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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

City of Tarpon Springs Board of Commissioners Meeting Summary – March 10, 2026

Board of Commissioners & CRA — Tuesday, March 10, 2026

BodyTarpon Springs, Florida

SessionBoard of Commissioners & CRA

DateTuesday, March 10, 2026

StatusFILED

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Unassigned speaker

7:25

Speaker 1

7:26

call to order the regular session of the Board of Commissioners of the City of Tarpon Springs Tuesday, March 10th, 630 PM.

7:34

Roll call, please.

Speaker 2

7:35

Mayor Kleinas.

Speaker 1

7:36

Here.

7:38

Here.

Speaker 2

7:38

Commissioner Cluyas.

Speaker 1

7:40

Here.

Speaker 2

7:40

Commissioner Di Donato.

7:41

Here.

7:42

Commissioner Banther.

7:43

Here.

Speaker 1

7:44

Tonight's reflection will be uh uh by uh Major Ted Morris of the Salvation Army.

7:51

Thank you so much, May uh Major.

7:53

And uh it'll be followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

7:56

Please stand.

Speaker 3

8:08

So place the mantle of leadership upon their shoulders to lead this great community.

8:13

Father, we thank you for the members of the staff who work behind each one of them uh to prepare for days such as today.

8:20

Thank you for our first responders, our fire and rescue, those who strive to make our community safe for all of us.

8:27

God, we thank you for this venue in which the business of our city can be done in a public way, and thank you for citizens who are here to observe and participate in this process.

8:37

May the decisions made tonight and the deliberations made be in line with your will for this community, for it's in your holy and your precious name we pray.

8:46

Amen.

Unassigned speaker

9:14

Speaker 1

9:15

it behind ah, there it

Unassigned speaker

9:16

is.

Speaker 1

9:32

Always gets um

Unassigned speaker

9:33

Speaker 1

9:34

it's always an exciting day, gets a little contentious.

9:37

Uh that's what Tarpon's all about.

9:40

Um but you know, we should thank the three people that put their names in, put their uh hats in the ring to run for office to represent all of us, and we should uh thank them all for for doing that.

Unassigned speaker

10:00

Um whoever wins, remember that before we are uh commissioners or any uh official of the city, our most important job in the city is being a resident and a citizen.

Speaker 1

10:10

So whoever is elected represents all of us, including the people who sit up here as well.

10:17

So they'll be making decisions on our behalf.

10:19

We should all support them regardless of the outcome of tonight's election.

10:23

So I just wanted to say

Unassigned speaker

10:24

that.

Speaker 1

10:24

Um we I'm gonna move the agenda around a little bit.

10:29

We had uh special presentations first, but um Commissioner Brian Scott, or uh the chairman of the uh of the commission of the Pinellas County is running a little behind.

10:40

So we're gonna go to the proclamations first.

10:43

So our first proclamation is Irish American Heritage Month, and I'm gonna ask our um,

Unassigned speaker

10:51

Speaker 1

10:51

think our token Irishman, uh Commissioner Banther to come up uh with me and uh say a few things.

Unassigned speaker

11:06

Are you talking about?

Unassigned speaker

11:08

I've got a quarter of eight.

Speaker 1

11:24

And with

Speaker 4

11:24

uh a little bit of everything,

Speaker 1

11:28

President Bill Locke come forward.

11:30

Is he here tonight?

Speaker 4

11:31

You got the

Speaker 5

11:31

microphone for

Speaker 1

11:41

um President Bill Locke

Unassigned speaker

11:43

here

Speaker 1

11:43

from the Irish club?

11:45

Uh okay, so

Speaker 6

11:47

it's all yours, brother.

11:49

That's all me.

11:50

Okay.

11:52

Well, thank you.

11:52

So um this is my my daughter, Marin, and her birthday happens to say it, oddly enough.

11:58

So um, we went to Ireland in January and got to give the mayor of Dublin a a key to the city.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Veterans Affairs█████████████████████████████████████37%

Procedural████████████████████████████████32%

Parking Management██████████10%

Public Safety███████7%

Election███████7%

Environmental Protection██████6%

Community Engagement█1%

Summary of Proceedings

City of Tarpon Springs Board of Commissioners Meeting: March 10, 2026

The City of Tarpon Springs Board of Commissioners held their regular session on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at 6:30 PM in City Hall Auditorium. The meeting included special presentations honoring the life of Susan Harris and the Honor Flight program, proclamations for Irish American Heritage Month and Flood Awareness Week, and second readings on boat launch and vehicle parking ordinances. (Note: The automated transcript rendered the Mayor's name as 'Kleinas' and a commissioner's name as 'Cluyas/Kulyas'; the official agenda lists Mayor John Koulianos.)

Consent Calendar

All items on the consent agenda (Items 5-10) were approved unanimously without discussion. These included releases of liens, special event permits for the Sunset Hills PTA Color Run and St. Nicholas Holy Friday Procession, and awards for a portable generator, post-storm recovery services, hydrated lime services, and electrical testing services.

