City Council

>> Welcome to the city of St. Petersburg City Council meeting and your elected officials our mayor Ken well. District one hopefully Curtis. District 2 Randi gabbard district 3 Mike Harding its strict for and Council chair Lisette can away. District 5 ever think Sanders. Gina Driscoll. Were you given Stu year and and Council vice chair reaching Floyd. >> To the JULY 23th 2026 City Council meeting clerk if we can have a roll call please events here or there Curtis you're never parting there and once. Today we're going to have our indication given by pastor Paul Gibson of Trinity Lutheran Church. It's going to be followed by a moment of silence and our pledge of allegiance if you all can please stand. Good afternoon pastor. Good afternoon. >> GOD of justice and truth. We thank you for all the blessings of life. And adequate food. Peace and personal security. And especially in this season. We thank you that our governments local state and federal continue to be of the people by the people and for the people. We pray for those seeking office that they would be guided by a desire to serve and not a desire for power. That they would serve the lowest and the least of their fellow citizens and keep their needs always in mind that they would seek opportunity and prosperity for all and not only for some. We pray for those who oversee the process of elections that they would be honor and respected and permitted to do their work without hindrance. That they would encourage all citizens to participate. Without fear of harassment or of being taken into custody without cause. We pray for those who will keep our city safe. During elections. Campaign events and political rallies. We pray for the citizens of this city. This County and this state that they would enthusiastically engage in the work of evaluating and selecting that the people they want to serve them and their communities. Having placed our future in your care. We also pray for the needs of today. Especially for those traumatized by and grieving the death of a city employee. We ask you to be present in this meeting of our City Council. So that all participants can speak the truth and listen with discernment and compassion. Help us to work together to make this city all that you would have it be. We asked this in the name of all that is holy. All that is loving and all that is true. >> These remain standing for a moment of silence as we honor the memory of our city employee who we just lost and recognize her service to our community. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag. The United States of America and to the Republic for it's a stance. One nation under GOD and then there's a whole with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you pastor for that beautiful invocation. Council members we have an agenda before us and retain a motion for approval with approval. You have a motion in the second clerk if you can open the machine for voting council members please enter your votes. In that are present council members a vote a clerk please talent to the MADAM Chair motion to approve the agenda passion and you know some of that risk of being absent. Thank you. We have a consent agenda clerk, we have any cards. Okay on trucking which for approval. The approval. And the motion a second clerk if you can open admission for voting. Council members please enter your votes seeing that a present council members have voted clerk please tally announce the vote count your motion to approve the consent agenda passes unanimously. We council member driskell being absent. Thank you. We move on to open for him to have any to really please read the rules. Us urges City Council on subjects other than public hearing work judicial items listed on the agenda. Please sign up with the clerk. Only the individual wishing to a sign the open form she only city residents on his property. Business owners in the city or the employees MAY speak all issues discussed on the open for must be in the mid to issues related to the city of St. Petersburg government. If you're speaking to an item on the agenda you MAY only speak once during the open for or when the item comes up on the agenda. Applause is not permitted except in connection with awards and presentations in order to provide an opportunity for all citizens to address Council. Each individual were given 3 minutes to speak and after which the microphone will be muted. If you wish to address City Council to the zoom meeting. You must use the raise hand feature button in the zoom app or interest are 9 on your phone and on the agenda items address. When it is your turn to speak up on you to annex to state your name and address at the conclusion of the comments or when you reach the 3 minute time limit. You will be muted. All raised hands will be lowered after each agenda item regardless of the method of participation news, normal rules apply, including 3 minute time limit on comments the requirement that any presentation materials must be submitted in advance of the meeting and the rules of decorum it's like public comment is disrupted by violation of the rules of the core that your offer eyes to accept public comment by alternate means including by email only we do have 2 speakers in the chamber, MADAM Call them both Kristen Robinson and Brad fallible please go to I the podium state your name address or cross Street and you have 2 minutes to address to the council. >> Hello good afternoon. My name is Kristen Robinson I love it for 3, 6, 6, screens for Avenue South in child's Park. Thank you to the mayor City Council and city staff who've been working on that. Saint Pete, agile resilience bond referendum. I'm speaking on behalf of our more than 430 members of the League of Women voters of the St. Petersburg area as co-chair of our community center development committee. Our top priority is educating voters so they can vote their values that every election. We will be busy this fall explaining both constitutional amendments and referendum choices to voters. We support the h e r s committees resolutions and items g 6, 7, 8, 9, being considered by Council today. We have taken a position at the state level to oppose state amendment 3. We have not yet sorry in order to support the bond referendum. We ask that our city consider the recommendations of the Sierra Club and Kona as well as the following. On reviewing the available documentation. Online we noted that important information regarding project budgets timelines and future public oversight particulars is not all available in one single location user-friendly formats and some details where missing or hard to do that. The cpi drove resilience plan both compliance and overlaps with 2 other regional planning and resilience processees each with its own timelines and funding goal so further clarity would be helpful. Communications materials seemed to have been created with internal government audiences in mind rather than the general voting public at this stage. We recognize that a handful of public meetings were held in a survey was conducted. But we would really encourage to see to consider and open government approach that treats residents not as possible consumers to be consulted but is active citizens who have valuable knowledge and skills they can contribute just all of our shared problems. Voters can be allies and collaborators be on the ballot box if the city invest in building a culture of active citizenship for example