City Council Meeting

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE FEBRUARY 17 GULFPORT COUNCIL MEETING. TONIGHT, IF YOU HAVE YOUR PHONE ON, PLEASE TURN IT OFF. AND YOU KNOW I ALWAYS SAY, IF YOU NEED TO HAVE A SIDE CONVERSATION I UNDERSTAND BUT JUST STEP INTO THE LOBBY PLEASE. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND WE WILL START OFF TONIGHT WITH THE CALL TO ORDER. THAT'S ME, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO TO INVOCATION. BUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TONIGHT IS WE'RE GOING TO DO THE INVOCATION THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THEN WE'LL DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. OKAY. SO REMAIN STANDING IF YOU WILL. WE'RE GOING TO DO A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR BOTH, GOVERNOR JESSE JACKSON AS WELL AS THE VICTIMS OF THE MASS SHOOTING IN RHODE ISLAND YESTERDAY. >> A QUOTE BY REVEREND JESSE JACKSON, MAY HE REST IN PEACE. THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PUT THE CORE BACK IN THE FRONT OF THE AMERICAN AGENDA. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU AND WITH THAT WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. >> COUNCIL MEMBER EARLEY. >> PRESENT. >> VICE MAYOR THANOS. >> HERE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. >> HERE. >> MAJOR LOVE. >> HERE. >> CITY ATTORNEY THE SALSTON. >> HERE. >> CITY CLERK CARICO IS PRESENT. >> THANK YOU, SO WE HAVE ONE PRESENTATION TONIGHT. WE'RE VERY LUCKY WE'RE GOING TO KICK OFF WITH A PRESENTATION FROM ONE OF GULFPORT'S OWN. CRISTINA KITER IS GOING TO DO A PRESENTATION. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT. MY NAME IS PRICILLA KITER. WE'VE ALL BEEN AFFECTED BY THE HURRICANES HERE IN GULF PORT AND STORMS AND VARIOUS OTHER STORM SURGE EVENTS. TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT A HYBRID LIVING SHORELINES FOR GULFPORT. WHAT ARE THEY? HOW DOES IT WORK? AND WHAT CAN IT DO FOR THE CITY OF GULFPORT. SO THINKING AHEAD 50 YEARS, WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE OUR BAY HEALTHIER. WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROTECT OUR CITY INFRASTRUCTURED. FEATURES HERE IS THE NEW SEA WALL IN FRONT OF CITY HALL. AND WHAT WE ASK IS TO CREATE A HYBRID LIVING SHORELINE. WHY? A HYBRID LIVING SHORELINE WILL TAKE CARE OF EROSION, IT WILL PROTECT THE SEA WALL. IT EXTENDS THE LIFE OF THE SEA WALL. AND IT WILL FILTER WATER. SO IT WILL DO FOUR THINGS. CLEAN THE WATER, CLEAN THE AIR, CREATE HABITAT, AND PROTECT INFRASTRUCTURE. AND HOW DOES IT DO THAT? I PUT THINGS UP THERE, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, SAME. HOW DOES IT DO THAT? THERE'S A HYBRID LIVING SHORELINE HERE BECAUSE A HYBRID LIVING SHORELINE HAS HARD GRAY INFRASTRUCTURE. A LIVING BAY WOULD BE LIVING COMPONENTS, OYSTER, STABILIZATION. OYSTER STABILIZATION, ATTRIBUTES SUCH AS OYSTER DOMES, OYSTER BAGS, VEGETATION. A HYBRID LIVING SHORELINE WOULD HAVE ALL OF THOSE COMPONENTS BUT IT WOULD ALSO HAVE A GRAY INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL. SO I HAVE VISITED MANY LIVIDDING --LIVING SHORELINES IN THE AREA THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED BY TAMPA BAY. HERE IT IS RIGHT HERE. BUT, I'VE, I VISITED MANY OF THEM. WE HAVE MAXIMA PARK, SAFETY HARBOR. LASTING PARK, I PARTICIPATED IN PUTTING OYSTER BAGS IN THERE. THE OYSTER BAGS WHAT THEY DO IS, FIRST OF ALL THE OYSTER DOMES WILL RECRUIT OYSTER SPAT WHICH GATHER UP ON THEM. AND THE OYSTERS WILL FILTER THE WATER. I THINK A LOT OF US KNOW THAT OYSTERS DO FILTER WATER AND THAT'S THE MAIN BENEFIT OF A HEALTHY ECO SYSTEM. ONE OYSTER CAN FILTER UP TO 50-GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY. ONE LITTLE GUY. SO, THAT'S PRETTY BIG DEAL WHEN YOU HAVE PERHAPS LIKE 100 OF THEM CRUSTED IN ONE DOME. OYSTERS COME IN DIFFERENT SIZES. DEPENDING ON THE PROJECT. THIS PROJECT IN FRONT OF VETERAN'S PARK IS ABOUT 180 LINEAR FEET. IT'S A SMALLISH PROJECT. VERY VISIBLE TO OUR CITY. USED IN A PARK THAT'S HEAVILY USED. PEOPLE CAN SEE IT. KEEP GP BEAUTIFUL IS INTERESTED IN IT. THEY WOULD BE IN FRONT OF MORE SHORE WARD OF OYSTER DOMES. AND THOSE BAGS WHEN THE WATER WASHES IN LIKE WE HAD THIS STORM THAT BRINGS IN SAND AND SEDIMENT. ALL THAT SAND AND SEDIMENT INSTEAD OF WASHING AWAY GETS CREATED IN THERE AND CREATES MORE SHORELINE. AND ACTUALLY GROWS MORE SHORELINE. THIS PARTICULAR PICTURE IS LASHING PARK. I HELPED PUT THOSE BAGS IN AND THEN YOU SEE THE DOMES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PHOTO. AND IF YOU --IT'S HARD TO SEE FROM THIS PHOTO BUT IT WAS VERY REMARKABLE THAT WHERE THEY STOPPED PUTTING THE LIVING SHORELINE, WHERE IT ENDED, THERE WAS 50 TO 75 FEET OF EROSION LAND WORK. SO THAT ACTUALLY GREW A SHORE SO IT ACTUALLY -- MORE SHORELINE. WE DON'T WANT IT TO KEEP ERODING UNTIL IT'S AT OUR DOORSTEP. A LOT OF TIME THEY USE S PARTINA OR SMOOTH CORD GRASS. WE WOULD WORK WITH A COASTAL ENGINEER. THIS WOULD BE A FULLY PERMITTED PROJECT WITH A COASTAL ENGINEER AND THEY WOULD SUGGEST WHAT GRASSES AND THOSE ARE UP CLOSE TO THE SEA WALL. SO THE SEA WALL IN VETERANS PARK WOULD HAVE IN FRONT OF IT VEGETATION. AND THAT GRASS GROWS TO ABOUT THIS HIGH. YOU KNOW, DEPENDING. AND ONCE IT FILLS IN THEY WOULD PLANT IT. IT WOULD FILL IN. THE MORE IT FILLS IN, THE MORE STABLE THE SOIL IS. THE ROOTS HOLD THE SOIL DOWN. THERE'S ALSO BETTER DRAINAGE BECAUSE THE ROOTS ARE MORE PORUS AND THEY PUSH INTO THE GROUND. SO YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING CAN DRIP DOWN. THE OTHER THING I FORGOT TO MENTION WAS STORM WATER RUN OFF. SO THERE'S A, A BIG PIPE THAT COMES IN THERE NOW THAT WE'VE CREATED FOR THAT TO BRING IN THE STORM WATER RUN OFF. SO THAT'S BRINGING POLLUTANTS AND NITROGEN INTO THE BAY. IT JUST DOES. AND THESE SEA GRASSES AND SHORE GRASSES, WILL TAKE THAT UP AND DENITRIFY THE WATER RUN OFF. MAKING OUR BAY EVEN CLEANER. SO YOU HAVE THE OYSTERS FILTERING IT. THE SHORE GRASSES THERE AND THOSE LITTLE OYSTER BAGS HOLDING THE SOIL IN. ANOTHER MENTION ABOUT THE LITTLE OYSTER BAGS. SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID OH BUT THEY'RE USING PLASTIC. SO THIS PROJECT, I'VE SPOKEN WITH TAMPA BAY WATCH. I'VE MET WITH THEM. I'VE MET WITH THE SEA GRANT AGENT DOWN IN MANATEE COUNTY A FEW TIMES. I'VE TAKEN A CLASS THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF I'VE STUDIED THIS TOPIC. TAKEN A CLASS FOR MARINE CONTRACTORS. FOR LIVING SHORELINES AND BEEN WALKED THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS. HOW THEY PLANT THEM. PRACTICE PLANNING. SO I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THAT AND I'VE LEARNED FROM EVERYBODY. OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT AN EXPERT. THIS IS CITY PROPERTY. THE CITY WOULD BE THE ONE TO HAVE CONTROL OVER THE PROJECT. I'M ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO SUBMIT THE GRANT FOR THIS PROJECT. AND THE GRANT BRINGS ME TO