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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

City of St. Petersburg City Council Meeting - January 15, 2026

City Council — Thursday, January 15, 2026

BodySt Petersburg, Florida

SessionCity Council

DateThursday, January 15, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:50:23

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:04

Welcome to the City of St.

0:06

Petersburg City Council meeting.

0:09

Your elected officials are Mayor Ken Welch.

0:13

District 1, Copley Gurtis, District 2, Brandy Gabbert, District 3, Mike Harding, District 4, and Council Chair, Leseth Panowitz.

0:28

District 5, Deborah Fake Sanders.

0:32

District 6, Gina Driscoll.

0:35

District 7, Corey Gibbons Jr.

0:39

And District 8 and Council Vice Chair, Richie Floyd.

0:48

Good afternoon, everyone.

0:50

Welcome to the January 15th City Council meeting.

0:57

Harding.

0:58

Hanowitz.

0:58

Here.

1:00

Driscoll.

1:01

Gibbons.

1:02

Here.

1:03

Lloyd.

1:03

Here.

1:05

Today we will have our invocation by the Reverend Leonte Tukes from New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church.

1:12

Please stand and then please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:16

Thank you, Chair Handle.

1:20

God of our weary year.

1:26

We're grateful for your mighty acts to ingrain and maintain such a world and society.

1:31

This month we've celebrated the founding of organizations to contribute to the uplifting of humanity and service and support of their communities and others.

1:39

We additionally recognize the birth of such a prestigious voice in our history whose impact was so vast, his voice and his message spread across America.

1:48

Although today we offer that work, we still troubled by political confusion, create crisis and costs and the labor of living in our communities.

1:57

However, we know that God Almighty can fix this.

2:00

So today we beckon, we invoke and we invite his presence today amidst our city council members, our residents and city leaders in the city of St.

2:09

Petersburg to have the same mind.

2:11

The reproach and approach, much like that of Dr.

2:14

King, that the matters that affect us so much would one day be changed and most impactful for our future.

2:20

May his wisdom and tender loving hand guide the working decisions made today to build a greater city and essentially greater communities and societies.

2:29

God, we need you.

2:30

We thank you, and we welcome you.

2:32

And I seal this prayer with the only name that matters, the name that is above every name, where the government shall be upon his shoulders, our Father our God, amen.

2:42

Amen.

2:44

I pledge by the United States of America and the Republic for which it stands.

2:52

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for our all.

2:58

Thank you, and please be seated.

3:00

Thank you, Reverend Tukes, for that beautiful and timely invocation.

3:05

Council members, we have an agenda before us.

3:07

I'll entertain the motion for approval.

3:10

Second.

3:11

We have a motion and a second.

3:12

Clerk, you'll please open the machine for voting.

3:15

Council members, please enter your votes.

3:18

Seeing that all present council members have voted.

3:20

Clerk, you please tally and announce a vote.

3:22

Madam Chair, motion to approve the agenda passes unanimously, with Councilmember Driscoll being absent.

3:27

Thank you.

3:28

We move to our open forum set.

3:30

Uh clerk, are there any speakers?

3:32

Madam Chair.

3:33

Okay.

3:34

Do we have any on Zoom?

3:35

We do have one in the okay.

3:37

If can you please read the rules?

3:39

If you wish to address city council on subjects other than public hearing or quasi judicial items listed on the agenda, please sign up with clerk.

3:47

Only the individual wishing to speak may sign the open form sheet.

3:50

Only citizen, city residents, owners of property, business owners in the city, or their employees may speak.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Community Engagement████████████████████20%

Water And Wastewater Management██████████████14%

Public Health███████████11%

Community Events██████████10%

Parks and Recreation████████8%

Procedural███████7%

Racial Equity██████6%

Public Engagement█████5%

Arts And Culture█████5%

Summary of Proceedings

City of St. Petersburg City Council Meeting - January 15, 2026

The St. Petersburg City Council met on January 15, 2026, with all members present except Councilmember Driscoll. The meeting included an invocation, pledge of allegiance, approval of the agenda, one public comment, several awards and proclamations, reports from Tampa Bay Water and Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital, a resolution extension, and two new business referrals.

Public Comments & Testimony

Lemma (Bay Area Dream Defenders, resident of Enclave Apartments) advocated for council members to include the Save Our Streets campaign in their budget priorities, requesting $2 million for youth programming to address gun violence. She noted that the St. Pete police budget was increased by $10 million last year and urged similar investment in youth.

