periods of time.

So that would be part of the restrictive covenant understanding that they while they don't have to be present, they still own it.

They can go on vacation.

Exactly.

And how about um I think the other question that came up and that I think is valid was asked by two people now has to do with if it's in a trust.

I mean, I know I'm I I don't own my I put my house in a trust, my the care and love trust.

So uh I would never have considered myself anything other than the owner.

We would do the same thing under the restrictive covenant, allowing the trustee acknowledging that the trustee will be living there as in regards to the requirement of the trust.

Okay, all righty.

Uh, do we have any additional questions before we call the vote?

I have an additional question.

Yes, city attorney.

So when you say about the snowbirds, it's not just going on vacation, they could literally be gone half of the year.

Oh, is that correct?

Okay, but but they're they're under the covenant, they're saying no one else will be living here in my absence.

Thank you.

They would have to have utilities in their in their name.

Oh, that's that.

We will do all those requirements.

Thank you.

anybody else have any additional questions before the vote?

No.

Councilmember Webb?

No.

All righty.

Councilmember Early?

Yes.

Council Member Donch?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Shaw?

Yes.

Councilmember Webb?

Yes.

Mayor Love?

Yes.

Passes on first reading.

Very good.

Alrighty, so it's 827.

I am going to ask for a 10-minute uh break, and we'll be back here and re get going again at 8 37.

Alrighty guys, thanks for staying.

We're going to proceed right along now.

Uh city clerk, if you will.

Moving on to resolutions.

Item 8A, resolution number 2026-35.

A resolution authorizing the city manager to issue payment to CAP Government Incorporated, a Bureau Veritas Company for Managed Services modal for plan review and inspections for the month of April 2026 and the accompanying budget amendment.

Motion to approve.

City manager.

Thank you.

Any questions of our city manager on this?

No.

Any comments?

No.

I don't.

I already asked.

Thanks.

Everybody's good.

Okay.

Um public comment on this.

Councilmember Councilmember, listen to me.

April Thanos.

So even being off council, I have questions.

So I have asked multiple times to find out how efficient this company is being because when we did this, the whole point was because it took too long to get permits.

And I haven't I asked multiple times and even since being off council have not heard anything about how fast the turnaround is for our permits now.

And it seems to me imprudent to pay somebody to do it if they aren't doing better than our department did beforehand.

That you know the idea was to get it, you know, at one time, Mayor, you wanted it to be, I think in a week or 10 days.

So where are they?

How fast is it happening?

Is my question anybody else?

Do we have any e-comments on this?

Not on this item.

No, all righty.

Comfortable calling the vote.

All righty.

Councilmember Early?

Yes.

Councilmember Donch?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Shaw?

Yes.

Councilmember Webb?

Yes.

Mayor Love?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Moving on to item 8B, resolution number 2026-36.

A resolution for the Vet Sports Incorporated volleyball tournament special event application for the use of the municipal, excuse me, municipal beach for three volleyball tournament events.

Authorizing temporary setup activities associated with set events, providing for the temporary waiver of certain provisions of the code of ordinances and city policies during set events, authorizing the provision of municipal support services and providing for responsibilities and conditions associated here with.

Motion to approve.

Second.

City manager.

Subsequently, they're two-day events.

They require council approval.

Justin has a brief overview.

The applicant is here this evening if you have any specific questions for him.

Okay.

Before you tonight is Fed Sports multi-day tournaments, three of them.

The third is located in fiscal year 27.

Setup will occur on Friday of the temporary courts.

You'll see a site plan inside the agenda item.

And the applicant is Mr.

Dan Lidke with FET Sports, a veterans organization that hosts the volleyball tournaments.

Okay, just thank you.

Thank you, Justin.

Do we have any questions of the applicant?

No questions.

No.

No, thank you.

I have a question of our city manager, please.

You can ask that.

Um I would like to know, because that site map takes up a massive portion of the beach.

Does that mean that that massive portion of the beach is then not available to our residents or visitors?

Yes, that section that you see highlighted in the site plan is being utilized to play volleyball.

Now, can someone set up in the middle of the volleyball?

No, they can walk by.

Go ahead.

We did have we did talk about and um previously Mr.

Lidke's here.

