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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Tarpon Springs Commission Meeting - July 14, 2026

Board of Commissioners & CRA — Tuesday, July 14, 2026

BodyTarpon Springs, Florida

SessionBoard of Commissioners & CRA

DateTuesday, July 14, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:11:56

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

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Speaker 1

0:44

I now call to order the regular session meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the City of Tarpet Springs on Tuesday, July 14th, 2026 at six o'clock.

0:54

Roll call, please.

Speaker 2

0:56

Mayor Kulianis is absent and excused.

0:59

Vice Mayor Kulias's absent and excuse.

1:01

Commissioner Eisner.

Speaker 1

1:03

Here.

Speaker 2

1:04

Commissioner Banther?

Speaker 1

1:05

Here.

Speaker 2

1:05

And Commissioner Weaver.

1:06

Here.

Speaker 1

1:09

Tonight we have reflections from our invocation will be given by Chaplain Adrian Murray from Advent Health Hospital and my friend.

1:19

Thank you.

1:20

Please stand.

Unassigned speaker

1:23

And

Speaker 1

1:23

also remain standing for the pledge after.

Speaker 3

1:28

Let us pray.

1:29

Holy God.

1:31

You are known in your word as the great I am, the Alpha and Omega, the Almighty.

1:40

You are worthy to be honored and praised.

1:45

For all that you give humanity, we ask of you now to give us wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and your grace to lead Tarpon Springs higher, better, and stronger, not because of humanity, but because of you.

2:07

Be with our leaders.

2:08

May they trust you as they lead.

2:12

And for the community, may we trust you as we follow.

2:18

This we pray in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

2:22

Amen.

Unassigned speaker

2:44

So

Speaker 1

2:45

before I speak uh and bring up the special presentation, I did want everybody to look.

2:51

At first Friday, we had two officers who did some outstanding tarpon, just proud to be tarponites.

3:01

They were just great.

3:04

One officer found a person with dementia that was just wandering around very close to Craig Park, and possibly something could have happened, and he uh officer Mellon found him really quickly, and it was it was something uh I should say detective Mellon found him so quickly that he kind of shocked the rest of the police force how fast he, you know, he he retrieved that person.

3:29

So we really want to thank him for that.

3:31

And

Unassigned speaker

3:32

uh

Speaker 1

3:32

Officer Rodriguez was uh I was there when she actually uh located somebody's uh credit card, you know.

3:40

Our first Fridays are a little bit hectic and people lose things, and she was just so kind as to retrieve and return it.

3:47

So I thought that they too should have, you

Unassigned speaker

3:49

know,

Speaker 1

3:49

be recognized as as quality citizens.

3:52

So would um Dave Gillam is is Gillam, would you please come up with Megan?

Unassigned speaker

4:22

It's

Speaker 1

4:22

not often that we get superheroes from other states, but I have to tell you that before I read your citizenship uh award, uh, what you did, what I read was amazing.

4:37

I wasn't here in town, I was in Texas visiting my grandkids,

Unassigned speaker

4:40

and

Speaker 1

4:40

I had heard what happened, and I just cannot believe that what you did, and I can't believe that you know that you brought this up.

4:48

It was excellent to have.

Unassigned speaker

4:50

I

Speaker 1

4:50

don't know.

4:51

Were you were you a little nervous when that was going on?

4:54

No.

4:54

Okay.

4:56

Excellent.

4:56

So let me get

Speaker 4 · Possibly Marty Peters

4:58

this.

Speaker 1

5:02

Do you want to tell a little story first?

5:04

I'm go ahead.

5:05

I'm sorry.

Speaker 5

5:06

That's okay.

5:07

Thank

Unassigned speaker

5:08

you.

Speaker 5

5:08

Uh my name is Megan McIntyre.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Affordable Housing█████████████████████████████████33%

Procedural███████████████████19%

Fiscal Sustainability███████████████████19%

Parks and Recreation██████████10%

Historic Preservation█████5%

Engineering And Infrastructure█████5%

Community Engagement███3%

Economic Development██2%

Water And Wastewater Management██2%

Summary of Proceedings

Tarpon Springs Commission Meeting - July 14, 2026

On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, the Board of Commissioners of Tarpon Springs, Florida, held a regular session from 6:00 PM to 7:11 PM at City Hall Auditorium. Acting Mayor Mike Eisner presided (Mayor John Koulianis and Vice Mayor absent). The meeting featured a citizenship award, a proclamation for Parks and Recreation Month, public comments, a consent agenda, a second-reading ordinance for a subdivision plat vacation, and a quasi-judicial resolution approving a 32-unit townhome development. All votes were unanimous (3-0) on items requiring action.

Special Presentations & Proclamations

Citizenship Award: Dave Gillam was honored for his brave actions on May 28, 2026, at the historic Safford House. During a storm, electrical arcing caused a chair to catch fire; Gillam grabbed the chair and threw it outside, preventing further damage. The award was presented by Acting Mayor Eisner and Megan McIntyre, Interim Director of Cultural and Civic Services.
Proclamation: Acting Mayor Eisner proclaimed July 2026 as Parks and Recreation Month, recognizing the contributions of Parks and Parkway Maintenance Supervisor James Burke and Recreation Superintendent Jamie Taylor and their teams.

Public Comments & Testimony

Marty Peters (1702 Heritage Oaks Court) criticized the state legislature's focus on waste and fraud in local governments, contrasting it with Tarpon Springs' handling of a past expenditure issue, and urged the commission to resist having power taken away.
Jane Harrington (1021 Jamaica Way) thanked the board for enforcing rules against clapping/disruption at meetings. She also discussed the property tax cut debate, urging transparency about increased tax revenue from new development and asking the city to streamline and automate processes to save money.
Unnamed public commenter proposed a system to lock in property values upon purchase to stabilize taxes. He also read a Bible passage (Isaiah 65:1-4) and raised questions about conditions for a prior development related to conservation easements, eagle management plans, wetland enhancement, tree mitigation, and transportation management, requesting status updates.