Awards & Presentations

Trail Town Designation: Cheryl Sachs (Transportation and Parking Management) presented on the city's designation as a Trail Town by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for the Greater Arts District (Pinellas Trail from 31st Street to the waterfront). The designation was approved unanimously by the Florida Greenways and Trails Council in December 2025. Sachs highlighted partnership with businesses, Sunline Organization, and next steps including visitor passports and hosting the FDEP meeting in April 2026. Councilmembers commended the effort and discussed outreach to more businesses.
Localtopia Day Proclamation: Mayor Kenneth T. Welch proclaimed Saturday, February 14, 2026 as Localtopia Day in St. Petersburg. Olga from Keep St. Pete Local spoke about the 13th annual festival at Williams Park and encouraged support for local businesses.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Proclamation: Mayor Welch proclaimed Monday, January 19, 2026 as Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. George Smith, Chief Impact Officer, announced 27 MLK Communities in Action Mini-Grants and recognized the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival as parade organizers. Councilmembers emphasized continuing Dr. King's legacy.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Founders Day: Councilmember Deborah Fig Sanders proclaimed Thursday, January 15, 2026 as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Founders Day (118th anniversary). Local chapter president Janae Skipper accepted.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Founders Day: Councilmember Fig Sanders proclaimed Friday, January 16, 2026 as Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Founders Day. A local representative noted the chapter's 71 years of service in St. Petersburg.
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Founders Day: Chris Lampley from Enoch Davis Recreation read a proclamation for January 9, 2026 as Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. Founders Day (106th anniversary). The local chapter has been in St. Petersburg since November 14, 1963. Councilmember Givens celebrated the constitutionally bound brotherhood with Zeta Phi Beta.

Reports

Tampa Bay Water Update: Chuck Carden, General Manager, reported that Tampa Bay Water supplies 209 million gallons per day (MGD) to six member governments, with St. Petersburg purchasing about 28 MGD. The wholesale rate is $2.64 per thousand gallons. Current projects include expanding the surface water treatment plant from 120 to 145 MGD, developing the South Hillsborough Well Field (6-12 MGD), and constructing a 26-mile pipeline. Carden discussed PFOS regulations (4 parts per trillion standard by 2031), drought conditions, and the Waterwise conservation program (1 million gallons saved per day as of November 2025). Councilmember Harding asked about supply challenges; Carden noted increasing scarcity and the need for conservation, desalination, and innovative water reuse.
Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital Annual Update: John Moore, President, reported that since acquisition in October 2020, the hospital's grade improved from D to A, and it has earned multiple safety awards. New services include radiation oncology (opening March 2026), neuroscience expansion, and a STAR clinic linking ER patients to primary care. Three new buildings at Institute Square are open or opening, housing oncology, orthopedics, OBGYN, wound healing, and imaging. Community investment includes $243,000 in the latest funding cycle with the Foundation for Healthy St. Pete. Councilmember Givens discussed sickle cell disease training in the ER and potential workforce housing partnerships. Moore noted ongoing helmet education for e-bike/scooter injuries.

Resolutions

F3 - Advanced Air Mobility Task Force Deadline Extension: Unanimously approved a resolution extending the task force's completion deadline to February 28, 2026.

New Business

G1 - Referral to Committee of the Whole on City Beautiful Commission: Councilmember Hanowitz requested a discussion on the purpose and role of the City Beautiful Commission, including its advisory role on beautification matters. Unanimously approved.
G2 - Referral to PSI on Hexagon Sidewalk Preservation: Councilmember Hanowitz requested a discussion on city practices regarding hex block sidewalk preservation and code enforcement, noting inconsistencies between sections 8-6(3) and 16.40.130.3 of the city code. Unanimously approved.

Key Outcomes

The agenda was approved unanimously (Councilmember Driscoll absent).
Resolution F3 was approved unanimously.
Referrals G1 and G2 were approved unanimously.
The meeting adjourned before 5:00 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome to the City of St. Petersburg City Council meeting. Your elected officials are Mayor Ken Welch. District 1, Copley Gurtis, District 2, Brandy Gabbert, District 3, Mike Harding, District 4, and Council Chair, Leseth Panowitz. District 5, Deborah Fake Sanders. District 6, Gina Driscoll. District 7, Corey Gibbons Jr. And District 8 and Council Vice Chair, Richie Floyd. Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the January 15th City Council meeting. Harding. Hanowitz. Here. Driscoll. Gibbons. Here. Lloyd. Here. Today we will have our invocation by the Reverend Leonte Tukes from New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church. Please stand and then please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you, Chair Handle. God of our weary year. We're grateful for your mighty acts to ingrain and maintain such a world and society. This month we've celebrated the founding of organizations to contribute to the uplifting of humanity and service and support of their communities and others. We additionally recognize the birth of such a prestigious voice in our history whose impact was so vast, his voice and his message spread across America. Although today we offer that work, we still troubled by political confusion, create crisis and costs and the labor of living in our communities. However, we know that God Almighty can fix this. So today we beckon, we invoke and we invite his presence today amidst our city council members, our residents and city leaders in the city of St. Petersburg to have the same mind. The reproach and approach, much like that of Dr. King, that the matters that affect us so much would one day be changed and most impactful for our future. May his wisdom and tender loving hand guide the working decisions made today to build a greater city and essentially greater communities and societies. God, we need you. We thank you, and we welcome you. And I seal this prayer with the only name that matters, the name that is above every name, where the government shall be upon his shoulders, our Father our God, amen. Amen. I pledge by the United States of America and the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for our all. Thank you, and please be seated. Thank you, Reverend Tukes, for that beautiful and timely invocation. Council members, we have an agenda before us. I'll entertain the motion for approval. Second. We have a motion and a second. Clerk, you'll please open the machine for voting. Council members, please enter your votes. Seeing that all present council members have voted. Clerk, you please tally and announce a vote. Madam Chair, motion to approve the agenda passes unanimously, with Councilmember Driscoll being absent. Thank you.

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