on the committee I represent alone. We have more than 2 dozen members with decades of experience in procurement, governance public engagement urban planning data science investment deals law, small business and even someone with gis mapping skills. They represent just a fraction of the talent here in Saint Pete that could be better topped to support the city. The challenges we are facing are daunting complex and require diverse expertise, long-term good governance and citizen engagement. If we get public engagement rate for this project it can become an opportunity to build public trust and a shared sense of ownership of the future going forward, we have a few more concrete proposals in mind for how this could look including program planning practive dated information disclosure, communication, public engagement and transparency and we would welcome the opportunity to meet with any of you to discuss this further at your convenience, thank you. Thank you. >> My grandfather in area way South. Good afternoon Council council members Florida made a constitutional promise to the people article one section 24 of the Florida Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to inspect the records of their government, not a statute not a policy a constitutional right today. I want to show you where the rate currently sits in St. Petersburg behind one person signature. I read all 125 pages of the city's city auditors policy manual Pete's 35 says no audit report MAY be released until the mayor signs of released memorandum and an audit is final only when the mayor says it said it says it is final under Section one Florida statutes penality is the exact moment, a report in all of its work papers become public records. So the rate of a quarter of a million residents to see the audits for how their money is spent. Waits with no deadline on the signature of an official most likely to be embarrassed by what the audit found where the people's elected representatives in this process, nowhere Council does not receive audit reports Council cannot request an audit, the policy reserves that power for the mayor and the city administrator. The manual says the auditor merely has quote access to City Council and this JANUARY the requirement that the auditors office produce a public record as a as an annual report was deleted without likely Council's knowledge looking into fraud gets worse every front of a Geisha is routed by policy to the mayor and the city attorney with no alternative. Channel when the allegation involves either of those parties criminal referral to law enforcement is discretionary for fraud waste and abuse for city money but mandatory for state and federal grants and the official whistleblower gate keeper who decides whether an employee's complaint gets investigated at all. Wayne quote time and expense serves at the pleasure of the mayor democracy has one non-negotiable requirement voters must be able to see we can only vote on what we know and audits or how the city tells itself and its people the truth when the audit. It official controls the auditors job the auditors work plan, the public's access access to the audit's findings are the auditors findings that is not oversight that's narration. This is not about the people currently in these drops the auditors credentials are excellent it is about a structure. No other serious city tolerates for Lauderdale Jacksonville Austin Texas, Seattle Washington, even Pinellas County all put the auditor separate from the mayor or ensure that they are under the legislative body. So on behalf of the residents, 3 demands all within your existing power one request to release log. How long the draft report sweet for the mayor's signature to request the last external quality assessment, the auditors own charter promises every 5 years and 3 big in the ordinance to bring this auditing official under Council with every final report transmit it to you and posted publicly for us to see on a fixed schedule. You are the legislative body of the city, the public's right to know is in your hands and we are watching all watching what you all do. Thank you. You we're seeking MADAM CHAIRMAN Sir. David Har Har Bittner please go to the podium state your name address or cross Street you have 3 minutes to address it accounts. Thank you David herbine or 2 to 5 9th Avenue North. He and I'm here to speak in favor of the general obligation referendum language as well as for resolution 6 to 9 in the new business outlining activities will basically support the general obligation bond. A little background within that I had a chance or but my peers in the Sierra Club had a chance to meet with many of the City Council members as well as we spent a lot of time with administration and public works. A shout out to the mayor for bringing the concept of doing something faster to Claude Tankersley for taking that to heart and actually attempting to bring something forward that City Council could actually address and try and bring forward and the City Council for challenging the language and the way that things are going to be overseen and exactly what the impacts are to our community. The fact is resiliency needs to be invested in our city our infrastructure has been underinvested in for too many decades. We have any the ones who live here now but we need to pay up we need to make sure that we can do things correctly none of us like to pay more. The reality that is this is an investment in not only the PRESIDENT But also in our future. So I do ask that you please support both the general obligation referendum as well as new business item 6 through 9. Thank you. Thank you. No more speakers matter. Thank you. We close open form and now we move onto awards and presentations first item we have is the one. This is a presentation from the time out to students. Our sister city student ambassador program and David Johnson is going to start is. Thank you, thank you chair, thank you Council. David Thompson director of government affairs and on behalf of myself, I'm and Celeste Davis our director of arts culture and tourism we are very excited to for the 3rd year post pandemic bring our Japanese student ambassadors to you as part of the program are students who go to Japan. Give a presentation to the Japanese City Council and talk about too. They actually have 40 council members so a bit more intimidating. What we have here today, but our students do a great job and that our sister city students and talk about too to a fantastic job as well very quickly, I do just want to introduce to you all. Stephanie chill. She is the new program director for Spears handling the sister cities program and I do well I was missing something real quick to him. >> Hello City Council I want to take a minute on behalf of steps and our families this year who are participating to thank you for the support of this program. It is truly a life changing experience for the students who get to participate in it creating global citizens who represent us abroad as well as further. What international communities like talk about who are doing right here in Clearwater. I also want to thank the dozens of city staff. Colleagues in nonprofits who have made sure that this is a very full and memorable trip for all the students who are here visiting Saint Pete. This morning we actually just went to Lakewood high to see a forensics camp and the Robotics camp, so they did that again amazing school experience while they're here