City Council Meeting Summary - November 24, 2025

The City of St. Petersburg City Council convened on November 24, 2025, to review the budget cleanup ordinance and address public comments regarding main street district funding. The meeting proceeded with a unanimous vote to approve the agenda in the absence of Councilmember Harding. No speakers appeared during the public comment periods, though several council members engaged in a significant debate during the discussion item regarding increasing annual appropriations for main street business districts. The meeting concluded with announcements and a holiday greeting.

Consent Calendar

• Agenda approval motion passed unanimously (all present members voted), with Councilmember Harding absent.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Nicole Waters (President, Edge District): Representing the Edge District, along with colleagues from neighboring districts, she represented hundreds of small businesses and thousands of residents. She expressed enthusiastic support for the current district system as a "force multiplier" for economic vitality and safety. She respectfully and explicitly requested an increase in annual city support for the districts from $55,000 to $75,000 per district to accommodate rising costs.
• Councilmember Corinne Gibbons (District 7): Expressed full support for Nicole Waters' voice and the necessity of funding for main street districts. While not a public speaker, she articulated that the city depends on these districts just as they depend on the city, noting that the $55,000 allocation is the same as it has been for five years.
• Councilmember Gina Driscoll: Expressed full confidence in the leadership of the four main street districts and strong support for the request to increase funding. She emphasized that not supporting these districts could lead to the loss of key events like Halloween on Central. She moved to allocate $80,000 ($20,000 per district) for FY26, arguing the decision should be administrative rather than requiring a new business item, though she subsequently withdrew the motion to allow for procedural precision.
• Councilmember Richie Floyd: Expressed general support for providing more resources to main street districts, specifically citing the value of events like Halloween on Central. He stated his preference that funding be redirected from the economic development budget to avoid using fund balance. He also cautioned against the council immediately amending budget items upon public request, noting the need to reflect on the council's values regarding such processes.
• Councilmember Deborah Fake Sanders: Expressed support for the conversation regarding additional funding. She highlighted that the current $55,000 allotment is insufficient, noting the executive director of her district cannot afford to live in the district due to the low budget. She committed to submitting a new business item to determine appropriate amounts after consulting with other district leaders.
• Councilmember Hopley Gurtis: Expressed a desire for a broad, robust conversation regarding the future support of main street districts and was open to finding funds from various sources via a new business item.

Discussion Items

• Ordinance 621H (Year-end Appropriation Adjustments): Liz McCoskey presented the second reading of the ordinance for FY25 and FY26 budget reconciliation. She reported that the estimated net impact to the general fund balance is a decrease of $14.429 million, an improvement of approximately $1.7 million over the first reading due to additional revenue. Specific changes included a decrease in fund balance used for FY25 to $4.215 million (down from $5.68 million) and a $11.5 million rollover request for FY26. Project changes included the Coliseum Ballroom Floor Project being renamed to the Coliseum Improvement Project and a reclassification of a police department item from an operating expense to a Capital Improvement Project (CIP).
• Main Street District Funding Debate: Following public comments, the council debated moving $80,000 to the four main street districts. Councilmember Driscoll's motion was withdrawn after legal counsel suggested a recess was necessary to amend the ordinance precisely. Councilmember Sanders agreed to draft a new business item. Councilmember Floyd and the Mayor emphasized that if funds were moved, the source (likely reallocating from other economic development priorities) and the method (resolution vs. ordinance) required distinct conversations. The Mayor explicitly stated he was not willing to have a conversation about using fund balance for this purpose.

Key Outcomes

• Approval of Ordinance 621H: The motion to approve agenda item D1 (Ordinance 621H) passed unanimously with Councilmember Harding absent.
• No Immediate Allocation Approved: No immediate funding increase was voted on; the council deferred the decision to allocate funds to future action via a proposed new business item.
• New Business Item Proposed: Councilmember Sanders and Councilmember Gibbons (District 7) indicated they are in the process of submitting or have drafted new business items to address the main street funding request. Councilmember Driscoll noted the Economic and Workforce Development Committee will have a meeting on January 22 to discuss this.
• Procedural Direction: The council agreed to treat the funding request carefully, with the Mayor suggesting a separate resolution from the general fund contingency for FY26 might be the appropriate procedural path, distinct from the cleanup ordinance.