TAMPA BAY ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCIAL GRANT. I CALL IT TBERF AND I FORGET WHAT IT STANDS FOR. THIS GRANT IS OFFERED ONCE A YEAR. IT'S VERY POPULAR. THEY DO SO MANY PROJECTS. I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN THEM. ALL OVER THE WHOLE TAMPA BAY AREA. THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IS ABOUT $800,000. TYPICAL GRANTS ARE SOME WHERE BETWEEN 75 AND $250,000. IT'S A 1-1 FUNDING MATCH. WHICH I KNOW MR. O'REILLY, YOU ARE PROBABLY ALL AWARE OF HOW THAT WORKS. THE FUNDING CAN BE IN KIND GOODS OR SERVICES WHICH MEANS, THE CITY WORKERS, WE CAN USE THAT. VOLUNTEER HOURS, WE CAN USE THAT FOR THE INKIND MATCH. SO THAT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF THE CASH OUTFLOW TO MATCH FOR THE CITY OUT OF THE ARENA. AND IN MY MEETING WITH TAMPA BAY WATCH, THEY ALSO HAVE A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM CALLED BAY GRASSES IN CLASSES AND WHAT THEY WOULD PLAN TO DO FOR THE VEGETATION IS THEY HAVE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT GROW SHORE GRASS SUCH AS SPARTINA, SMOOTH CARD GRASS AND THAT'S PART OF THEIR SCIENCE RESEARCH CLASS. THEY GROW THAT. THAT'S VOLUNTEER HOURS. THEN THEY WOULD GO OUT AND PLANT IT IN THE PARKS AND THEY'VE DONE THIS IN SEVERAL PARKS. THAT'S ALSO PART OF THE VOLUNTEER HOURS FOR THE IN-KIND MATCH. AND ALSO, THE REEF BALLS TAMPA BAY WATCH HAS VOLUNTEERS MAKE THOSE, POUR THEM, CRACK THEM OPEN. I'VE DONE THAT TOO. THAT'S HEAVY WORK. I MEAN, I TELL YOU. THAT WOULD ALSO BE VOLUNTEER HOURS. SO THERE'S A REAL HEAVY IN-KIND MATCH ALREADY BUILT IN WORKING WITH TAMPA BAY WATCH. TBRF IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, I CAN GET YOU TO THE ANSWERS. TAMPA BAY WATCH. I JUST DISCUSSED THEM AND THE CONTACT FOR THEM WOULD BE SARAH HERNDON. LIKE I SAID, THEY HAVE EVALUATED THE SITE. I MET THEM DOWN THERE AND ASKED IF IT WAS EVEN POSSIBLE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND WHAT THEY WOULD SUGGEST. SHE AND RICK RATTIGAN WERE BOTH REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF HAVING SOMETHING LIKE THAT HERE. THEY LOVE WORKING IN HYPER LOCAL VENUE. THEY'VE DONE LIKE I SAID IN SAFETY HARBOR. THEY'RE LOCATED AT TIERRA VERDE AND THEY'RE EXCITED TO DO SOMETHING LOCAL. TONIGHT I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT APPLYING FOR THIS GRANT. I WOULD DO THE GRANT APPLICATION IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND CITY MANAGER AND THE PUBLIC WORKS OR WHOEVER THE CITY MANAGER WOULD DEEM NECESSARY TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT. AND HAVE THE CITY SIGN OFF ON THE GRANT. THE CITY WOULD HAVE CONTROL OVER WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THERE. YOU KNOW. THEY WOULD, IF THEY SAID I DON'T WANT THIS BUT I WANT THAT. OR WHATEVER. THIS WOULD BE A THREE PHASE PROJECT. PHASE ONE WOULD BE DESIGN AND PERMIT PROCESS. AND THAT WOULD BE A 12 MONTH PHASE. AND THAT BE WORKING WITH A COASTAL ENGINEER. APPLYING FOR THE PERMITS. IT WOULD BE COUNTY AND STATE AND ARMY CORP. OF ENGINEERS POSSIBLY. AND THAT WOULD ALSO BE, YOU KNOW HOW THE CITY WANTS TO DESIGN IT. WHAT THE COASTAL ENGINEER SAYS, ETC. ETC. PHASE TWO, SO THAT WOULD BRING US THE GRANT WOULDN'T BE AWARDED UNTIL JUNE OR JULY OF THIS SUMMER. SO THAT WOULD BRING US TO NEXT 2027 PROBABLY AUGUST OF 2027 WOULD BE THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE. WHERE TAMPA BAY WATCH WOULD COME OUT AND WITH THEIR VOLUNTEERS AND THE STUDENT VOLUNTEERS AND PUT IN THE LIVING SHORELINE. AND THAT WOULD BE ABOUT FOUR MONTHS. PHASE THREE WOULD BE, TO HAVE THE MONITORING PHASE AND DATA COLLECTION. AND THE TBRF GRANT REALLY LOVES TO SEE DATA. WHAT GREW, WHAT DIDN'T GROW. WERE THERE OYSTERS, WERE THERE MORE OYSTERS. DID THEY RECRUIT ON TO THE OYSTER DOMES. HOW'S THE SHORELINE, HOW'S THE WATER. THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEY WOULD WANT THAT FOR ABOUT 12 MONTHS. WHICH IS A REALLY GOOD THING TO HAVE. WE COULD SEE IT. THIS WOULD ALSO POSITION THE CITY FAVORABLY IF IN THE FUTURE WE WOULD LIKE TO GET RESILIENCE GRANTS. THOSE GRANTS THEY LOOK AT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING RESILIENCE WORK. IT'S ALSO YOU KNOW A POSITIVE. SO, TONIGHT THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT MY APPLYING FOR THIS GRANT. WITH THE CITY. WHO WOULD BE IN CONTROL OF IT. AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. AND HOPE FOR THE BEST. IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING WHAT GULFPORT ALREADY HAS AND PREPARING FOR WHAT'S COMING NEXT. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL TRY TO ANSWER THEM. >> WE'RE SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ALL YOUR KNOWLEDGE HERE. >> I WAS DOING THE MATH. SO THREE. IT MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE THREE YEARS. >> CORRECT. >> AND WHAT YOU SAID IT'S ABOUT 22 MONTHS SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF BUFFER THERE. I JUST WANTED TO WONDER ABOUT THAT. >> YOU'RE CORRECT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE TBRF. THE LIMITATION IS THREE YEARS TO GET IT DONE. NOW IF THERE'S MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES. SAY IF WE GET A HURRICANE SMASH INTO US, THEY WOULD -- >> ADJUST. >> EXACTLY. >> SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE EIGHT MONTHS TO PLAY WITH ANY WAY. WE HAVE A LOT OF TIME. IT'S A SMALL PROJECT. IT WOULD REALLY JUST TAKE ABOUT THE FOUR MONTHS TO GET IT INSTALLED. THE BIGGEST HURDLE AT THE BEGINNING WOULD BE THE DESIGN AND PERMITTING. >> OKAY. THANK YOU, NO OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME. DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH THE PROJECT WOULD COST? DO WE JUST BUILD WITHIN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY GIVE US? >> IN THIS PHASE, APPLYING FOR THE GRANT, THE GRANT IS DUE BY MARCH 25th. IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF THIS TONIGHT I WOULD START, WELL I'VE ALREADY STARTED WORKING WITH TAMPA BAY WATCH AND THEY'VE GIVEN ME SOME ROUGH NUMBERS. I DON'T WANT TO SAY WHAT BUT I KNOW THEY'VE SAID ABOUT 110 OYSTER DOMES, CERTAIN TON OF SHELL, REEF BALLS, ETC. AND THEY HAVEN'T GIVEN ME ANY STRAIGHT NUMBERS YET. WHAT I WOULD HAVE TO DO IS GET WITH THEM AFTER, IF IT'S APPROVED TONIGHT, THEN I WOULD GET THE NITTY-GRITTY AND GET WITH WHOEVER IN THE CITY NEEDS TO SEE ALL OF THAT. AND THEN, THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO SAY, WELL, NO OR YES WE CAN DO THIS. THIS IS OUR IN-KIND MATCH. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR BUDGET. THIS IS WHAT WE WANT. THIS IS WHAT WE DON'T WANT THEN WORK WITHIN THAT STRUCTURE. I CAN'T DO THAT. AND THE COASTAL ENGINEER WOULD HAVE. THAT WOULD BE THE PERMITTING. THE PERMITTING AND COASTAL ENGINEER WOULD COME IF WE WERE AWARDED THE GRANT. IN THE GRANT WE'LL SAY DEPENDING ON THE COASTAL ENGINEERS SUGGESTIONS AND ALL OF THAT PLANS, THAT'S HOW WE WOULD DO IT. SO YOU APPLY FOR THE GRANT IN GENERAL. BUT THEY DO WANT A BUDGET. AND WE WOULD CREATE A BUDGET FOR THAT. SO THAT WILL HAVE TO BE KNOWN BEFORE. >> AND THIS, SOUNDS LIKE IT FITS IN REALLY NICELY WITH THE TAMPA BAY REGIONAL PLANNING DOING A COASTAL MASTER PLAN. SO WOULD TIE IN REALLY WELL. >> YES IT WILL. AND THE MOVEMENT, THIS HAS ALL BEEN RESEARCHED BY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. I HAVE SO MANY DOCUMENTS. A LOT OF THAT FROM YOU I'VE PULLED SOME OF THE INFO FROM THEM. IF YOU WANT THE REST OF THE DOCUMENT I CAN E-MAIL IT TO YOU. BUT THEY'RE SO, DENSE WITH LIKE, UGH. TO ME READING THEM IS LIKE, HUH. SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED I WOULD LIKE TO SEND YOU THE INFORMATION I'VE LEARNED. I WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING THE E-MAIL INFORMATION. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEND IT TO YOU. AND WITH THE DETAILS COME BACK TO US SO WE UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ON OUR END? >> THAT WOULD BE UP TO WHEN IF I APPLIED FOR THE GRANT, I THINK IT WOULD BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH YOU. >> WHAT WE WOULD DO IS DURING, ONCE WE HAVE A PROJECT ESTIMATE. WE'LL THEN LOOK AT IT DURING OUR BUDGETING PROCESS. UNTIL WE, AS MR. KITER SAID, UNTIL WE GET THE BUDGET NUMBER THEN WE WOULD LOOK AT WHAT OUR SHARE WOULD BE. >> RIGHT, I HAVEN'T DONE A BUNCH OF HEAVY LIFTING ON ACTUALLY GETTING THOSE DOWN TO THE NITTY-GRITTY BECAUSE I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL IT WAS, YOU KNOW APPROVED. IF IT'S APPROVED. >> YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE AND YOU KNOW I'M VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT IT. SO THIS IS VERY EXCITING TO BE TALKING ABOUT. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION NOW. >> THANK YOU, AND WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IN GULFPORT AND I THINK WE HAVE TO PROTECT IT. SEA WALL IS GREAT AFTER A WHILE. BUT THIS IS A WAY TO MAKE OUR SEA WALLS LAST LONGER. WE CAN CLEAN OUR WATER, CLEAN OUR AIR. CREATE BAY HABITAT AND HABITAT REALLY NEEDS ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS IN THERE. OYSTERS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR THAT. >> I'VE READ REPORTS THAT EVEN THE ARMY CORP. OF ENGINEERS IS VERY MUCH MORE IN FAVOR FOR THE SOFT HARDENING COMPARED TO THE PAST. BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS WANTED SEA WALLS AND BUILDING THEM HIGHER. NOW THEY'RE LOOKING MORE TOWARD -- >> CORRECT. THAT'S OUT THE WINDOW. AS A MATTER OF FACT, AT MY MEETING LAST FRIDAY OR LAST THURSDAY WITH ARMANDO UBEDA THE SEA GRANT AGENT. HE SHOWED ME A VIDEO THAT HIS FOOTAGE WAS PUT IN THERE AND THAT WAS, FROM THE ARMY CORP. OF ENGINEER SAYING THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO NOW. THIS IS WHERE THE RESEARCH IS POINTING US. AND AFTER THE HURRICANES, I PERSONALLY FELT LIKE HOW CAN WE HELP OUR CITY. I LOVE OUR CITY. AND I WANT TO PROTECT IT AND, WHEN I STARTED DIGGING AND DIGGING AND WAS LIKE, THIS HAS BEEN THE ANSWER. EVERYTHING POINTS TO CREATING YOU KNOW MORE ROOTS, PLANTS, OYSTERS IN THE BAY ETC. CREATING A GOOD ECO SYSTEM. THANK YOU, PRISCILLA. >> I THINK THIS IS REALLY AWESOME AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS IN GULFPORT. I REALLY SUPPORT THIS AND I THINK YOU DID AN AWESOME JOB WITH YOUR RESEARCH. THANK YOU, AND IN THE RESEARCH. THIS WAS JUST PUBLISHED AND I HAVE A COPY OF MY OWN THAT'S ALL TABBED OUT. VERY DENSE READING. DON'T, UNLESS YOU NEED SOMETHING TO GO TO SLEEP. LOTS OF PICTURES THOUGH. AND I'M GOING TO DONATE THIS COPY TO THE GULFPORT LIBRARY. I THOUGHT I SAW DAVE MATHER. >> TERESA. >> I WILL LEAVE IT FOR TERESA AND YOU GUYS. BECAUSE IT'S A REALLY GOOD BOOK. AND A LOT OF REALLY SMART PEOPLE HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND PUT WORK INTO THIS BOOK. I HAVE A COPY AND NOW GULFPORT LIBRARY HAS A COPY. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M SO GLAD YOU CAME HERE. I'M GLAD YOU REACHED OUT. REALLY THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I LOVE ABOUT GULFPORT. WHENEVER SOMEONE SEES A PROBLEM, FIGURES OUT A SOLUTION AND BRINGS IT TO US AND SAYS I JUST NEED APPROVAL TO DO THIS. IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN SOME OF THE APPROACHING WE GET. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD EVENING. >> THANK YOU, AND I KNOW YOU ALL LOVE GULFPORT OR YOU WOULDN'T BE SITTING THERE. WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. THANK YOU. >> DO WE HAVE CONSENSUS. >> THE DIRECTION WAS CLEAR. ALL RIGHTY. SO WITH THAT WE WILL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. AND JUST A SHOW OF HANDS. AND I NEED TO TRY TO BE MORE CONSISTENT. YOU KNOW MOST OF YOU I KNOW YOU BY YOUR FIRST NAME, I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE. BUT JUST SO THAT, PEOPLE DON'T SAY, I'M PLAYING FAVORITES. GIVE YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE. OKAY. SHOW HANDS. NOBODY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY. LAUREN. >> I'M LAUREN STERN, I LIVE ON FIFTH STREET. I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE MY ADDRESS FOR PERSONAL REASONS. I THINK IT'S AWESOME. AS PART OF THE GULFPORT COALITION THIS IS AWESOME TO SEE. CONSIDERING ALL THE INVESTMENTS WE HAVE MADE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE ON INFRASTRUCTURE. I LOVE THE ARMY CORP. OF ENGINEERS, LIKE THE PLAN. THAT'S SO ENCOURAGING TO ME. SO THAT'S WONDERFUL AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT EVERYONE WAS SUPPORT I HAVE OF THAT. AND I WILL COMMENT LATER ON THE PLANS BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT IT TONIGHT BUT IT'S ON THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. >> NEXT, AMY. >> AMY COSTA, 8900 SOUTH. AND JUST A REMINDER THAT SATURDAY, IT'S OUR GULFPORT PRIDE COMMUNITY DAY. THERE'LL BE VENDOR, FOOD, MUSIC. IT'S FROM 11:00 TO 4:00 AND IT'S GOING TO BE AT MARKET SQUARE: HOPE EVERYBODY COMES OUT. THANK YOU. NEXT, WHO'S NEXT. SHOW OF HANDS. COURTNEY. >> 15th AVENUE SOUTH. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THURSDAY'S WORKSHOP BUT I WOULD LIKE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION PLEASE PROVIDED BEFOREHAND OR AT THE WORKSHOP ITSELF. I PRESUME THERE'S GOING TO BE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS THERE. AGAIN THIS IS THE WORKSHOP ABOUT ICE RELATED ISSUES OR AS THE CITY IS BILLING IT THE 287 G-MAN DATE. WHICH IS A BOLD CHOICE FOR A TITLE. SO I'M HOPING THERE WILL BE EXPERTS PRESENT. THE SHERIFF, HIGHWAY PATROL EVEN PUSHING WILDLIFE. THOSE ARE ALL AGENCIES WITH JURISDICTION AND OVERSIGHT IN OUR COMMUNITY IN OUR 2.7 SQUARE MILES. I HOPE IT'S NOT ALL THE SAME VOICES WE'VE HEARD FROM. THE CITIZENS AND COUNCIL WE NEED TO LEARN A FEW THINGS BEFORE THAT. HOW MANY SWORN OFFICERS DO WE HAVE ON STAFF. HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO THE BUDGETED OR OPTIMAL NUMBER. ARE WE FULLY RESOURCED. WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE TYPES OF CALLS OUR OFFICERS RESPOND TO. ARE THEY WELLNESS CHECKS, QUALITY OF LIFE CALLS. VIOLENT CRIMES. AND HOW LONG DO THOSE INTERACTIONS TYPICALLY TAKE. SO WITH THIS DATA WE CAN ASSESS WHETHER OUR CITY. STILL IN A REBUILDING PHASE AFTER THOSE THREE DEADLY BACK TO BACK FLOODS HAS A CAPACITY TO WORK IN A -- IT IS NOT A CLAIMED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. BECAUSE IT REQUIRES EXTRA STAFFING AND RESOURCES. SO SCOPE GROUP IS REAL. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OTHER AGENCIES OF OTHER 7G AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DO TO SIGN ON TO ADDENDUMS. THOSE INCLUDE TRANSPORTING AND NEW VISUALS FROM HOLDING FACILITIES LIKE GULFPORT JAIL. DO WE HAVE THE PERSONNEL TO TURN OUR OFFICERS INTO JUST GLORIFIED TAXI DRIVERS? I DON'T THINK SO. AND DHS CAN AFFORD TO HIRE THEM BUT INSTEAD THEY'RE RELYING ON INTIMIDATION AND COOPTION OF LOCAL LAW AGENTS. THERE ARE SOME INCLUDING HERE IN PINELLAS COUNTY THAT HAVE SUCCESSFULLY VOIDED THEIR CONTRACTS. SO THIS IS FROM COMMUNITY JUSTICE PROJECT DIRECTOR ALANA GREER. NO FEDERAL OR STATE REQUIRES THAT CITIES JOIN. BUT THE LEGAL TRUTH IS NOT ENOUGH. WE NEED COURAGE FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS, THAT'S YOU, THE FIVE OF YOU. TO HOLD THE LINE FOR YOUR COMMUNITIES. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY MANAGER, ATTORNEY, POLICE CHIEF THEY DON'T ANSWER TO US BUT THEY ANSWER TO YOU AND YOU ANSWER TO US. SO YOUR ROLE IS NOT SIMPLY TO DEFER BUT TO EVALUATE WHETHER THESE AGREEMENTS REFLECT THE WILL AND THE BEST INTEREST OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. TONIGHT YOU ALL STOOD UP AND YOU ALL PUT YOUR HANDS ON YOUR HEART AND YOU ALL SAID THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND YOU ALL SAID, TO UPHOLD LIBERTY FOR ALL. NOT JUST BLIND COMPLIANCE. YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY -- THANK YOU. WOLFGANG I THINK YOU'RE NEXT. >> COUNCIL. WOLFGANG, SIXTH PLACE SOUTH. WE DO THE MONTHLY BEYOND THE BEACH CLEAN UPS AND ALSO THE CLAM BAYOU CLEAN UPS AND A FEW OTHER THINGS IN THE CITY. WE HAD OUR VALENTINE'S DAY CLEAN UP EARLIER THIS MONTH FEBRUARY 14th. WE HAD 26 PEOPLE SHOW UP AND SHOW THEIR LOVE FOR GULF PORT. WE COLLECTED 101 POUNDS OF TRASH AND DEBRIS FROM THE GULF PORT WATERFRONT AREA. AND ALSO, THROUGHOUT THE CITY. OUR NEXT CLEAN UP IS GOING, ACTUALLY OUR NEXT TO BE MARCH 14th AND THAT IS OUR CLAM BAYOU CLEAN UP. THAT'S PART OF THE GREAT AMERICAN CLEAN UP. AND THAT IS DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY OF GULF PORT AND ALSO WITH KEEP PINELLAS BEAUTIFUL. WE USUALLY HAVE A HUGE TURN OUT FOR THAT EVENT BY HUGE I MEAN, YOU KNOW 50, 60 PEOPLE. WE'VE GATHERED AS MUCH AS 500 POUNDS PLUS. OF TRASH AND DEBRIS OUT OF THE MAN GROVES AND CLAM BAYOU. WE HAVE PEOPLE ON CANOES VENTURE OUT. THAT'S ALWAYS A GREAT FUN EVENT. I WON'T GO INTO APRIL BUT THAT TAKES CARE OF MARCH. BESIDES THAT WE WILL ALSO STILL HAVE A SMALL FORCE OF GRASS ROOTS VOLUNTEERS AT SHELTER NUMBER 4 ON OUR BEACH BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO GOING DOWN THERE ON THE SECOND SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH. I'M AFRAID THAT AT CLAM BAYOU THEY WOULD JUST WALK AWAY. SO WE WILL HAVE A VOLUNTEER CONTINGENT DOWN THERE EITHER DIRECTING PEOPLE TO CLAM BAYOU OR THEY WILL ALSO HAVE PICKERS AND PAIL SUPPLIES DOWN AT SHELTER FOUR TO DO OUR NORMAL BEYOND THE BEACH CLEAN UP. THIS LAST CLEAN UP WE DID, WE ALL NOTICED GREAT REDUCTION IN DIRECT BUCKS. THAT WAS NOT THE CASE THIS LAST CLEAN UP. AND IN FACT, THE CLEAN UP EVEN BEFORE THEN. THE CIGARETTE BUTS HAVE BEEN PILING UP. I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENED IS THAT OUR LOCAL POLICE WHEN IT WAS FIRST PASSED, I THINK THEY WERE MORE VIGILANT IN ENFORCING IT WITH WARNINGS OR JUST LETTING PEOPLE VERBALLY KNOW. HEY THERE'S NO SMOKING ON OUR BEACH AREA. AND I THINK THAT'S GONE DOWN A LITTLE BIT. I THINK OUR POLICE FORCE NEEDS TO STEP UP AND TAKE CARE OF THIS. IT'S NOT A SMALL MATTER, IT'S A HUGE MATTER. IT'S OUR ENVIRONMENT. IT'S OUR CLAM BAYOU. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> ANYBODY ELSE BEFORE WE GO TO E COMMENTS? SEEING NONE. CITY CLERK PLEASE. >> YES, WE DID HAVE THREE E COMMENTS. FIRST ONE IS FROM RICHARD FREED. I'M HERE TO INFORM ALL IN THE GALLERY AND THOSE WATCHING OF THE MUSICAL ADVERSE BEING USED TO RECRUIT DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND I.C.E. EMPLOYEES. PLEASE PLAY IT IT RUNS 2.54 MINUTES AND HE DID PROVIDE A YOU TUBE LINK BUT UN UNFORTUNATELY CANNOT PROVIDE THAT. 217 GULF PORT MAYOR KAREN, YOU STATED AT COUNCIL MEETING YOU ASKED YOUR STAFF ABOUT LINCOLN CEMETERY ANNEX PETITION ASKING A DATE. ON THE TOP OF PAGE, OF THE TWO PAGE ANNEX PETITION YOU STATED YOU WERE INFORMED A MISSING DATE WAS NOT AN ISSUE. MULTIPLE GULFPORT PUBLIC RECORDS DO NOT DOCUMENT YOU ASKING THE ABOVE TO GULF PORT STAFF. TODAY AS GULF PORT CONSTITUENT I DEMAND YOU ASK GULFPORT ATTORNEY ASK THE LEGAL OPINION ON THE MISSING DATE. SEAN SIMPSON, I'M THE OWNER OF THE BUSINESSES LOW TIDE CAVA BAR. TIME CODE PRODUCTIONS AND MILDRED MAL LONEY FLOWERS. I HAVE WHOLEHEARTEDLY OPPOSE THE NEW --BETWEEN MY THREE BUSINESSES THAT IS NINE BUSINESSES THAT WHICH SHARE ONE SIDE OF THE 29th AVENUE SOUTH PARKING. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHTY. SO WE'VE MADE IT THROUGH THAT. SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CITY MANAGER REPORT PLEASE. JUST ONE ITEM THIS EVENING, MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE RESPECTEDLY ASKED FOR THE PERMITTING. I'VE PROVIDED YOU THE DATA. ALSO THE LIST BY NUMBER OF THE NUMBER OF HOMEOWNER PROJECTS. APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE. AND ALSO THE WHAT THE REASON IS THAT IT HADN 'T BEEN ISSUED. WE TRACK EVERYTHING TO THAT EFFECT. YOU ALSO SEE IN THE INFORMATION BOXES TO THE SIDE THAT ALL HOMEOWNERS HAVE SPOKE TO THE PLAN REVIEWER, INITIALLY AT THE COUNTER WHEN THEY COME IN TO SUBMIT SOMETHING, AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE AN APPOINTMENT THEY'RE GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY. FIVE PEOPLE HAVE --THEMSELVES OF THAT. WE'VE MET WITH THE GULFSHORE CONDOMINIUMS AND THEY ARE IN PROCESS. THEY HAD SOME ISSUES. PERMITTING FOR THE RESTAURANT THAT WAS DISCUSSED AND BLEACH BOULEVARD FOR STORAGE AND THOSE ARE FOR UNITS THAT ARE BEING CHANGED OVER AT THE TOP OF THE BLUE BUILDING. THAT'S THE COMMERCIAL ASPECT OF IT. THEY'RE HAVING STORAGE ON TOP, THEY'RE ADDING STORAGE FOR THEIR RESIDENTS. THE BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS. AND THE LAST COMMERCIAL IS, PYCC HAS REQUESTED TO BUILD ON THE GULF COURSE PROPERTY A FITNESS CENTER. AND THEY ARE IN PERMITTING AT THIS MOMENT. I MISSED HOW MANY DID YOU SAY THERE WERE HOMEOWNER PERMITS. >> APPLICATIONS THERE WERE 59 APPLICATIONS. 