No, we don't stop anybody from walking, you know, through the courts to to the water.

I mean, it's all still open.

People come and sit courtside and watch the games.

So I mean, people still set up around the courts.

It's not really, you know, precluded from anybody else being there.

That's just where we're gonna have the courts set up.

Okay, well, that's that's very reassuring.

I I think the that the events are wonderful.

It's just I I wanted to make sure that that didn't exclude our residents and visitors from from enjoying the beach as well.

Nope.

So thank you.

And that's we also left a large section on the uh west side open, so we won't have any setup there.

I mean we've actually set up four more courts there, but we leave it open for business.

Well, as I understand it, that that's that would be beyond pavilion sex.

So let's it's not a theory.

We don't want to take a whole beach, we want to leave some, right?

I mean, but yes, everybody can come and watch this.

Okay, thank you.

And I think this will be the last time I'll be coming requesting volleyball events this year.

Oh, because you're doing all three.

So I appreciate your support on the previous ones and hopefully this one as well.

Thank you.

So how about this stuff?

Councilmember Webb, did you have any questions?

No, I am um really grateful for the opportunity to be able to vote favorably on those things.

Uh Dan.

Well, thank you.

Just a plug for uh vet sports this uh this Saturday at the JW Marriott uh on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC.

Vet sports is having their annual awards gala.

Um it's where we bring in our players from all over the country and we have a special awards ceremony.

We have speakers and raise money.

Um, and you know, if you're in DC uh this weekend, let me know.

I can probably get you into the event.

Okay, very good.

I have a couple questions.

Um, no, you go have your own.

No, no, no, I didn't have a question.

Go.

No, okay.

I I thought I had done that, but um my questions are this.

Um, do we know, Justin?

I because I don't know when we're not having a tournament, I don't exactly know how courts are issued.

So my my question to you is does this conflict with any other groups that have been or are scheduled to play?

Uh we on Saturday or Sunday?

Sure.

We look at that during the processing to make sure it does not conflict.

Um with the Monday and Friday raking of the parks department on the beach.

Um, they are moving that up to Thursday to allow for the courts to move in on Friday.

Okay.

So if there's a group that plays on Friday nights, this would affect them.

No, um, the permanent courts will remain permanent.

These are temporary structures in addition to the four permanent courts.

Okay.

The public is still has access to the port four courts Friday evening.

Correct.

That's what you're saying.

Okay.

Yes, thank you.

So then it said in there that we're going to give them the city our city sound system.

Is this a city sound system that the senior foundation just got?

No, no.

This is a this says there's a DJ with the sound system pointed south, and Mr.

Lidke can talk about it.

Okay.

Brent, uh SSOVA brings their own sound system, and the speakers will be pointed towards the water.

I I love that because I was concerned, one of those that's a third Saturday, and I didn't want to conflict with uh the music maybe coming from Neptunes, and then we're fighting who's gonna um break the decimal radar gun.

Prem's a good guy, you know.

If you tell him to turn it down, he'll turn it down.

Okay, all right.

These are all considerations when processing in the city manager's office.

Okay.

Um we don't want to tune up, you know, you have to hear the score during the games, and there's a lot of things going on.

Yeah, I agree.

And then I was gonna comment on the better sand.

No, I read some where I thought we were providing the sound system, and I was like, we're gonna give them in that sandy windy condition, our brand new sound system.

Okay, so that's all I was worried about.

I will say that um the last time it was left nice and clean, everything was good, the sand is gonna be so much better this time for them versus the last time.

And this was not your group, I don't believe, but and it wasn't this last tournament, but the tournament before that.

Um we had a problem with the DJ playing some very inappropriate music with children um hearing some words that they don't need to hear a million times.

So we can address that.

That's all we need.

That's that was all I wanted like to ask.

Thank you.

All righty, thank you, Mayor.

If I could make one comment.

Yeah, and Mr.

Lidke was recognizing the year for vet sports national um gala.

Yeah.

Good.

Congratulations to her.

Very good.

Both my wife, Michelle and I have been with Vet Sports for a little over 10 years.

Very good.

And is she still playing?

She still plays, yes.

Good.

I haven't seen her play in a while because we didn't have a beach for a while.

So that's understandable.

Alrighty.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We call the vote.

I do have an e-comment.