during summer. Thank you again. >> And a quick that you just want to acknowledge our students who traveled to talk him out of the only got back what about less than a week ago. So we have a liberating him from Northeast high. Elise Chandler from Saint Pete high and co Landers from Saint Pete high so we're all very proud of you. But today. This is about your sister city siblings, so it's my pleasure to introduce cook on a Shohei and Rico who will all give their presentations individually. Thank you Council. Thank you. The first step we have to I could have you been. >> Hello everyone. My name is Khan a Gucci and it took a month said it has school student. Get listed. I do know that word she she and then list at code a lion dance today. I want to share the deep history of this tradition and the strong bones and create people. Today she is much cheaper for them to drive away evil spirits from local homes or to show gratitude to the gut she line. It's history goes back to the end of the period that time all this time why backs and they become it became popular is an exciting performance. This is we're a place you'd coast costumes and moved to lead likely music to surprise and surprise entertained the audience. The single over those to our nation and the ca Xi era. That lie ahead. In the past they wouldn't made of food and locker making them very heavy today, the most remain out paper. So the dancers are can move them more easily. As you can see in the photos the she she has different colors expression is depending on the patient. Now this to quick ways where is the theme of the line you have to speak to. And you want to do it. >> We saw the presentation before hands, it wouldn't be fair for me to say. Lavar be intimate to a cat 3 a lion. Cain. 2 or 3. K. The quick answer use to cap. Yeah. It is at stake in the question. How heavy is this hand. >> 1000 pounds. >> The correct answer is about 2000 kilograms. When I was a child I used to crawl and that those heavy had and the county it up every day festival. As you can see. Though she has been carefully protected over time, changing its shape and wow it feet if it each committee. We Mate. We face a major change challenge today. Few children are in tears and the lion dance and we didn't now have enough young people to take over. This weight. This precious treasure from that Pierre you might disappear. That is why mean must not only dance but also issue, it's turned with more people. The she she and the as as she she and the out who made one that brings my eyes. It's my eyes to the community. The shootings. She danced preservation society she she my house on Khai every day to keep this treaty. Every every day to keep this tradition alive. I hold my presentation today in space you to take an interest in that she and the jp to a nation arts. Thank you for listening. >> And for those inquiring minds 200 kilograms is 400 and about 440 pounds. Okay we have the dax presentation coming up. My name is Shohei has a lot and my name is Shohei but I'm not good at baseball. Yeah, I'm a socal media in depth on defense on the snout committee and on. I I do do this and another key it Nakagawa it's new or billing. A lot he's on a bulky Adina cook a lot. It's one of the largest our enough in the 2 area for each was opened in 2025. It can accommodate about and peloton people. But designed by Santa. Some not. It's made up to members. Cuddly owes his Yuma. I knew it and she's about. Most Lena in the want you know why that weeks those high. Any cause that's how being had at the beginning that could go up. And some famous musicians came down, I'm going to go. But then pull. It says on or staff. I and I and tomorrow by together. Youthful amateur and professional football. But Campbell in the high school championships and muscle meat. It could go a 5 hour with a professional basketball team. So you that I'm lucky I got to go. I thought I'm going to cook a lot like that to come up to. 100 40th piled on people how did that the arena. The people visiting downtown has increased by 10%. And the key I mean that kind of law has helped be to life took a month. I think the hardest thing. And good afternoon. >> Hello everyone. My name is. Hello everyone, my name is Rico. and I'm Buster from to commence the city today, I'm very excited to enter just one for peace of our look at culture took them eco or took a must pay per machine. Let me start by asking your question. What you think of traditional Japanese culture, what comes to your mind. >> That comes to mind. So really fast trains. Nintendo intended. It does The start, plenty cold, perfect recall it, it's on boats. Different it's home to many to unique tradition in crude know sushi Mucha and Fuji and traditional japhanie suites cold but she the Cube because she's sweet you see it here. You see here are cold to assemble which are made in kaka was some bone is Sir traditional high-quality japhanie singer known for its to leak hits with us and met in your most 6 year. In addition to assemble. Cohen is widely known as the city of art just like Saint Pete. I would like to share with you how to cope a famous traditional are from kagawa prefecture. Let me explain what's hard to eat higher comey's papier-mache Thomas Hart go study in at a but full 100 years ago. It is said to the Mets data who drew that to come out every are studded making these toys at the sites job. Like mass produce press 6 toys today. Every single take and that's how you go it's handmade by skewed craftspeople. Now I'd like to talk about that characteristic of how you cope. The first major characteristic of her to come it's hard to go. It's that it's made almost and Terry a paper. Long ago paper was very. So people recycle old Dyke show which would business account book from the end of period and Alden use paper to make the in in their layers. This means if you could look inside a 100 year old took them, it's hard to cope. You might find your own history. Historic recalls or a personal letters from the past. It's likely a tiny paper time top so nowadays they're made from use paper and washi Jeff nice paper for more. Despite being made of paper and being hollow the docent in creative least 30. This art created the production process involves and engaging for step towards formation. The very first and Morse important step begins with the artisans shaping a court more from the clay. This claim old it's then bake in the high temperature over 120 up 1000 truth, 2000 degree Celsius to make it incredibly strong and local. Paper it's fake pace only into play Mort layer upon layer new jury but wind 6 to 10 times to ensure. Strength. It's lifted right now tree under to sound as it dries the paper fevers tightly bond. The calming reach reach it wasn't. Dan show. This is the more surprising step to excite to heavy clay Mort from the inside. The artisan takes a shot Sharpe believes and cop to hard paper shell complete tree in half. After removing the mold. The carefully pace in the 2. How this back together. What paper is pace on you to claim Mort layer upon layer, I'm sorry. A decir face in then cold with Dolphin, why Potter made from she shows disgraced us mostly shoes, put finished, it, looks likes chemist Sara mic finally the artisan pains to the event kicks fission and punctures accoding to him pacing the I speak why are some most concentration. Now ai we show you heard of the process of cresting freshman they Rico. The original video it's quite long so I will show you it 2 out 3 times feet. >> Yeah, it is a The. In now so. The next slide. >> Another wonderful characteristic is Manning behind these choice. The most famous for the year in Hoke it's hochul son. She's cute girl are in red came They didn't states. 