Consent Calendar

All items on the consent agenda were approved unanimously (3-0) with no discussion or public comment:

Attorney fees for Unice Salzman P.A. (invoices 90885, 91183)
Extension of file no. 230097-C-AS (fencing, gate operators, and handrails)
Award for repair services for Godwin pumps (file no. 260175-N-PH)
Single source purchase of Vactor and Elgin OEM parts and service (file no. 260176-N-PH)
Amendment to Pinellas County CDBG subaward agreement (CD25TSCCG)
Fire Station 70 funding agreement with Pinellas County
FBI Memorandum of Understanding
Single source purchase of Cummins OEM parts and service (file no. 260178-N-PH)
Novation for utility billing services (file no. 250089-C-PH)
Golf course irrigation system upgrade (file no. 260188-C-PH)
Purchase of CAD system/ARMS services and crime scene/fingerprint agreement (file no. 270001-C-PH)

Ordinance on Second Reading: Vacation of Lake Butler Heights Subdivision Plat

Item 14 – Ordinance 2026-11: Vacating approximately 37,035 square feet of right-of-way (portions of Statelberg Avenue, Burke Street, and an alley) in the Lake Butler Heights subdivision. Staff noted a minor modification to the effective date. One public commenter urged the board to use this as an opportunity to open Diston Avenue and align with the city's comprehensive plan. The commission passed the ordinance 3-0.

Quasi-Judicial Resolution: 32-Unit Townhome Development on Mango Street

Item 15 – Resolution 2026-23: Site plan approval for 32 single-family attached dwelling units (townhomes) on 4.52 acres south of Mango Street, east of Disston Avenue. Staff recommended approval with conditions, including a waiver for an alternative sidewalk design. The Planning and Zoning Board had recommended approval with two additional conditions (enhanced landscaping and exploring a utility easement for future Diston Avenue expansion). Acting Mayor Eisner declined to incorporate the easement condition as speculative.

Public comment: Julie Wade (1095 Main Sale Drive) expressed support, noting the need for affordable workforce housing and complimenting the builder's previous work.
Applicant testimony: Matt Silverane (DR Horton) described the project details: private streets, stormwater pond, common open space, and a private lift station. Parking includes 2 spaces per unit (garage + driveway) plus 20 guest spaces. The project is master metered with individual meters.
Commission discussion: Members expressed strong support, emphasizing the need for missing-middle housing and affordability. Commissioner Banther questioned drainage impacts; the applicant stated the project would reduce runoff to Mango Street. All three commissioners praised the project. The resolution was approved unanimously 3-0.

Board and Staff Comments

Commissioner Weaver commented on the statewide property tax reform proposal, pledging responsible spending and tax reform.
Commissioner Banther supported Weaver's remarks and acknowledged the voters’ role.
Acting Mayor Eisner congratulated Major John Gibson on completing FBI training, praised police and staff, and defended the commission's fiscal stewardship. He noted the difficulty of budget decisions and warned of potential service cuts if the tax cap proposal (reducing discretionary revenue by $3M in year one, $5M in year two) is enacted.

Key Outcomes

All consent agenda items approved (3-0).
Ordinance 2026-11 (vacation) adopted on second reading (3-0).
Resolution 2026-23 (townhome site plan) approved with staff conditions (3-0).
Meeting adjourned at 7:11 PM.

Meeting Transcript

I now call to order the regular session meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the City of Tarpet Springs on Tuesday, July 14th, 2026 at six o'clock. Roll call, please. Mayor Kulianis is absent and excused. Vice Mayor Kulias's absent and excuse. Commissioner Eisner. Here. Commissioner Banther? Here. And Commissioner Weaver. Here. Tonight we have reflections from our invocation will be given by Chaplain Adrian Murray from Advent Health Hospital and my friend. Thank you. Please stand. And also remain standing for the pledge after. Let us pray. Holy God. You are known in your word as the great I am, the Alpha and Omega, the Almighty. You are worthy to be honored and praised. For all that you give humanity, we ask of you now to give us wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and your grace to lead Tarpon Springs higher, better, and stronger, not because of humanity, but because of you. Be with our leaders. May they trust you as they lead. And for the community, may we trust you as we follow. This we pray in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. So before I speak uh and bring up the special presentation, I did want everybody to look. At first Friday, we had two officers who did some outstanding tarpon, just proud to be tarponites. They were just great. One officer found a person with dementia that was just wandering around very close to Craig Park, and possibly something could have happened, and he uh officer Mellon found him really quickly, and it was it was something uh I should say detective Mellon found him so quickly that he kind of shocked the rest of the police force how fast he, you know, he he retrieved that person. So we really want to thank him for that. And uh Officer Rodriguez was uh I was there when she actually uh located somebody's uh credit card, you know. Our first Fridays are a little bit hectic and people lose things, and she was just so kind as to retrieve and return it. So I thought that they too should have, you know, be recognized as as quality citizens. So would um Dave Gillam is is Gillam, would you please come up with Megan? It's not often that we get superheroes from other states, but I have to tell you that before I read your citizenship uh award, uh, what you did, what I read was amazing. I wasn't here in town, I was in Texas visiting my grandkids, and I had heard what happened, and I just cannot believe that what you did, and I can't believe that you know that you brought this up. It was excellent to have. I don't know. Were you were you a little nervous when that was going on? No. Okay.

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