The Gulfport City Council met on September 15, 2026, at 6:00 PM at City Hall. The meeting featured the second reading and public hearing for the FY 2026-2027 millage rate and operating budget, along with several budget amendments, public comments, and resolutions. Key outcomes included the adoption of the millage rate at 4.0258 mills (a 0.02% decrease below the rolled-back rate), approval of a $9,000 removal of Flock camera funding from the budget, and deferral of commercial marina fee changes to a future meeting.
Good afternoon. I guess I should say good evening, huh? Good evening, and thank you for attending the city council meeting. And I don't know today's date. Oh, September 15th. All right. I do see a lot of faces that I don't know. So just to make you aware, number one, check your phone. If it's on, turn it off. Second thing, during the meeting today, we only have one conversation. So if you're in the audience and you've had the need to talk about something, no problem, just go out in the hall. Because we only have one person talking here at a time. And with that, then I'm going to call the meeting to order, and we're gonna start with the invocation given by Councilmember Webb, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. So if you can stand, please do so. Thank you, Mayor. And um this is an honor of September 11th. Um have you heard the theme for this year's 9-11 commemoration was unity. A theme rarely impacts behavior, but this year, those who drive division in our nation extended hands. Rule Giuliani, um, who had went on an anti-Muslim screen earlier last week, shook hands and offered what Mamdani's aide described as a genuine offer to pray for Mayor Mamdani. Vice President J.D. Vance melt about former Presidents Obama invited even even Giuliani's aide defended AOC on a social media post that alleged she was laughing during the 9-11 ceremony. She was not equally important with the official proceedings for the first time ever, a seventh moment of silence was offered. This moment of silence was for the estimated three to six thousand New Yorkers who died from toxic air and dust exposure following the 9-11 attacks. And here in Gulfport, our Regina focused our collective attention on unity as well. Well, I was really saddened to miss the ceremony. The pictures frame the diversity of Gulf portions gathered together to remember, to honor, and to embody this call for unity moving forward. So in this theme, and in conclusion, and during Rosh Hashanah, I offer a prayer, really a reminder of sorts from the Kabbalah. The Kabbalistic tradition is Judah Judaism's mysticism, and the similar in the same way that Sufism relates to Islam or Franciscan tradition relates to Christianity. These are some of our world's mystics, and together they remind us across all faiths that we are one. And this is an excerpt from the Anna Beko Ach, an ancient medieval Jewish liturgical poem that is widely considered a powerful mystical prayer in Kabbalah. Please, mighty one. Those who seek your unity, guard them like the people of the eye, bless them, purify them. Your compassionate righteous always grant them. Invincible and mighty one. With the abundance of your goodness, govern your congregation. Soul and proud one. Turn your pe turn to your people, those who remember your sanctity, accept our cry and hear our wail. You that knows all that is hidden. Blessed is the name of glory. His kingdom is forever and for eternity. I'd like to fly the United States of America. One nation under God. Councilmember Early. Present. Councilmember Don? Here. Vice Mayor Shaw. Present. City Attorney Salzman. Here.