2 us a grave digger who saved the for it. Princess by taking per 6 MISS Away because of this story people in Tacoma to give hochul sundal 2 babies up to charms to protect them from illness. In conclusion take on Nicole it's more than just a traditional craft. It's a symbol of our city's history. The high ski use of our artisans and a timeless love with children. As a boster I'm proud of I'm proud to share this beautiful tradition and this place if you ever visit to check on that Sir I highly recommend looking for Dee's form smiling papier-mache figure. Thank you for listening. >> That is a truly beautiful tradition I think my daughter would love to do papier-mache and do that. And the deputy son is due from talk about that you have a gift to present to council at the time and she's going to give back. And I introduced the gift. Des ring in. It's for the City Council. These talent keep Mott's a bull is a total our baked sweet shaped like a pine tree. a few inches. This a simple comforting sweeten its. And crisp texture on the outside. On the South most things side. It comes in 2 flavors my job and me still. It's most though most out of the week faith has made it that be loved little Cafe but for many it's and this gift also includes key box. 3 types of Japanese tea. Center game I jot and hold the job. We hope you will enjoy this time of the month the ball up to get the with these teeth. Well thank you. We'll definitely here this week. If you count we can pick up break right now I maybe we'll find after a peak time for a key break. Thank you so much about Dow. It looks very good. So your that he back then we have. I think it's close I can open it. So these are the cookies. Well can we look forward to trying the bank you so much and you did a wonderful job with your presentation thank you we have councilmember Givens who want to say something thank you so much chair, according to a. Thank you all so much for being here today and thank you David thank yous less thank you Stephanie are Spitz team. Thank you to your families for allowing me the opportunity to travel abroad at such young age. I had the opportunity at 17 years old in my junior year to travel to talk about some and I was a student ambassador for the city of Saint Pete under mayor Baker's administration and I was so blessed to be able to participate in that program because it did give me a cultural experience that truly changed my life for the good. For you all this is your first taste at global citizenship. This is an opportunity for you to step into the shoes of leadership because I see future leaders should he when you spoke about the arena that seats 10,000 people I could not help but think about our Tropicana field site which I hope you get to see one day because it gave me an idea that I would love to see you talked about concerts and entertainment venue a sports Arena. That's what I would like to see here a world-class arena just like what talking Matson has you all brought back some great memories I had to think about my days when I've been talking about so I ate lots of sushi. Drink, lots of matcha and now we that he places popping up all over the place here in Saint Pete, but. What I MISS Most are those decadent desserts. So thank you so much for blessing us with this and thank you so much for choosing Saint Pete. You could be doing anything with your summer. But you have chosen this cultural immersion to really learn more about the world beyond Japan. And we welcome you from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you so much tomorrow battle. >> Again thank you. But also think the capper owns Stephen everyone who works to make this happen every year. This is one of the our favorite things here at City Council when we get to have you here in chambers and you presentations and we learn always so much about your culture and hopefully you get to learn a little bit about St. Petersburg as well. So we love the cultural programs and always invite our students to partake in it so you make friendships you know from far away and hopefully we can maintain those friendships and maybe some day I get to go personally and see you. So thank you for again for everything. Thank you okay. Well just give them the minute. The next item on their agenda is the f one s why 2027 budget. We have which requires a two-thirds majority vote of City Council and b which is read the resolution setting the dates for public hearings. >> Good afternoon chair members of City Council today we take the first official step 2 in the process to adopt the fy 27 budget for the city of St. Petersburg after this brief presentation Council will be asked to take action on 2 resolutions. The first will set of proposed millage rate and the second will set the dates and times of the 2 public hearings. The first of which is scheduled on Sept. 3rd and the second on Sept. 17th at 06:00pm and at City Hall. Florida statutes 200.0 6, 5, The city's hearing dates cannot conflict with the school board or the Board of County commissioner hearing date and the school board is scheduled for Sept. 8 and Pinellas County on Sept. 10th and 24th. By Tue.. JULY 28. The city is required to provide the trim information to the county's property appraiser's office. This provides them the time needed to mail the trim notices on Aug. 17th and the proposed millage rate will appear on that run notice. If the millage rate increases between today and the first public hearing the city is required to notify each property owner of the change at the city's cost. And we can reduce the millage rate but we cannot increase it without incurring these additional costs. The proposed millage rate for fy 27 is 6.4 5, 2, 5, Mills and it's the same millage rate as last fiscal year. This rate will bring in about 2 243.7 million in ad valorem revenue which is an increase of about 6.5% or 14.8 1 5 million over the fy 26 adopted budget. The recommended general fund operating budget overall increased by 25.4 million or about 6.1 7% over last year. This slide shows the proposed millage rate calculation property values received from the property appraiser's office as of JULY 1st in 2026 are 39.3 4 1 billion. We use 96% of the total property values, which competes to 37.7 6 7 billion to account for any and collectibles or discounts and are 96% is in our city's fiscal policies. We then look at the fy 27 general fund operating budget requirements. 