The St. Petersburg City Council met on August 14, 2025, for a regular meeting. Key actions included approval of the agenda (with deletion of item J1), first reading of utility rate ordinances for FY26, and referrals to committees on arts funding and the FDOT memorandum on pavement art. The meeting featured extensive public comment on the proposed removal of street murals, followed by a unanimous vote to refer the matter to committee.
Welcome to the City of St. Petersburg City Council meeting. Your elected officials are Mayor Ken Welch. District 1 and Council Chair, Hope Lee Gurtis. District 2, Brandy Gabber. District 3, Mike Harding. District 4, and Council Vice Chair, Leseth Hanowitz. District 5, Deborah Fig Sanders. District 6, Gina Driscoll. District 7, Corey Givens Jr. And District 8, Richie Floyd. Welcome everyone to the August 14th, 2025, St. Petersburg City Council meeting. Clerk, can we please have a roll call? Lloyd. Here. Curtis. Gabbard. Here. Harding. Hanowitz. Here. Six Anders. Driscoll. Here. Givens. Here. Well, we will have our invocation given today by Pastor Chris Futch from our Savior Luther Lutheran Church. Then please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Pastor. Thank you, Madam Vice Chair. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, as we gather here this afternoon, we give thanks for your presence. We give thanks for your goodness. We give thanks for your forgiveness and mercy and grace that is freely given to us through faith in Jesus Christ. Lord, a few thousand years ago, you raised up leaders in Moses and Aaron and Miriam to lead your people through some challenging times. And in the times when things were not going well, the Israelites were quick to blame their leaders for the situations that they were in. But at the same time when things were going well, the Israelites were slow to recognize and encourage their leaders for their tireless work and dedication to the community. Lord, the same holds true today. Oftentimes our leaders are quick to receive blame, and yet very rarely are they encouraged for the difficult work that they do. And so my prayer for us this afternoon is that we as residents of this incredible city will both encourage and build up our leaders on this council. May we consider the burdens that they carry, and may we also take the time to thank them for the many ways that they are working to lead us through these challenging times. Bless their families and their friends and their neighbors and all of the people who love them and encourage them as they continue to serve on this council. Bless our president and our Congress, bless our governor and our state representatives, bless our mayor and the city employees, bless our men and women who protect us from harm and danger every single day. We also ask that you would bless our families, our workers, our seniors, our veterans, our widows, our homeless, and all who call this city that you have established as their home. Lord, may each of us continue to help make St. Petersburg a community of progress for all residents, each and every day. We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, the one who created us, the one who redeemed us, and the one who promises to be with us to the very end of the age. Amen. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.