Public Comments & Testimony

Peter Lackis (Resident): Spoke against current military conflicts, criticizing the financial cost and human impact of war, and quoted from the Book of Isaiah. On Ordinance 2026-02, he recommended the city extend parking enforcement beyond Craig Park and repeated a request for a lifeguard at Sunset Beach.
Olga Sauchuk (Resident): Described the long-term burden of war on families based on her experience as the partner of a disabled Vietnam-era veteran, offered to help residents navigate the VA system. On Ordinance 2026-02, she expressed that parked boats on her street (West Lemon) helped slow down speeding traffic, speaking against the proposed restrictions.
Anita Frodis (Resident): Shared an anecdote regarding the ancient Greek origin of the bagpipes.
Susan Kickta (Former Commissioner, Resident): Expressed concern that Ordinance 2026-02 restricts residents' ability to boat. She proposed alternative parking solutions, such as utilizing the Hoffman lot or the shuffleboard courts.

Discussion Items

Special Presentation – Tribute to Susan Harris: Chairman Brian Scott of the Pinellas County Commission and City Commissioner David Banther presented a proclamation honoring the life, legacy, and entrepreneurial contributions of Susan Harris (DeCesare-Reis), a cornerstone of the Tarpon Springs maritime community. Family members accepted the proclamation.
Special Presentation – Honor Flight: Sharon Smith, board member of Honor Flight of West Central Florida, presented on the program which provides all-expense-paid trips to Washington, D.C. for veterans. She noted that the hub has flown 55 missions and over 3,800 veterans. Each mission costs $90,000 and serves 75 veterans. Commissioner Banther volunteered for the June 21st mission.
Proclamations:
- Irish American Heritage Month: Mayor Koulianos proclaimed March 2026 as Irish American Heritage Month. Commissioner David Banther and his daughter gifted the city a crystal bowl from the Lord Mayor of Dublin.
- Flood Awareness Week: The Mayor proclaimed March 9-15, 2026 as Flood Awareness Week. He noted 18 flood-related deaths in the Tampa Bay area during Hurricane Helene. Emergency Management Coordinator Megan Oraya recognized Holly Lingston for earning her Certified Floodplain Manager certification.
Ordinance 2026-01 (Boat Launch Permit, 2nd Reading): Passed unanimously. Staff stated the goal is to manage order at the city boat ramp.
Ordinance 2026-02 (Parking of Large Vehicles/Trailers, 2nd Reading): Passed unanimously (5-0). Vice Mayor Eisner emphasized that the primary driver is public safety, specifically emergency vehicle access on narrow streets. Commissioners acknowledged the need for alternative parking solutions, with the Mayor pointing to the upcoming Recreation Master Plan to explore a potential third boat ramp.
Ordinance 2026-03 (Parking at Sunset Beach, 1st Reading): Deferred to the April 28 meeting.
Election Results & Board Transition: Mayor Koulianos announced Lori Weaver as the winner of the general election. Commissioners (Banther, Di Donato, Koulianos, Vice Mayor Eisner) offered congratulations to Weaver and the other candidates, encouraging continued civic involvement.
Civility and Conduct: Commissioner Banther made a plea for civility on the dias. Commissioner Koulianos addressed what he called false rumors about a police escort from the previous meeting; the Assistant Chief confirmed no removal was ordered by officials and the officer acted to de-escalate an argument.
Vote Amendment: Vice Mayor Eisner formally requested to amend his vote on a prior ordinance regarding a $19.3 million loan from negative to positive for the public record, stating he had received further clarification on the funding breakdown.

Key Outcomes

Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously (Items 5-10).
Ordinance 2026-01 (Boat Launch Permit): Approved 5-0 on second reading.
Ordinance 2026-02 (Parking Large Vehicles): Approved 5-0 on second reading.
Ordinance 2026-03 (Sunset Beach Parking): Deferred to the April 28, 2026 meeting.
Election Acknowledgment: Lori Weaver recognized as incoming commissioner.
Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 7:46 PM.

Meeting Transcript

I call to order the regular session of the Board of Commissioners of the City of Tarpon Springs Tuesday, March 10th, 630 PM. Roll call, please. Mayor Kleinas. Here. Here. Commissioner Cluyas. Here. Commissioner Di Donato. Here. Commissioner Banther. Here. Tonight's reflection will be uh uh by uh Major Ted Morris of the Salvation Army. Thank you so much, May uh Major. And uh it'll be followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Please stand. So place the mantle of leadership upon their shoulders to lead this great community. Father, we thank you for the members of the staff who work behind each one of them uh to prepare for days such as today. Thank you for our first responders, our fire and rescue, those who strive to make our community safe for all of us. God, we thank you for this venue in which the business of our city can be done in a public way, and thank you for citizens who are here to observe and participate in this process. May the decisions made tonight and the deliberations made be in line with your will for this community, for it's in your holy and your precious name we pray. Amen. Is it behind ah, there it is. Always gets um uh it's always an exciting day, gets a little contentious. Uh that's what Tarpon's all about. Um but you know, we should thank the three people that put their names in, put their uh hats in the ring to run for office to represent all of us, and we should uh thank them all for for doing that. Um whoever wins, remember that before we are uh commissioners or any uh official of the city, our most important job in the city is being a resident and a citizen. So whoever is elected represents all of us, including the people who sit up here as well. So they'll be making decisions on our behalf. We should all support them regardless of the outcome of tonight's election. So I just wanted to say that. Um we I'm gonna move the agenda around a little bit. We had uh special presentations first, but um Commissioner Brian Scott, or uh the chairman of the uh of the commission of the Pinellas County is running a little behind. So we're gonna go to the proclamations first. So our first proclamation is Irish American Heritage Month, and I'm gonna ask our um, I think our token Irishman, uh Commissioner Banther to come up uh with me and uh say a few things. Are you talking about? I've got a quarter of eight. And with uh a little bit of everything, President Bill Locke come forward. Is he here tonight? You got the microphone for