437.3 to 4 million. And then we back out the other general fund revenues that are non ad valorem which amount to a 193.6 3 3 million to get the ad valorem revenue needed of 243.6 9 1 million. We then take this amount which is shown as be on the slide and divide it by the 96% of gross value which is shown on the slide to get the total Levy of 6.4 5, 2, 5, Mills. This site contains a chart with the history of the operating millage rate for the city. During the last 12 years the millage rate peaked at 6.7 7, 0, 0, and fy 16 and again the proposed rate for fy 27 is 6.4 5, 2, 5, and the same as last year's rate. The trend more the to the millage legislation requires that calculation announcement of a rollback rate at public hearings and a newspaper publications. The rollback rate is the millage rate that would bring in the same tax dollars as the prior year with an allowance for new taxable value added to the city's tax base. The fy 27 rollback rate is calculated at 6.3 8, 5, 4, Mills and would generate about 241.1 5 8 million. Or about 2.5 3 million below what is currently budget in the fy 27 recommended budget. The proposed millage rate of 6.4 5, 2, 5, result in an increase of about one percent over the rollback rate. Property values in the city overall increased by 6.8 5% in fy 27. And included in this increase are the 3 city's 3 tif districts which increased by 3.3 1 8 million over last year's adopted budget. During special session f the Florida Legislature passed Senate bill 4, 5, or 4 f which was later signed by the governor. This new law amends Florida statutes 200.0 6, 5, which is related to the method of fixing mileage. Specifically this new law amends. The statue to remove the calculation of the current year's maximum millage rate based on the prior year's taxes and maximum millage rate and removes the option to Levitt Levy the adopted rate from the prior fire. Based on this new law the maximum millage rate that maybe love levied by a majority vote of City Council is the rollback rate which is computed under Florida statutes 200.0 6, 5, section one. The city MAY adopt a millage rate up to a 110% of the rollback rate by a two-thirds vote of City Council. And the city MAY adopt a millage rate exceeding a 110% of the rollback rate by unanimous vote of City Council. In prior years, a majority vote was usually needed to pass the millage rate. The based on the changes to the Florida statutes 200.0 6, 5, a two-thirds majority vote is City Council is required to pass to pass the proposed millage rate of 6.4 5, 2, 5, for fy 27. Concluding this ad there's information on the mayor's fy 27 recommended budget on the city's website. And this concludes the presentation thank you and are there any questions. Thank you councilmember Givens. Thank you chair and thank you so much Liz Tom skirt us everybody. You said something that you said we can reduce but we cannot increase our military. Can you de Deus for me how did we get to where we are how do we decide on this number because it's my understanding as you stated property values have increased so why did we not decrease our millage rate this year. So we can increase the millage rate after this point but then the cost to advertise that millage rate are borne by the city and so we can increase that we just it's you know you can reduce it without any cost, but if you increase it after this point then there's an additional cost and if I can go back to the presentation. We calculate the millage rate based on the needs that are in the budget and they can go back to that slide. So based on our recommended budget of 437.3 to 5 million. Let me back out our other estimated revenue source is the 2 for that we need 243.6 9 1 million and ad valorem revenue to have a balanced budget and then we take that current grossed taxable value, the 96% of it that gives us the millage rate we needed. >> And councilmember I wanted to maybe address the kind of philosophical. A portion of your question and as I mentioned to you probably the other day on the phone you know we look at the millage rate annually and I think Liz has a slide showing that. The the previous the 3 a 3 of the 4 previous years we did slightly reduce the millage rate and Mayor what his philosophy has always been we should look at it in yulee and chip away when we can. Now in this year when we approach this year we knew was going to be a challenging budget cycle. We knew that we were going to be looking for reduced expenditures across the organization and it just didn't feel like it was the right year to then again reduce the millage rate at this time. And I appreciate that explanation. Thank you Tom for taking time to speak with me and I want to warn about that and you said something that you didn't mention just now Tom, but you mentioned, and it really put in perspective, we're still recovering from 2 Hurricanes 2 years ago. And I think when you talk about needs Liz a lot of the needs infrastructure. You know everything this is what helps pay for that and so I just want to put it in perspective for those who are listening here in at home. As we try to deduce our millage rate based on what's been propose we have to take into consideration. The fact that yes we chip away when we can but we still have needs that have to be addressed so thank you so much, thank you chair. Thank you councilmember death. Thank you MADAM Chair. First of all I just want to I want to thank the whole team. You know when we first started this conversation. >> You know we were talking JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH we were talking about an $18 million Delta. And you brought to us you know a proposed budget that frankly even though 2 and a half million dollars is a big deal, especially when you're talking about 240 of the 243 to $3 million goes towards public safety. Bringing us a balanced budget and so I while I appreciate councilmember Givens perspective this could have gone the other way really badly it had been worse and so I'm just very thankful for the continued work, the collaboration on this budget and get them keep being able to keep the millage rate where it is in my opinion I think is is just a massive job well done so move approval. Have a motion a second clerk. If you can open machine for voting in Butte is not a state police. Members please entry votes. Seeing that a present council members a vote a clerk please telling us about MADAM CHAIRMAN to approve of John f 1, 8, passes unanimously Council mergers school being absent. They would rule if one b again. So we have f-one be have a motion and the second this is setting the date for public hearings. But the commission for boating council members please enter your votes seen at a prison camp members have voted clerk please telling announce the vote chair motion to adjourn if one be passes unanimously. The council Richards school being absent. Thank you and thank you, Liz and calm and everyone on the team for your work on this. Next up we 3 this is a good news item that was ruled by councilmember Gabbert I'll turn it over to you. Thank you MADAM Chair and very happy to see this on the consent agenda today. One and just to go ahead like I put to good news because this is something I'm working on for a bit. There's a couple of areas in the city where we have a bit of a gap in the flood cameras that have been being utilized by usf Saint Pete and the storms slide to be able to do community input around flooding in particular areas. And so when we saw this come up on the consent agenda. I wanted just to bring that forward so the individual residents realize that these cameras are the gaps are being filled in by the city. There's still you know some question about wi-fi and things like that moving into the future but we're also working on that and then while I had an opportunity MADAM Chair I also just wanted to let everyone know that if they're interested in the work that usf Saint Pete Chris and the storm squad are doing. There's actually a community conversation taking place is this Sat. From 10 to one at new faith free Methodist Church on Irving's Avenue South in South Saint Pete, hopefully people will attend that if they are interested because they'll learn all about not only what the storm squad is doing to bring community