OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

St. Petersburg City Council Meeting - August 13, 2026

City Council — Thursday, August 13, 2026
BodySt Petersburg, Florida
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, August 13, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:42:01
Transcript — Verbatim
0:05

Welcome to the City of St.

0:07

Petersburg City Council meeting.

0:10

Your elected officials are Mayor Ken Welch.

0:14

District 1, Hopley Gurdis.

0:18

District 2, Brandy Gabbard.

0:21

District 3, Mike Harding.

0:24

District 4 and Council Chair, Leseth Hanowitz.

0:29

District 5, Deborah Fake Sanders.

0:33

District 6, Gina Driscoll.

0:36

District 7, Corey Gibbons Jr.

0:40

And District 8 and Council Vice Chair, Richie Floyd.

0:48

Good afternoon, everyone.

0:50

Welcome to the August 13th, 2026, City Council meeting.

0:54

Clerk, can I please have a roll call?

0:55

Floyd.

0:56

Here.

0:56

Curtis.

0:58

Pat Gabbard, here.

0:59

Harding.

1:00

Here.

1:00

Canowitz?

1:01

Here.

1:03

Driscoll?

1:03

Here.

1:04

Givens.

1:05

Here.

1:05

Today we're going to have our invocation given by Pastor Michael Hawkins of Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church.

1:11

If you could please stand and then remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:16

Good afternoon, Pastor.

1:18

Yeah.

1:18

No.

1:20

We thank thank you for the opportunity to come before y'all to this day.

1:23

Let us pray.

1:25

Our Father in heaven, we come now.

1:27

We want to first say thank you for this day.

1:29

Thank you for the opportunity.

1:31

And God, I want you to say thank you for this city of St.

1:34

Petersburg.

1:35

We ask that you bless everyone that is here, those of our citizens, but touch the council, our mayor, and everyone is involved and making decision that cooler heads prevail and that we'll be able to do the business that you have set before.

1:48

So we thank you for this opportunity.

1:50

And this we ask in Jesus' name we pray.

1:52

Amen.

1:53

Amen.

2:03

One nation under God.

2:08

Justice for all.

2:09

Thank you.

2:09

You may all be seated.

2:10

Thank you, Pastor, for that beautiful invocation.

2:15

Council members, we have an agenda before us.

2:17

I'll entertain a motion for approval.

2:20

We have a motion and a second.

2:22

Clerk, if you can open the machine for voting.

2:24

And council members, please enter your vote, seeing that all present council members have voted.

2:27

Clerk, please tally announce the vote.

2:29

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

2:34

Thank you.

2:35

Clerk, are there any speakers for open floor?

2:37

Yes, there is.

2:37

If you can please read the rules.

2:40

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 the clerk.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Mental Health Awareness███████████11%
Transportation Safety███████████11%
Budget Equity Analysis██████████10%
Homelessness██████████10%
Community Engagement████████8%
Public Engagement███████7%
Youth Programs██████6%
Procedural████4%
Water And Wastewater Management████4%
Summary of Proceedings

St. Petersburg City Council Meeting - August 13, 2026

The St. Petersburg City Council held a regular meeting on August 13, 2026, at 2:00 PM. The meeting included public comments, four proclamations, discussions on utility rate ordinances, a report from Forward Pinellas, an update from Boley Centers, and a referral for historic designation. The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:35 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • The agenda was approved unanimously (Councilmember Gertis absent).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Alexander Westleck (340 47th Street North) urged the city to remove Flock cameras and end SPPD's relationship with ICE, citing privacy concerns and abuses by police.
  • Jason Scott (4636 Redfish Lane) requested creative solutions for water utility rate increases, including reducing PILOT (payments in lieu of taxes) and pushing back against Duke Energy's misinformation.
  • Gary Wallace (11601 4th Street North) asked the city to do everything possible to keep utility rates from rising.
  • Thomas Gross (4927 13th Avenue North) supported public ownership of the energy grid but urged addressing water rate increases and reducing PILOT transfers to the general fund.
  • Marley Price (5034 32nd Avenue North) called for alternatives to across-the-board water rate increases, including reducing PILOT and ensuring new development pays full sewer capacity fees.
  • Lena El Hassan (Barclay State of Gandhi) spoke in favor of the Save Our Streets proposal to create safe spaces for youth and address gun violence, thanking Councilmembers Gabbard and Floyd for prioritizing it.

Discussion Items

  • Utility Rate Ordinances (E1A, E1B, E1C): Council set public hearings for August 27, 2026, on sanitation, stormwater, and water/wastewater rate changes. A motion to request full cost recovery ($1,700 per water closet) for the sewer capacity fee in the ordinance passed unanimously (with Councilmember Gertis absent). Councilmember Floyd raised concerns about PILOT and franchise fees, suggesting a plan to shift burden from utility rates to property taxes. Councilmember Harding questioned the logic, noting that reducing PILOT would require higher millage rates or cuts.
  • Forward Pinellas Update (F1): Executive Director Witt Blanton presented on the proposed MPO merger (Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas), streamlining countywide planning, and e-bike safety. Councilmembers discussed bicycle/pedestrian safety, autonomous vehicles, and regional rail. A merger targeting July 1, 2028, is underway.
  • Boley Centers Firefly Project (F2): CEO Kevin Morone and team presented the mobile outreach unit for individuals with severe mental illness and homelessness. Since January 2026, they have interacted with 85 individuals, provided over 1,000 services, initiated 9 Baker Acts, and diverted 75 crises. The van received praise for its trauma-informed, dignity-centered design.

Key Outcomes

  • Vote on E1A (sanitation rates): Passed 6-1 (Gibbons no, Gertis absent).
  • Vote on E1B (stormwater fees): Passed 6-1 (Gibbons no, Gertis absent).
  • Vote on E1C (water/wastewater rates): Passed 6-1 (Floyd no, Gertis absent).
  • Motion to request full cost recovery ($1,700) for sewer capacity fee: Passed unanimously (Gertis absent).
  • Referral G1 (Williams Park Bandshell historic designation): Referred to HLUT committee; passed unanimously (Gertis absent).
  • Announcements: Councilmember Gabbard requested prayers for flooding in her hometown in Indiana. Councilmember Fig Sanders announced a community discussion on police-community relations on August 18.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome to the City of St. Petersburg City Council meeting. Your elected officials are Mayor Ken Welch. District 1, Hopley Gurdis. District 2, Brandy Gabbard. District 3, Mike Harding. District 4 and Council Chair, Leseth Hanowitz. 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 August 13th, 2026, City Council meeting. Clerk, can I please have a roll call? Floyd. Here. Curtis. Pat Gabbard, here. Harding. Here. Canowitz? Here. Driscoll? Here. Givens. Here. Today we're going to have our invocation given by Pastor Michael Hawkins of Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church. If you could please stand and then remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Good afternoon, Pastor. Yeah. No. We thank thank you for the opportunity to come before y'all to this day. Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we come now. We want to first say thank you for this day. Thank you for the opportunity. And God, I want you to say thank you for this city of St. Petersburg. We ask that you bless everyone that is here, those of our citizens, but touch the council, our mayor, and everyone is involved and making decision that cooler heads prevail and that we'll be able to do the business that you have set before. So we thank you for this opportunity. And this we ask in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. One nation under God. Justice for all. Thank you. You may all be seated. Thank you, Pastor, for that beautiful invocation. Council members, we have an agenda before us. I'll entertain a motion for approval.

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