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City of Tarpon Springs Board of Commissioners Meeting: March 10, 2026

Consent Calendar

All items on the consent agenda (Items 5-10) were approved unanimously without discussion. These included releases of liens, special event permits for the Sunset Hills PTA Color Run and St. Nicholas Holy Friday Procession, and awards for a portable generator, post-storm recovery services, hydrated lime services, and electrical testing services.

Public Comments & Testimony

Peter Lackis (Resident): Spoke against current military conflicts, criticizing the financial cost and human impact of war, and quoted from the Book of Isaiah. On Ordinance 2026-02, he recommended the city extend parking enforcement beyond Craig Park and repeated a request for a lifeguard at Sunset Beach.

Olga Sauchuk (Resident): Described the long-term burden of war on families based on her experience as the partner of a disabled Vietnam-era veteran, offered to help residents navigate the VA system. On Ordinance 2026-02, she expressed that parked boats on her street (West Lemon) helped slow down speeding traffic, speaking against the proposed restrictions.

Anita Frodis (Resident): Shared an anecdote regarding the ancient Greek origin of the bagpipes.

Susan Kickta (Former Commissioner, Resident): Expressed concern that Ordinance 2026-02 restricts residents' ability to boat. She proposed alternative parking solutions, such as utilizing the Hoffman lot or the shuffleboard courts.

Discussion Items

Special Presentation – Tribute to Susan Harris: Chairman Brian Scott of the Pinellas County Commission and City Commissioner David Banther presented a proclamation honoring the life, legacy, and entrepreneurial contributions of Susan Harris (DeCesare-Reis), a cornerstone of the Tarpon Springs maritime community. Family members accepted the proclamation.

Special Presentation – Honor Flight: Sharon Smith, board member of Honor Flight of West Central Florida, presented on the program which provides all-expense-paid trips to Washington, D.C. for veterans. She noted that the hub has flown 55 missions and over 3,800 veterans. Each mission costs $90,000 and serves 75 veterans. Commissioner Banther volunteered for the June 21st mission.

Proclamations:

Irish American Heritage Month: Mayor Koulianos proclaimed March 2026 as Irish American Heritage Month. Commissioner David Banther and his daughter gifted the city a crystal bowl from the Lord Mayor of Dublin.
Flood Awareness Week: The Mayor proclaimed March 9-15, 2026 as Flood Awareness Week. He noted 18 flood-related deaths in the Tampa Bay area during Hurricane Helene. Emergency Management Coordinator Megan Oraya recognized Holly Lingston for earning her Certified Floodplain Manager certification.

Ordinance 2026-01 (Boat Launch Permit, 2nd Reading): Passed unanimously. Staff stated the goal is to manage order at the city boat ramp.

Ordinance 2026-02 (Parking of Large Vehicles/Trailers, 2nd Reading): Passed unanimously (5-0). Vice Mayor Eisner emphasized that the primary driver is public safety, specifically emergency vehicle access on narrow streets. Commissioners acknowledged the need for alternative parking solutions, with the Mayor pointing to the upcoming Recreation Master Plan to explore a potential third boat ramp.

Ordinance 2026-03 (Parking at Sunset Beach, 1st Reading): Deferred to the April 28 meeting.

Election Results & Board Transition: Mayor Koulianos announced Lori Weaver as the winner of the general election. Commissioners (Banther, Di Donato, Koulianos, Vice Mayor Eisner) offered congratulations to Weaver and the other candidates, encouraging continued civic involvement.

Civility and Conduct: Commissioner Banther made a plea for civility on the dias. Commissioner Koulianos addressed what he called false rumors about a police escort from the previous meeting; the Assistant Chief confirmed no removal was ordered by officials and the officer acted to de-escalate an argument.

Vote Amendment: Vice Mayor Eisner formally requested to amend his vote on a prior ordinance regarding a $19.3 million loan from negative to positive for the public record, stating he had received further clarification on the funding breakdown.

Key Outcomes

Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously (Items 5-10).

Ordinance 2026-01 (Boat Launch Permit): Approved 5-0 on second reading.

Ordinance 2026-02 (Parking Large Vehicles): Approved 5-0 on second reading.

Ordinance 2026-03 (Sunset Beach Parking): Deferred to the April 28, 2026 meeting.

Election Acknowledgment: Lori Weaver recognized as incoming commissioner.

Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 7:46 PM.

Meeting Transcript