No public comment first.

Seeing none, e-comment.

There is one e-comment from Gulfport resident Margaret Tober.

Great organization for a great cause.

Super.

All righty.

All right.

If we're ready to call the vote, Councilmember Early.

I love what they're doing.

Absolutely.

Councilmember Donch?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Shaw?

Yes.

Councilmember Webb?

Yes.

Mayor Love?

Yes.

Passes unanimously.

Moving on to item 8C.

Resolution number 2026-37, a resolution authorizing the city manager to enter into an agreement with the Pinellas County School Board for School Resource Officer Services at Bogos Ciga High School and Gulfport Elementary School.

Motion to approve.

I second.

Mayor, pretty self-explanatory to recognize this city was one of the first when the state legislature required a school resource officer, a police officer at the elementary school.

The city did at that time add a unit, an officer position.

Subsequently, this is continues that we have this facilitates having Gulf Port officers in Gulfport schools.

If you were not to do this, do you elected not to approve this?

The Pinellas County School Board would then have the option to seek another vendor, which we know what that would mean.

It would be outside agencies in our schools.

All righty.

Do we have any comments, questions of our city manager?

Or just a comment?

Just a comment, Mayor.

Um I live near four houses from the school and where they um gather, where the kids gather on their way in and the way out, and laughing and joking, having a great time.

I think that the officer there really does temper everything.

If there's if I hear of something, it's very, very unusual.

I only hear happy happy things.

So I think they're doing a great job.

So absolutely thank you.

Thank you.

No, thank you.

Very good.

I don't have anything, thank you.

I already asked all my questions, thank you.

No questions, no questions.

I have no e-comments.

Do we have anybody?

Pardon?

I have no e-comments.

Okay.

Public comment, uh Courtney.

Courtney Pro COPUS Gulfport.

Um, as it's currently written, I strongly oppose this resolution.

Uh it fails to address whether Gulfport Police Department officers that are trained and deputized as Department of Homeland Security and ICE agents under Gulfport's voluntary 287G agreement may serve as school resource officers in Pinellas County schools.

At last report, there were seven Gulfport police officers, which is about one quarter of our department that have received full 287G training and authority as the council and city manager, city attorney, and the public are all aware.

Pinellas County Schools Police has intentionally chosen not to enter into 287G agreement with DHS and ICE.

So any arrangement where officers from Gulfport operating under trained for deputies through a 287G program serving in schools would appear inconsistent with that decision.

So before approving this resolution, I would urge the council to receive answers to the following questions.

Which Gulfport police officers are eligible to serve as those resource officers under this arrangement?

And are they among those seven officers who are fully trained under this 287G agreement?

Does this resolution permit officers who have received 287G training or deputization to serve as school resource officers?

And then what written policies or safeguards exist to ensure that officers operating under trained for or deputized through a 287G agreement are never assigned into Pinellas County public schools.

So until those questions are answered and explicit protections are included in this resolution, I strongly feel that the council cannot assure that parents, students, educators, or the public that 287G trained officers will not be assigned to Pinellas County Schools.

So I urge you to postpone at present time until clear written safeguards are adopted and incorporated into the resolution.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else for public comment?

And I think I heard you say no e-comment.

No e-comments.

Alrighty.

No comment.

Councilmember Early?

Yes.

Councilmember Donch?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Shaw.

I'm I'm gonna say no for now because I would be interested in the answers to those questions.

Councilmember Webb, yes.

Mayor Love?

Yes.

Passes four to one.

All righty.

We have no discussion item tonight, and so we will move to new business, and we will do that in speaking order, please.

Starting go ahead.

No, no, no new business for me.

I don't have new business, but I did um sorry, miss that if you do want to go to that um historical society walk at um I'm sorry, clam bayou on Saturday.

You can sign up at Gulfport Historic Society.org, and they have places available to do that there.

So see Saturday.

Thank you.

Councilmember Shaw.

I do have some questions, but I do have also a request for a consensus for the Gulfport environmental team to do a presentation at one of the July meetings.

That would be either July 7th or July 21st.

Sure.

Yes.

I have a consensus, then okay, thank you.

Um then my follow-up question is regarding the status of the progressive discipline and censure policy.

Are we progressing on that, Attorney Saltman?