engagement within our resiliency planning. But also the flood at that I think is really coming along this data is going to help to inform that as well and fill in those gaps. So I hope that people will come out get involved and become even a greater part of storms squad as we continue to do neighbor by neighbor community outreach and community conversation around flooding preparedness and all of the vulnerabilities that we have in our coastal cities so with that. Aaron. Well thank you councilmember we're just happy to be apart and putting another license agreement together for these cameras in 2024, we did 8 of these license agreements with usf they reached out for another one and we're happy to do it. Real quick, MADAM Chair MAY do we have any update on the Riviera Bay camera that we're also working on. I don't today but we certainly follow up because when we had our last committee meeting about this there were 2 gaps there was the Riviera Bay area along 83th and the park where we're doing the. The nice gate pilot project and then also the Perry Bayview along clam Bayou and so very glad to see this one move forward, but on behalf of my district want to advocate again publicly for that so that we can fill those gaps on both sides of our cities so very good. All right. Thank you MADAM Chair. All approved the resolution and the motion and second second. Clerk if you can open making for boating council members please enter your votes. In present council members a vote a clerk please telling out the chair motion to approve agenda item 3 passes unanimously we counseled risk of being absent. Thank you and thank you. Aaron. >> It will be back. Yes, he will we've seen Aaron a lot longer. Next up we have new business items and we have a few to go through so we'll start off with g one councilmember gathers. Thank you, MADAM Chair respectfully requesting referral to health energy resilience and sustainability committee or other relevant Committee for an update on the private lateral rebate program this is a staff request and I so move thank you. Councilmember Curtis, thank you I know I realize this was a staff I request that you've been working yeah on this as well and just happy to have this conversation looking forward to frankly working on this during your last few months on Council if you live in that so. Thank you for bringing this forward thank you. We have a motion a second clerk you can open the machine for voting House members please enter your votes seeing that all present council members voted clerk Kelly announced the chair motion to approve the John g one passes unanimously with councilmember Driscoll being absent thank u next up we have key to councilmember Givens thank you. Respectfully requesting referral to the housing land use and transportation Committee or other relevant committees for discussion on regulating data center developments. The discussions are focused on whether the city's comprehensive plan and land development regulations adequately address data centers as an emerging land use or whether amendments are necessary to ensure a comprehensive permitting process and compatibility with surrounding land uses some of that I move for approval. >> Thank you. Councilmember I mean by hear Floyd thank you. Thank you for the new business item we just wanted to give an update we had a discussion and this about forward about this in for Pinellas last month. The consensus at the time was that the county would have. I don't know what her knowledge you are using something about it moratorium on them until we were able to do the. >> Work that was required 2 be able to adequately regulate them and so I just wanted to give everybody an update that that's what the county is talking about I think, but I think this new business item definitely is important because regardless of what the county does we have to have this as well so I appreciate it salt second. The motion. Thank you thank Councilmember give is I have been having conversations also on the same issue with administration then legal and we do need that path of figuring out what's happening because I think a lot of people don't know what's happening and and even though my understanding is you know like those big data centers will people think of are not here in St. Petersburg. There is no framework and there's lots of conversations as to what can happen if something comes up so I think it's extremely timely so with that being said we have a motion and a second clerk and you can open the machine for voting council members please enter your votes seeing none all present council members have voted clerk please tally announce the chair motion to approve a Gen g 2 passes unanimously. Councilmember Driscoll being absent thank u next up we have 2, 3, councilmember Givens thank you. Respectfully requesting referral to the housing land use and Transportation Committee or other relevant committees for an update and discussion on the existing safety standards and enforcement measures for e-bikes and e-scooters discussions that center on opportunities for increased awareness concerning traffic rules in restricted areas with that I move for approval. >> Second clerk, if you can open the machine for voting council members please enter your votes seeing that all present council members voted clerk please County announce the vote and chair motion to approve the John g 3 passes unanimously Council mergers school being absent thank u next up we have g 4 councilmember fix Sanders, thank you in Chile is really popular today. Respectfully requesting referral to the housing land use and Transportation Committee or other relevant Committee for discussion regarding potential code amendment to provide that for single-family detached homes in neighborhoods suburban in neighborhood traditional zoning district to building Heights to be measured from the design flood elevation plus 5 fee for qualifying drive under homes with the entire ground floor is utilized to leave of parking storage access. In other flood complaint 9 from habitual habitable ew says oh yeah, so anyway in just a brief from background on this, you know, I've met with one of the developers that's trying to alleviate flooding. And they want to elevate the homes where the. Living area was above the parking garage. >> MADAM Chair and as you know living in the sunshine. We can talk about these things any other whenever I saw this come up on the agenda. I was very glad that you brought this forward because I've had meetings not only West builders as well because obviously just like your district, this is an issue in mind as well and we actually had a meeting with builders and our city team. So we have done quite a bit of work on this with our city staff already so I don't know if you've met with staff 2 so I don't know I guess we'll have those conversations in committee but I mean if you're going to run with it also working on it. Well I frankly, there's no reason for both of us to work on it's I got enough to do it. So your good just wanted to let you know that those meetings kind of have been moving forward on my end and so I'll just wait and see what we have a discussion on in well I don't have an issue with it I can take it over after you leave if we do well not I mean 5 month it's a big it's a big conversation right so it's going to probably outlive this year anyway, so yeah, I mean I just wanted to and full disclosure like you know that I have those conversations with