St. Petersburg City Council Meeting - January 8, 2026

The City of St. Petersburg held its January 8, 2026, regular meeting, inaugurating the new leadership year with the unanimous reaffirmation of Mayor Ken Welch, Chair Lissette Hanowitz, and Vice Chair Richie Floyd. The meeting featured heartfelt tributes to outgoing Chair Copley Gurtis, followed by the approval of the agenda, consent calendar, and several resolutions regarding land development, workforce development, and future committee referrals. The primary focus was on renewing partnerships with St. Petersburg College for economic development and affirming the city's commitment to affordable housing and infrastructure planning.

Consent Calendar

• Agenda approval passed unanimously.
• Confirmation of Chair Lissette Hanowitz and Vice Chair Richie Floyd passed unanimously.
• Approval of the Outgoing Chair Copley Gurtis gavel presentation and associated motions passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 631H (Land Development: Platting Procedures) passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 638 (Land Development: Certified Recovery Residents) passed unanimously.
• Vacation of alley on Burlington Avenue North (Ordinance G1) passed unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ron Diner:
  • Position: Expressed strong opposition to the current proposal process for the Gas Plant site.
  • Argument: Argued that moving forward without city-initiated planning will cost the city at least $1 billion in public value and permanently surrender control to developers. Stated that any deal emerging from the "proposal first" process will be rejected. Called for the city to plan first and then sell land parcel by parcel to protect public assets for affordable housing and community needs.
• Chris Steinaker (St. Pete Chamber of Commerce):
  • Position: Expressed full support for the Council and the workforce development initiatives.
  • Argument: Praised the $155,000 funding identified for business support and the partnership with St. Pete College. Expressed support for the workforce grant and welcomed the new greenhouse manager, Roger Curlin. Also noted unexpected alignment with some of Ron Diner's points regarding the Gas Plant, acknowledging the significance of the issue.

Discussion Items

• Workforce Readiness and Development RFP (Agenda F1):
  • Staff Presentation: Ms. Andrea Falvey presented a proposal to renew the contract with St. Petersburg College (SPC) for $2 million annually over three years (plus two one-year renewal options) to provide workforce training in the South St. Petersburg CRA. The program, titled "Edge," targets marine life sciences, financial services, manufacturing, data analytics, and construction.
  • Councilmember Gabbard: Expressed concern regarding the vagueness of the construction program's specifics regarding resilient infrastructure funding. Asked how the program would absorb a potential state legislative grant of $4.8 million for construction training.
  • Dean Balinthia Barry (SPC): Expressed confidence in the program's ability to deliver construction training, noting existing partnerships with Pinellas Technical College and CDC of Tampa. Stated that if a specific certification (like the Floodplain Mitigation certification) is not available, SPC can build the curriculum from scratch within three to six months.
  • Councilmember Harding: Questioned the efficacy metrics of the previous program and the ratio of funding to participants. Dean Barry responded that the previous program exceeded goals, placing 556 residents in jobs.
  • Councilmember Fake Sanders: Expressed strong support for the proposal, specifically praising the strategy to "meet participants where they are" and the humanistic approach to student support.
  • Councilmember Driscoll: Requested commitments for detailed quarterly and industry-specific reporting. Dean Barry committed to providing dashboards via Power BI that break down participation by industry and wage outcomes.
  • Councilmember Givens: Expressed excitement for the partnership, highlighting the new air traffic control program and the impact of the Midtown campus facilities.
  • Councilmember Hanowitz (Chair): Requested an update on the target industry study, noting the last "Grow Smarter" study was in 2014. Ms. Falvey confirmed an RFQ for an industry study update will be posted by the end of January.
• Legislative Referrals:
  • Agenda H1: Council unanimously voted to refer the Port Master Plan update request to the Public Services and Infrastructure Committee.
  • Agenda H2: Councilmember Gertis moved to increase the economic stability fund loan for affordable housing from $5 million to $10 million. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously, referring the item to the Budget, Finance, and Taxation Committee.
  • Agenda H3: Councilmember Harding moved to request a discussion on the legal process of municipal annexation, specifically regarding Lincoln Cemetery. The motion was passed unanimously, referring the item to the Housing, Land Use, and Transportation Committee.

Key Outcomes

• Leadership Confirmation: Lissette Hanowitz sworn in as City Council Chair; Richie Floyd sworn in as Vice Chair.
• Workforce Contract Approved: Unanimous approval of a three-year agreement (with renewal options) with St. Petersburg College totaling up to $6 million to expand the "Edge" workforce development program in the South St. Petersburg CRA.
• Land Development Ordinances: Unanimous approval of Ordinance 631H (altering platting review authorities) and Ordinance 638 (creating definitions and standards for certified recovery residents).
• Financial & Planning Referrals:
  • Unanimous referral to increase the affordable housing loan cap from $5 million to $10 million.
  • Unanimous referrals granted for discussions on the Port Master Plan and Municipal Annexation laws.
• Public Comment Resolution: The Council acknowledged the public's concerns regarding the Gas Plant development process, with Councilmember Diner's call for city-led planning being explicitly detailed in the public record.