Yes, we will have it to you.

We're just trying to figure out what meeting.

Okay, thank you.

Um, some of these have already been answered tonight, so this is great.

Um, and do we have a status update on the Ian case?

We have heard uh I think the city clerk has had the last contact from the state attorney's office.

I did have a voicemail from the attorney state attorney's office uh excuse me office asking me if we had received payment from Mr.

O'Hara.

I returned the phone call.

The attorney was in court, they took a message from me and said that he would return my call if he needed more information, and then that is the last I've heard of it.

Okay, was that recently?

That was this.

My days are mixed up.

It was very recently, I would say within the last week.

Okay, it's still on people's minds, so I'm asking and thank you for that update.

Um, yeah, thank you for I didn't I didn't know that either, so I'm glad that somebody at least has made a phone call to us about it.

Yes, that's that I I know uh residents will be placed to know that.

Um the um public speaker brought some two public speakers brought up the beach cam.

And are we going to get details on that?

And is there a cost to that?

Yes, and let me give you either David or I could talk to you about that.

What the issue is they want to they'll give you a camera, but they're gonna sell advertising.

You do not control that camera.

Uh, so that is why we put one in at the pickleball court ourselves.

They had came in, they it's repeated sales pitch that we had received, and subsequently, when the casino is restored, we will have all our cameras back.

Okay, we have CBS comes in, they put a global CAM up, things like that.

We will put the camera back that covers the beach and the volleyball courts once the casino is back up and running.

Okay, thank you for those details that helps.

Um that's all I have right now.

Thank you.

Thanks.

All right, so y'all, I um under new business would like uh a consensus vote to support um having um having our Gulf put port neighborhoods grid it gridded for that's the term that's counting schools use gridded for Gulfport elementary um currently there's a small portion in my district that is um slotted for Bear Creek they are also interested in having and being part of Gulfport Elementary as well and we are pulling together a tour of the elementary school so this would just be a resolution in support of the idea um like I mentioned earlier this is a once in a generation opportunity because our public schools don't redistrict very often and um because of all of the school closures um this is an opportunity to make sure that all of the blocks and Gulfport have the opportunity to go to Gulfport Elementary and it's just expressing our support for that idea.

And how do we express our support for that idea?

Through a proclamation of support for the idea of because I thought I heard you say resolution and that's why we wouldn't have to be a resolution resolution.

Yeah and if I could expand on council members what thank you please somebody helped also do is establish the importance of this school to golfport elementary to this community so when there's discussions about school closures because there's gonna happen I had as I was explained to council I met with the school superintendent when we discussed distance and my first when he came to see us that day my first inclination was you're here to talk to me about a school that means a lot to me and I can tell you that he assured me but we have to maintain as a community our support for that school so that it's on the record because he's having these conversations with a lot of neighborhoods yes and we need to be more than just a neighborhood supporting our local school we need to be the city of Gulfport supporting Gulfport Elementary.

I believe you have your consensus because I think we all are feeling that way and I know when I went on to that campus I was shocked that they actually have wings that aren't being used at all so to get more students there is a good thing.

Excellent and um and so yes thank you and and to the city manager's point they are looking at closing additional elementary schools um this would I believe put us in a better position of similarly situated elementary schools in our near vicinity and ensure that we have a thriving elementary school for years to come so yeah and they have a school board member meeting on Thursday that I will be driven to to observe I don't know that they will be discussing this the last I looked they hadn't released their agenda so excellent and the only thing that I'm asking for is a consensus that we uh create a centurion club and that would be a case where that we would then have an official centurion club and we could uh honor uh residents that hit the 100 mark um and and make them members of our club and this is not my idea um I've had several residents ask that I acknowledge their parents starting at age of 90 and I'm like I'm close to that I don't think we need to do that.

But um but really it was our city clerk that had the excellent idea of the way to handle this is proclamation of us uh excuse me I didn't mean to say that to create the centurion club and to acknowledge them and if you agree to that we will have our first inductee at the next meeting great yes yes that sounds fun good idea city clerk yes and that's all that I have.

So with that being said.

With that being said, the meeting is officially adjourned.

Nine o'clock.

I don't know who won that bet.

Slower than average season.

But it's not just El Nino