staff and with the developers are the builders. I can say without a move approval Motion second clerk we can open a machine for voting council members please enter your votes, seeing that are present council members voted clerk please tally announce the vote MADAM Chair motion to approve a Gen g 4 passes unanimously with Council that risk of being absent thank u next up we have to 5 councilmember fix Sanders. Thank you this came from a very productive meeting with the same p 10 issue in in in our union and our very own. Minnesota Tom Green. It's start will need to read it respectfully requesting refer to the housing land use and Transportation Committee or other relevant Committee for discussion regarding proactive measures. The city can take to support residents when a privately-owned multifamily property for example, the Morgan places numerous households at risk of eviction the discussion should include an inventory and evaluation of existing city programs. Procedures and community partnership available to x's effective residents as well as the potential expansion of such programs in how we came to this conclusion in just wanting to have this conversation is we know administrative Foster and her team are phenomenal with relocating. Residents but something magnitude of what happened at the Morgan. We just want to have any information for constituents. In a in a way moving forward if we should ever have something like this before. So in in that meeting I think all of us probably have have the conversations with illegal regarding to the Morgan as to what we can and cannot do. So Ed of that conversation with the same continues union who are very appreciative for them wanting to have this conversation in understanding where the impact is then what the city can and cannot do in instances like this is so this is just put everything in one person one please. If we are forced with something like this before we would be able to answer some questions that are presented by the community and with that I move approval, second and the Bush a second councilmember Curtis Boucher. >> I think you know me I'm always open or most of the time opened I was always trying to put myself in that box. To the conversation but I think you just explained it I just want to discount double check. So this is more of like an emergency provision if something like this were to happen again we're not talking about like full scale. This is based on what happened with the Morgan and some cite some sort of emergency action. Yes, thank you very much. Thank you I'm sure in just for that you can ever have ahead and just for that I do know vice chair Floyd has some things somewhat similar about you know systems to something like that that this is totally different and then that so this is more so us being prepared as the city as to how we can communicate to the residence just in case we have a lot to thank you very much for the clerk. Thank you, MADAM Chair. Thank you for his second clerk we can open the machine for voting council members please enter your votes. Seeing that a person council members a vote a clerk please telling announce the vote MADAM CHAIRMAN to approve g 5 passes unanimously with counselors or school being absent. Thank u next up. We're have g 6 and the rest of these are going to be vice chair Floyd so start with the. Thank I want to say something about all of them at first so that you can understand where I was going for. Item g 9 is a resolution. That encompasses the things that are in g 6, 7, 8, g 6, 7, 8, are us moving them to action. But Jean Ina sort of us stating our values and our position as a Council on how we are going to handle. Storm resiliency going forward so I'll start and we'll start with individual pieces g 6. And obviously if there's any questions. On anything specifically we can get into that. G respectfully requesting referral to the health energy resilience and sustainability sustainability Committee for discussion on the creation of a city policy outlining natural and ecological based storm water and surge considerations for competitive solicitations all move approval. Second. We have a motion a second councilmember Curtis thank you, thank you, MADAM Chair. Vice chair. Thank you for that kind of overarching I appreciated that. I just wanted to put it out in the atmosphere that. I think these things if the go bond passes we and we put it on the ballot and passes these things become significantly easier to fund my my what I would be thinking about because they're your items and I I'm certainly going to be think about thinking about is how we would do that if it doesn't pass because I'm assuming you want to move forward with these actions whether the go bond passes or not just based on the comprehensive thought process I think you went through on these and our stakeholders and so the backup to that would be how do we fund these things if they go bond doesn't pass and we don't have a pot of money to create these plans in the advisory boards of those things. >> Yeah that's a very good point you can see there were it was written all of this was written so that it was not just about to go bonds on so. Yeah, yeah I definitely agree. Everything that I brought forward some of its you know lowering for than others, especially when it comes financially, but it's what I would say is yeah we would definitely have a thoughtful and fiscally responsible conversation about it in the future. >> And MADAM Chair from the. Yeah I appreciate that I just wanted to make sure that we were thinking about if they're that pot of money wasn't there because and I agree there is low hanging fruit. I think we can I think. Jonathan was a box of the most of us and not all of us agree that these are worthwhile things to be pursuing. Whether or not to go bond happens or not again I think it always especially right now just things it comes back to where we find that funding worked how do we use it and when so I appreciate the thoughtfulness thank you MADAM Chair. Thank you. We have a motion in a second. Where can you can open the machine for boating council members please enter your votes. You know present council members voted quickly selling out to both MADAM Chair motion to approve g 6 passes unanimously. We council member driskell being absent the 7. Thank Before this one I will just uplift appointment earlier. I have spoken to staff particularly Claude and about all of make sure that we're all on the same page report brought this forward I just wanted that to be out there as well. For g respectfully requesting referral to the health energy resilience and sustainability Committee for discussion on the creation a comprehensive citywide resiliency planning a move approval are going to. In a motion a second councilmember gathered. Thank you MADAM Chair and first I want to say thank you. Vice chair Floyd for. Kind of moving forward this resiliency planning obviously I mean it's I think encouraging for us to have someone who does not live in the coastal neighborhoods to kind of carry the torch of resiliency into your second term. So I'm very encouraged just as a resident. That you are taking this up and moving forward with all of these things and on behalf of all of the neighborhood across the city I just want to raise up the work that was done. That was a plan that was resident driven it was done across 9 neighborhoods across the city not just in the coastal neighborhoods. I want to remind everyone it was Bartlett Park old Pasadena, shore acres cooking a key Harbor Dale Kingston Street along planned by you Revere of a child's Park and Bonita by you and the reason that those neighborhoods were selected was not only because they had been having challenges with flooding long before 2024 storms. But because we did want to take a citywide approach to this issue that work has been done that work is really I think the framework for a citywide resiliency plan and so I want to just to again thank those neighborhoods and their leadership in Kona for really driving that early work again thank this Council for funding that study and I want to make sure that that does not get forgotten because I've spoken with cloud about this. The work does not have to begin from scratch and I spoke in the Sierra Club about this as well. You know there was you know talk of how much will this cost how long will this take we don't have to start over. If you take the resiliency Pete action plan that our residents work so hard to put together and Tampa Bay, regional planning Council partnered with us on. You have the framework for moving forward with a citywide resiliency plan. So please do not start over. Please take that work honor the work that the team did that our residents Ted and please you know find a way to integrate that into a citywide plan because again like all studies that we do everything that we it's important that our residents see that those investments go to action that's why we called it an action plan and that they are not just a study that sits on a shelf and then. As we get criticized for doing now they're going to spend more money now they're going to create another study what's going to come from it I just really want to elevate that lift that up I've had these conversations with Clyde so it's no surprise to him if he is listening that I really want to see us build on that work and not start over from scratch. So thank you. Thank you vice-chair Floyd. Thank you I appreciate that actually in the resolution I guess like could have done this in the new book business item now that I look back at it. I listed. Plans that had already taken place and I think there was like and more at the end. But you're right I should have listed what's a very important plan that's likely going to exist as like the base of what we. Do so when we get to that item I was actually going to ask for a friendly ok well all right, ok we'll get we'll talk about it then yeah. Yes. >> We have a motion second. Yes, ok quick and you can open a machine for boating council members please enter your votes seeing present council members a vote a clerk please telling us about MADAM Chair motion to approve agenda in g 7 passes unanimously, the council member driskell being absent. Next up next item but you're Floyd thank I am respectfully requesting or for us to the health energy resilience and sustainability Committee. For discussion on the creation of a citizen led resiliency advisory board. The only thing I'll say about this is I think it goes along. Well with the conversation we had about the. Oh goodness. Subcommittee I can't remember the name right now are in thing. Yes and so I think in in addition to all the conversations we've had today about storm resiliency and whatnot it also Continuation of that of rubble, second motion second clerk if you can open mission for voting. >> Being present Council members voted quickly selling also MADAM Chair motion to approve agenda g 8 passes unanimously. We counseled risk of being absent. Thank u next up to 9. Respectfully requesting approval of a resolution calling for transparency and comprehensive planning in the city storm resiliency actions requesting that administration create a public facing dashboard detailing the city's efforts to upgrade and maintain the city's storm resilient infrastructure of course in that administration given equal consideration natural and ecological based solutions when considering storm resiliency projects and supporting the creation of a citywide resiliency plan we'll move approval. Thank you and a motion second councilmember gathered. Thank you MADAM Chair, so continuation of the last conversation. So in the language and I'm not quite sure you know how we kind of come to memorializing this. But when you talk about you know these different studies a couple of things kind of hit me whenever I read this judicially and and first I want to be redundant. But the resiliency Pete action plan. I will not be able to support this if we do and that's to add that action plan in out of respect for the residents who spent their time doing that. So that's I want to be clear on that the second thing is you know we have our storm water master plan and you know it does talk about the potable water planning that is technically the Saint Pete water. Plan I think is what that is called so I would you know ask that we reference that specific verbiage on that plans so that we are very clear as to what we are looking at because those are the 2 plans that we're putting together really right to be able to come up with resiliency planning and then and you know I guess I was curious talks about the spark plan in the capital improvement plan. We don't really have planning documents per se around those 2 things other than the budget that you know we work on every single year. So I'm confused what exact planning documents were talking about with spar because I'm not aware of specific planning documents that are directly related to spark other than what is in our budget. So maybe that's an administrative question. And it's far originally started as an unfunded list last year. Now as far has become a list of capital improvement projects that come from these other 2 plans. So I'm just a little confused about that verbiage and I just want to be super clear what that is because this is going to be along. Long game. This is all going to live past us. So I think we need to be really clear what his client. I can see over there. We need to be really clear about what plans were talking about what plans for investing in what plans we are using to GOD this work. So I'll leave that for whoever wants to do it like maybe councilmember mean sure new business item did you have something in mind with this referenced you want to speak to him first before us. Yeah, I'll just quickly speak and say the entire point of this reference was to basically make a statement that said we're not going to start over and we're gonna actually so I am open to however people feel comfortable because this was just something that was written to say that we do have plans already in place and we're going to build on top of them and so which if you if people feel strongly that like there's something that should definitely be mentioned or clarity that should be out of here, I'm totally fine with that. So before we go into further into this Clyde just so we can I think we mentioned a few plans and to be clear. The same Joe resilience comes from from the stormwater master plan my understanding and the Saint Pete water plan right for the most part for the most part, yes are there so we have those plans right so we have the stormwater master plan we have to say if you want to plan c p water is not included in here one clue that seat as far as not a plan. Then take that out. Then we have resilient cp action plan. There's capital improvement plans mentioned is there anything else Clyde that MAY have not been mentioned. That