20 HAVE BEEN ISSUED. WE HAVE FIVE THAT PAYMENT IS BEING AWAITED. AWAITING PAYMENT FOR FIVE OF THEM AND YOU CAN, IF YOU GO TO THE, LIST THAT'S ATTACHED IS EACH OF THEM THAT HAVE BEEN APPLIED FOR. OKAY. NOW I SEE THAT CATEGORY. >> AND THE STATUS OF THEM. >> OKAY. ALL RIGHTY. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ALL RIGHT. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS OF OUR CITY MANAGER. >> OKAY SO WHEN I ASKED FOR THIS I DID WANT TO KNOW, HOW LONG IT WAS TAKING TO DO THE PERMITS. THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS YOU KNOW HOW MANY AND HOW LONG. BECAUSE THE WHOLE POINT OF DOING THE PORTAL AND HAVING ANOTHER CONTRACTOR TAKE OVER THAT WAS TO HAVE FASTER TURN AROUND TIMES. AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION HERE. SO I'M HOPING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE IT, HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS IT COULD BE E-MAILED TO US. AND ALSO, YOU KNOW WE'VE HAD 59 HOMEOWNER PERMITS. AND YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF COMMERCIAL THINGS. SO THE STAFF THAT WE USED TO HAVE HANDLING ALL OF THIS, IS NOW HANDLING MAYBE 65 PERMITS OVER 4-1/2 MONTHS. SO, AND FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD. THE CONCIERGE SERVICE ISN'T REALLY THERE. AND PEOPLE HAVE STILL BEEN GIVEN MISINFORMATION. SO I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING CORRECT INFORMATION RIGHT AIL WAY SO THEY DON'T WASTE THEIR TIME DOING SOMETHING WRONG ALSO BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT CONTRACTORS WE HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL TO EXPLAIN THINGS IN NOT CONTRACTOR LANGUAGE SO THAT THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING OUR MONEY'S WORTH TO THE PEOPLE WE'RE PAYING TO DO THE CONTRACTOR ONES. BECAUSE, OUR STAFF IS HANDLING A FRACTION OF WHAT THEY USED TO DO. SO THEY SHOULD HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO HELP EVERYBODY ELSE. >> OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER. NOT AT THE MOMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO READ THROUGH IT AND THEN FORMULATE MY QUESTIONS. AND IN REFERENCE TO WHAT VICE MAYOR THANOS SAID, I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF ISSUES THAT RESIDENTS HAD CONCERNS BUT THEY'RE RESOLVED NOW. >> I CAN DISCUSS MORE OF THIS IN OUR WEEKLY ONE OR ONE. >> I CAN'T HEAR YOU. >> I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY FROM MANY OF MY RESIDENTS, OR EVEN MY FRIENDS THAT LIVE IN OTHER WORDS. SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING TO DISCUSS I WILL DISCUSS WITH JIM ON OUR REGULAR ONE ON ONE. >> I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT. NO REPORT, MA'AM. >> CITY CLERK REPORT. >> CAN WE ASK HIM QUESTIONS? >> YES. >> DO WE KNOW IF WE HEARD FROM IAN. >> WE'VE HEARD NOTHING FROM THEM SO I'M PLANNING TO JUST DRAFTING THE CIVIL COMPLAINT BECAUSE I'M NOT HEARING ANYTHING. THAT TELLS ME THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING. >> SO HE JUST GETS AWAY WITH IT. >> NO I'M GOING TO FILE A CIVIL COMPLAINT. >> OKAY, GOOD. >> THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT. IF WE DIDN'T GET ANYTHING TODAY, THAT WE WOULD GO AFTER HIM UNDER A CIVIL COMPLAINT. I'M GOING TO AT LEAST PREPARE IT AND WE'LL TRY TO GET AN ANSWER FROM THEM. BUT WE HAVE HEARD NOTHING. DID ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION OF THE CITY ATTORNEY. NO. >> OKAY. >> I JUST HAVE ONE BRIEF THING TO SAY BEFORE, WE WILL HAVE SOME BOARD OPENINGS. SO IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED ON CERTAINING ON --INTERESTED ON SERVING ON A BOARD. THE BOARD INFORMATION IS ON OUR WEB PAGE. IF YOU DON'T SEE IT ON THERE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT DIRECTLY AND I WILL SEND YOU A DOCUMENT TO FILL OUT. >> WE WILL HAVE AVAILABILITY. >> WE WILL HAVE THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD WILL HAVE SOME OPENINGS. ALL RIGHT, AND THAT TAKES US TO COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REPORTS AND WE'LL GO IN SPEAKING ORDER STARTING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER EARLEY. OKAY THE PINK FLAMINGO TOUR IS ON MARCH 7th. VERY EXCITED. WE HAVE OVERSPRAY. IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN THERE, WE'RE SIGNING PEOPLE UP WHO DON'T HAVE THEIR TICKETS ALREADY. THAT'S A VERY EXCITING PLACE. AND THE BLUEBERRY PATCH. ALBERTS LITTLE HOMESTEAD AND 14 HOMES. IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT. SCOTT, LINDY AND I ARE DOING AN INTERVIEW ON TAMPA BAY SUCH AND SUCH. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW MY, THERE'S NOT A CAMERA THAT I DON'T LOVE. SO I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT. AND WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO'S GOTTEN TICKETS AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THEM PLEASE JOIN, PLEASE JOIN US ON SATURDAY MARCH 7th. AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING THAT WE'LL MENTION, ALSO, CLEAN UP FOR LINCOLN CEMETERY IS ON APRIL 26. THERE WAS A CLEAN UP A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND YOU WERE RIGHT, IT WAS REALLY NICE AND IT WAS A BIG CROWD. APRIL 26 IS A LONG TIME AWAY AND IF YOU PUT IT ON THE CALENDAR, I KNOW THAT IT WILL NEED SOME HELP. >> DID YOU SAY SEVENTH FOR THE PINK FLAMINGO. SEVENTH. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. I JUST FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE AGAIN AWARDED A THREE CITY USA RECOGNITION FOR ARBOR DAY. SO THAT'S, EXCELLENT. I'M ON THE TAMPA BAY REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL. AND I JUST WENT TO MY LAST MEETING. AND, SO, JUST SO PEOPLE KNOW THAT I'LL NEED TO BE REPLACED THERE. AND THEY'RE WILLING. THERE'S TWO THINGS. THERE'S A COUNCIL AND THEN THERE'S THE RESILIENCY SUB COMMITTEE. AND THEY HAVE A COUPLE OTHER SUB COMMITTEES TOO. THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO THAT WE'VE REALLY BEEN I THINK MICHAEL WAS ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE FOR A LITTLE WHILE. BUT ANY WAY, BUT THEY'RE WILLING TO APPOINT ONE OF US TO THE RESILIENCY COMMITTEE IF THEY, YOU KNOW CHOOSE TO GO. I MEAN THEY ABSOLUTELY CAN GO TO THE PLANNING COUNCIL MEETINGS WHICH ARE USUALLY FROM 10:00 TO 12:00. AND THE RESILIENCY MEETING IS FROM 12:00 TO 1:30 OR SO AND THEY PROVIDE LUNCH. EVERY OTHER MONTH AND IT'S ON A MONDAY. AND IT'S JUST UP BY MAINLANDS. YOU KNOW OFF OF 34th. YEAH, YEAH. I GOLF THERE. >> SO IT'S NOT VERY FAR. >> OKAY. >> AND VERY NICE GROUP OF PEOPLE. SO I WENT TO A SIERRA CLUB, I DIDN'T GO. I LISTENED TO A SIERRA CLUB WEBINAR AND YOU KNOW THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT DUNN EATON HAS STARTED A PROGRAM FOR SOLAR REBATES AND THEY ALSO DO SOME RESILIENCY REBATES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THINGS LIKE DOORS AND WINDOWS FOR THEIR HOUSES. UP TO 2,500 WHICH IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DO FOR OUR LATERAL LINES. THEY DON'T DO LATERAL LINES. WE'RE DOING ONE THING AND THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING ELSE BUT THAT WAS INTERESTING. THEY'VE HAD GOOD RESPONSE TO THAT. AND YOU CAN ALSO GET MONEY FOR NATIVE PLANTS, SHORELINE STUFF. SOLAR BATTERIES, INSULATION, WATER CONSERVATION, SO A LOT OF THINGS. AND I MENTIONED OUR LATERAL PROGRAM AND THEY WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT PERHAPS NEXT TIME. THERE'S A FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY FORESTRY HURRICANE IN RECOVERY GRANT. AND THAT HAS A 25% MATCH THAT'S COMING UP VERY SOON. THOSE WERE THE MAIN THINGS. AND THEN, THERE'S ALSO THE PINELLAS COUNTY GOT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT $813 MILLION FOR HURRICANE RECOVERY. SO ANYBODY WHO WAS IMPACTED BY THE HURRICANES. THIS IS FOR HOMEOWNERS. BECAUSE LIKE 70% OF IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO ALL TO HOMEOWNERS. EVEN IF YOU HAD INSURANCE AND HAD HELP FROM FEMA YOU CAN STILL APPLY TO GET MONEY. AND IT'S UP TO $50,000 A PIECE. SO IF YOU GO ON THE PINELLAS COUNTY WEBSITE YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO SIGN UP FOR THAT. WOUDIPES HAS HAD MANY MANY FISH DEATHS. APPARENTLY IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE COLD WATER. BUT THEY'VE BEEN OUT THERE EVEN DURING THE HOLIDAY PULLING OUT FISH. BECAUSE IT WAS STARTING TO GET A BIT SMELLY. I WAS OUT THERE RIDING MY BIKE AND IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS BETTER SO HOPEFULLY THAT'S GOING TO STOP HAPPENING. AND I STILL HAVEN'T NOTICED, I DON'T THINK SIGNS FOR NO SMOKING IN THE PARK. AND DID WE ACTUALLY PASS SOMETHING OR WE WERE WAITING FOR THE STATE ABOUT THE ELECTRIC BIKES IN PARKS? >> WE TABLED IT. >> IT UNTIL THE STATE DECIDES. I THOUGHT SO. AND THEN THE ICE WORKSHOP. I KIND OF WANT TO REITERATE SORT OF WHAT COURTNEY SAID IS THAT IT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD TO HAVE MAYBE SOMEBODY FROM SOME OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THIS OR YOU KNOW TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, I THINK PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW IT'S GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED. AND I GET THAT WE WOULD RATHER HAVE OUR DEPARTMENT HANDLING IT. BUT THEY MAY NOT BE THE ONLY ONES WHO END UP ON THE GROUND HERE AND THEY'RE UNDER INSTRUCTION FROM HOMELAND SECURITY. AND SO I THINK THERE'S JUST A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT HOW THINGS COULD GO. AND SO IF WE HAVE ANYBODY THAT'S ACTUALLY HAD TO DEPLOY TO DO ANYTHING, YOU KNOW HOW THAT'S GONE. WHAT IT'S BEEN LIKE. BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE REALLY AFRAID. AND THEY'RE WORRIED AND, SO I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME GOOD INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE. BECAUSE I THINK IT'LL BE A POPULAR PROGRAM. SO AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SHAW. >> THANK YOU. SO IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP MY REPORT TO APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES I'M GOING TO ONLY FOCUS ON THE LEGISLATURE. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW I JUST RETURNED FROM TALLAHASSEE AT THE END OF LAST WEEK. I WAS THERE REPRESENTING BOTH GULFPORT AND THE SANTOS LEAGUE OF CITIES ALONG WITH JENNIFER WEB WHO HELPS ORGANIZE AND STRENGTHEN LEAGUES ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF SUN COAST MUNICIPALITIES LIKE OURS. I'M GRATEFUL TO JENNIFER AND TOO THE LEAGUE FOR SPONSORING THE TRIP AND FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK THEY DO ENSURING WE HAVE A COORDINATING EFFECTIVE VOICE IN TALLAHASSEE. WHICH IS INCREASINGLY MORE IMPORTANT. THE LEGISLATURE IS NOW IN ITS FIFTH WEEK OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND WEEK SIX MAY LIKELY BE THE FINAL WEEK OF THE HOUSE SUB COMMITTEES AT THIS STAGE THE WINDOW FOR HEARING BILLS NARROWS QUICKLY WHICH MEANS MANY BILLS WILL NOT BE HEARD. BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE RELEASED THE PROPOSED BUDGETS THIS WEEK EACH COMES IN BELOW THE GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDED SPENDING PLAN. LAWMAKERS WILL SPEND MUCH OF THIS WEEK DEBATING, COMPETING PROPOSALS. NEGOTIATIONS APPEAR CHALLENGES AS THE SENATE HAS SIGNALS IT IS NOT WILLING TO TRADE POLICY POSITIONS FOR FUNDING ITEMS. MEANWHILE THE HOUSE IS MOVING A NUMBER OF BILLS TOWARD THE SENATE. KNOWING THESE ARE NOT THE BILLS THE SENATE WISHES TO DISCUSS. IN OTHER WORDS POLITICS. AS ALWAYS, THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS ITSELF IS COMPLEX. BILLS CONTINUE MOVING THROUGH MULTIPLE COMMITTEES, VISIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS. VERY OFTEN RAPIDLY CHANGING AGENDAS AND I GOT TO SEE THAT FIRSTHAND. JENNIFER AND I MET WITH AIDS AND STAFF. I HAVE MANY BLISTERS ON MY FEET TO PROVE IT. BECAUSE SCHEDULES SHIFTED FREQUENTLY OR DELAYED PARTICULARLY WHILE THE HOUSE BUDGET WAS DELAYED WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO ATTEND TWO SENATE COMMITTEE HEARINGS BOTH WITH EXTREMELY LONG AGENDAS. SOME OF THE ITEMS WE FOCUSED ON, LOCAL BUSINESS TAX. WHEN THE STATE'S DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION STOP COLLECTING THESE TAXES CITIES WERE ASSIGNED THE RESPONSIBILITY. THE TAX HELPS SUPPORT LOCAL OVERSIGHT AND SAFETY PRACTICES WITHOUT IT WE LOSE AN IMPORTANT PUBLIC SAFETY TOOL. SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY, THE PROPOSAL INCREASES THE LIABILITY CAP TO 300 TO $450,000. ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION AFTER FIVE YEARS, TIES IT TO THE CPI AND PROHIBITS SETTLEMENT ON TOP OF THE CAP. THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE HEARING IF THIS FAILS IT COULD CONTRIBUTE TO FAR MORE FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS AND OTHER CONCERNING MATTERS. THE POSTDISASTER LAND USE REGULATIONS THAT WE'VE HEARD QUITE A BIT ABOUT WAS THE SENATE BILL 840. THIS BILL REFINES LAST YEAR'S LEGISLATION AFFECTING COMMUNITIES AFTER HURRICANES AND IT RESTORES SOME VERY KEY POINTS, SHORTENS THE SUNSET DATE, SHORTENS THE LAND USE FREEZE, TIED TO RECENT STORMS AND OTHER REALLY HELPFUL FACTORS. TRY NOT TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE DETAIL BECAUSE THERE'S USUALLY QUITE A BIT. THE PROPERTY TAX PROPOSALS HBSB214, 203 AND 209 ARE THE LARGEST REMAINING QUESTIONS REGARDING PROPERTY TAXES AS VOTERS CONSIDER THESE PROPOSALS IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE AWARE THAT PROPERTY TAXES FUND ESSENTIAL LOCAL SERVICES INCLUDING POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION. CODE ENFORCEMENT, PARKS, ATHLETIC FIELDS AND COURTS, SENIOR PROGRAMS, RECREATION CENTER. CULTURAL FACILITIES, TRAILS, STORM WATER SYSTEMS, WASTE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND MORE. WE FACE THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING AS MUCH AS A THIRD OF A REVENUE TO PROPERTY TAX PROPOSALS MAY ULTIMATELY BE MOVED INTO A SPECIAL SESSION. I'M NOT GOING TO GO FURTHER ON THAT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT'S GOING TO BE TOUCHED ON BY MAYOR LOVE. WHY I'M GOING INTO SOME OF THIS DETAIL IS THAT I'VE ONLY REFERENCED A FEW OF THE BILLS OUT OF THOUSANDS. MANY OF THE BILLS MOVING THROUGH TALLAHASSEE DIRECTLY AFFECT HOW CITIES OPERATE INCLUDING OURS. SOME PROPOSALS LIMIT HOME RULE, OUR LOCAL DECISION MAKING INCLUDING ZONING, LAND PLANNING, SPENDING AUTHORITY, DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESSES, IMPACT FEES, OUR SERVICES AND MORE. SOME WOULD REQUIRE CITIES TO BE ADDED MANDATES WITHOUT FUNDING SUPPORT FROM THE STATE WHICH IS THEN AN ADDITION OF FINANCIAL BURDEN UPON US. STAYING AWARE AND ENGAGE DURING A LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS IMPORTANT. THESE UPDATES ARE NOT ABSTRACT POLICY DEBATES THEY SHAPE WHAT SERVICES OUR CITY CAN PROVIDE AND HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE LOCALLY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY LEGISLATION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AND I WILL GLADLY SHARE WHAT I'VE LEARNED OR DO THE BEST I CAN. I WAS ALSO ABLE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH ONE OF OUR LOBBYISTS. THEY'RE WORKING ON THREE APPROPRIATIONS FOR US AND SHARED THAT LEGISLATORS ARE PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON RECOVERING AT THIS TIME AND THAT'S CERTAINLY UNIMAGINABLE. ONE FINAL NOTE ON A TOTALLY DIFFERENT TOPIC IS, TO PLEASE HELP REDUCE STREET FLOODING AND HELP MAINTAIN WATER QUALITY BY ADOPTING A DRAIN BEFORE THE RAIN STARTS. YOU CAN SIGN UP ON GULFPORT CONNECTS ON OUR CITY WEBSITE. WE EVEN HAVE SHEETS AT THE BACK WITH QR CODE TO MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER NANCY AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON TOGETHER. SO PLEASE HELP SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM AND ENCOURAGE YOUR NEIGHBOR TO DO SO AS WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION. >> I'LL TRY. >> THERE'S A BILL GOING THROUGH THAT WOULD REQUIRE CITIES OVER 10,000 WHICH IS US TO HAVE SIX CONTRACTORS THAT WE WOULD USE, THAT A DEVELOPER COULD USE INSTEAD OF GOING TO OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT. AND WE WOULD HAVE TO LET THEM USE IT AND THEIR DECISIONS WOULD BE BINDING. AND WE WOULD ONLY BE ABLE TO INSPECT AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEORETICALLY THEY WOULD HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU KNOW OUR DESIGN GUIDELINES AND STUFF LIKE THAT AND SET BACKS AND STUFF. BUT I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, NOT HAVING READ IN DETAIL BUT THEY DID TALK ABOUT THAT ONE AT ALL? >> YES, WE DID. THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A CONCERN TO MUNICIPALITIES INCLUDING US BECAUSE, AGAIN, TAKING AWAY LOCAL CHOICES AND PUTTING BURDENS UPON US. NOW I DON'T MIND HAVING SIX MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO GO TO. HOWEVER I WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE VENDORS OF OUR CHOICE. >> BUT WE WOULD GET TO CHOOSE BUT STILL WE WOULD HAVE TO USE THEM RATHER THAN OUR STAFF. AND THAT IS OUT IN ITSELF. BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TRUST TO RELY ON OUR STAFF FOR MANY OF THESE THINGS. SO TO THEN PUT THAT OUT TO A PRIVATE COMPANY IS NOT COMFORTABLE TO MOST OF US ANY WAY. >> COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. >> I HAVE NO COMMENTS. COUNCIL COMMENTS OR REPORTS TODAY. >> ALL RIGHT. WELL THAT TAKES ME TO, THAT TAKES ME TO ME. SO, YOU KNOW ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE DO THESE IS IT'S THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY WE REALLY HAVE TO SHARE WITH EACH OTHER WHAT THE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE ATTENDED AND OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE INFORMATION. SO, I HAVE BEEN TO TWO PINELLAS MEETINGS HERE THIS LAST WEEK. MOST OF THE CONVERSATION IS REALLY ALL ABOUT MERGER OF THE THREE PLANNING COUNCILS. SO IF YOU KNOW THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT COMBINING HILLSBOROUGH, PINELLAS AND PASCO ALL TOGETHER. ALL RIGHT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT AMONG FOLKS LIKE MYSELF REPRESENTING SMALL CITIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET LOST IN THE WAKE. ALL RIGHT. AND THIS HAS NOT BEEN VOTED ON AT THIS TIME SO THERE'S NO DECISION NECESSARILY THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO COMBINE INTO ONE. BUT IF I WERE TO READ THE WRITING ON THE WALL, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. AND THE SENSE THAT I'M GETTING FROM THESE PEOPLE ARE THE SENSE THAT I'M GETTING IS THEY'VE BEEN PRETTY MUCH TOLD BY THE STATE IF WE DON'T DO IT THE STATE IS GOING TO DO IT FOR US AND WE WON'T LIKE THE WAY THEY DO IT. SO IT LOOKS LIKE IN THE NEAR FUTURE THERE'S GOING TO BE ONE VERY LARGE PLANNING COUNCIL FOR THE METROPOLITAN TAMPA BAY AREA. SO I WANTED TO DO THAT. TELL YOU THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DID IN THE SPECIAL SESSION LAST FRIDAY WAS THEY WANTED TO ADDRESS APPARENTLY STATE LIMITS YOU TO 25 SEATS ON ANY PLANNING COUNCIL. A TOTAL OF 25. AND IT'S A GIVEN THAT THE AIRPORT AND THE TAMPA PORT GET ONE EACH. THEN THEY HAVE TO TAKE AND DIVIDE UP THE OTHER 23 AMONG THREE COUNTIES. THEN THE TALK COMES INTO WELL HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO SMALL CITIES BECAUSE APPARENTLY I DON'T KNOW PASCO COUNTY BUT I THINK PASCO DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF SMALL CITIES WHERE AS PINELLAS HAS A LOT OF SMALL CITIES. TO SAY, EVERY COUNTY GETS ONE SEAT FOR A SMALL CITY, DIDN'T SIT WELL WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE. SO THAT IS ONE THING THAT THEY VOTED ON THAT IF THIS GOES FORWARD, WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS ALLOW EACH SEAT EACH COUNTY TO DECIDE HOW THEY'RE GOING TO HANDLE THEIR SMALL CITIES WITHIN THEIR OWN COUNTY. OKAY. SO THAT WAS A VOTE THAT DID HAPPEN. SO I WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT. THE SECOND THING I WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF AT PINELLAS THERE'S REALLY A LOT OF FOCUS ON BICYCLE SAFETY. THEY'RE REALLY WATCHING OUR 49th STREET AND OF COURSE WE'RE IN LINE TO HAVE SOME MAJOR REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS MADE THERE. ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON RIGHT NOW IS THE CONTINUITY OF THE TRAIL. WHEN YOU GO FROM ONE CITY TO THE NEXT CITY TO THE NEXT CITY, SIGNAGE CAN BE DIFFERENT. THE WAY CROSSING STREETS IS HANDLING CAN BE DIFFERENTLY. EVEN RULES CAN BE HANDLED DIFFERENTLY FROM CITY TO CITY. SO THEY REALLY HAVE A JOINT TASK FORCE NOW THAT'S WORKING ON TRYING TO MAKE THAT THE SAME IF YOU'RE RIDING THE TRAIL, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE THE SAME. THE WHOLE LENGTH OF THE TRIAL. SO I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT. THE SECOND THING, VICE MAYOR MENTIONED, PEOPLE FIRST RECOVERY. I JUST WANT TO, IN CASE ANYBODY DOESN'T KNOW THAT THE CASEWORKERS WERE HERE TODAY AT THE LIBRARY. I BELIEVE IT WAS FROM 9:00 TO 2:00 TODAY. THEY WILL BE HERE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AS WELL. AND THOSE CASEWORKERS WILL HELP YOU APPLY. IT'S ONE ON ONE CARE. I SHOWED UP TODAY AND THERE WERE NO LINES OR ANYTHING. WELL, THERE WAS ONE PERSON IN LINE. THERE WERE THREE CASEWORKERS AND FOUR PEOPLE. NEEDING ASSISTANCE AND I WANT TO CLARIFY A RUMOR THAT GOT OUT THERE REALLY EARLY ON THAT IS NOT TRUE, WHEN, IN MY MIND, I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT WHEN SAY HOMEOWNER, THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHETHER YOU LIVE IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE, A TOWNHOUSE OR A CONDO. AND I VERIFIED THAT EARLY ON WHEN I STARTED HEARING THAT CON DOPES WERE EXCLUDED. THAT IS NOT TRUE. I VERIFIED IT TWICE MORE TODAY. SO ANYONE WHO'S LISTENING WHO'S IN A CONDO WHO HEARD THAT RUMOR THAT THEY COULDN'T APPLY FOR ONE OF THESE MANY PROGRAMS, REMEMBER THEY STARTED WITH $813 MILLION. WE KNOW ONLY 168 PROPERTIES IN GULF PORT APPLIED AND WE HAD OVER 600 EXPERIENCE STORM DAMAGE. SO SPREAD THE WORD GUYS. THE MONEY IS THERE. THEY WANT TO SPEND IN --THIS MONEY IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE'RE THE FIRST CITY TO GET THEM TO COME OUT HERE AND HELP PEOPLE WITH THE PROCESS SO I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT. I ALWAYS LISTEN TO PUBLIC COMMENTS SO THERE WAS SOMETHING I HEARD LAST WEEK THAT I WANT TO SAY, I'VE NOT QUIT THINKING ABOUT, THAT HAD TO DO WITH OUR ENTRANCE SIGN ON TANGERINE AND 49th. THEY TALKED ABOUT IT AND I HAVE TO AGREE. NOT VERY WELCOMING AND I WENT OVER AND I REALLY LOOKED AT IT. IT'S HUGE, IT'S MASSIVE, IT'S PLAIN JANE. THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT GULFPORT THAT'S PLAIN JANE. WHEN I TALKED TO A FEW PEOPLE, THEY WANT TO SAY TO ME, WELL IT'S HISTORICAL. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY GOOD HISTORICAL. I THINK IT'S REALLY UNATTRACTIVE AND I'M GOING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING ABOUT IMPROVING THAT SIGN GREATLY AND MAKING IT FEEL LIKE GULFPORT AND WELCOME TO EVERYBODY. IN TERMS OF THE TRAFFIC FLOW, PARKING, SPEED LIMITS, PRESENTATION I DID KEEP THE GOOD IDEAS COMING. I'VE HAD A COUPLE THAT HAVE BEEN REPEATED A COUPLE OF TIMES NOW. AND I THINK THEY'RE ALL GOOD AND OF COURSE I'LL BRING THEM FORWARD AS WELL. SEAN SIMPSON LEFT A E COMMENT TONIGHT. I DID GET, I JUST WANTED HIM TO KNOW I DID GET YOUR E-MAIL. I DEFINITELY WILL REACH OUT TO YOU TOMORROW AT SOME POINT THROUGH E-MAIL. AND LET YOU KNOW. I THINK YOU'VE MADE AN INCORRECT ASITUATION AND -- ASSUMPTION AND I THINK I CAN FIX IT AND EVERYBODY CAN BREATHE AND SLEEP BETTER. I'M NOT SURE WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER SHAW WAS NECESSARILY REFERRING TO BUT TODAY, WHEN I DID MY TAKE TWO ON TUESDAY, I DID REFERENCE THE THREE TAX BILLS IN THE HOUSE THAT SEEM TO HAVE THE MOST FORWARD MOTION AND I DID ADDRESS THAT TODAY ON TAKE TWO ON TUESDAY. OKAY IF YOU DO WATCH THAT, THE TAKE TWO ON TUESDAYS YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND THEM ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE OR YOU CAN FIND THEM ON INSTAGRAM AND YOU TUBE. AND I ADDRESS THAT THERE. SO THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU. >> ITEM 6A, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 23, 2026 AND FEBRUARY 252,026th. MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. MOVING ON TO ORDNANCES, ITEM 7A. ORDNANCE NUMBER 2026-01 SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING. IN ORDNANCE OF THE CITY OF GULFPORT FLORIDA, AMENDING ARTICLE 6 6 SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS. PROVIDING FOR DEFINITIONS, PROVIDING FOR PROCEDURES FOR THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF CERTIFIED RECOVERY RESIDENTS. PROVIDING FOR REQUEST FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION, SEVERABILITY AND FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> CITY MANAGER. >> AS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED THE PROPOSED CHANGE TO THE CODE AND AMENDMENT WILL ENSURE THAT THE CITY'S PROCEDURE WITH STATE LAW THAT WAS ADOPTED LAST YEAR. AND SUCH THAT, BASICALLY THAT WE HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR BASICALLY, FOR SOMEONE WHO'S A REGISTERED CERTIFIED HOME SUCH AS THIS WOULD MEET MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS BUT WOULD GIVE THEM A PROCESS TO APPEAL OUR DECISIONS. OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF OUR CITY MANAGER. NO I READ IT THOROUGHLY WHEN I WENT TO LEAGUE OF CITY SO I'M GOOD. THANK YOU. >> NO. >> >> NO. >> NONE HERE. PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS MATTER? NO, I SEE NONE. DO WE HAVE ANY E COMMENT ON THIS? NOT ON THIS ITEM. >> ALL RIGHTY. ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER EARLEY. YES. >> COUNCIL MEMBER THANOS. >> YES. >> COUNCIL MEMBER SHAW. >> YES. >> COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. >> >> MAYOR LOVE. >> YES. CARRIES TO PASSAGE. MOVING ON TO 7B. SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING IN ORDNANCE OF THE CITY OF THE GULFPORT FLORIDA, NUISANCES RESIDENTIAL LIGHTING. PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF ORDNANCES OR PARTS OF ORDNANCES AND CONFLICTS HERE WITH TO THE EXTENT OF SUCH CONFLICT PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> CITY MANAGER. >> YES, MAYOR. YOU ALL HAD QUITE THE DISCUSSION AT YOUR LAST MEETING. AND WHAT THIS BASICALLY DOES IS CREATE ESTABLISHES THAT LIGHTING CAN BE A NUISANCE. AND I KNOW THE CITY ATTORNEY HAD QUITE A BIT OF INPUT ON THIS. THIS DOES NOT ESTABLISH THE LEVELS. IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO CONTACT THE OWNER AND TELL THEM THEIR LIGHTING IS CREATING A NUISANCE. IT'S VERY BROAD AND GENERAL. IT'S THE FIRST TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF WHAT WOULD BE THE TRIGGERING FACTORS FOR LACK OF A BETTER EXAMPLE. >> THANK YOU. SO WHAT WOULD BE THE TRIGGERING FACTOR. >> THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD DECIDE. >> AND HOW CAN I DECIDE. >> THE BRIGHTNESS OF IT AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT SEEMS LIKE AN OVERREACH. TO ME. ANY OF IT. WHAT MIGHT BOTHER ME MIGHT NOT BOTHER JIM OR CHIEF RAND. >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> WE HAVE A STREET LIGHT. IT'S VERY BRIGHT. MY BEDROOM IS NOT FUNGSHUEI BECAUSE OF THAT. IT'S THERE FOR SAFETY. I HAVE NEVER EVEN THOUGHT OF TELLING A PERSON. I JUST SUGGEST IT. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT WOULD BE A TRIGGER. YEAH. >> I WOULD USE, IF THE TIME -- JUST BECAUSE WE RECEIVE A COMPLAINT DOES NOT MEAN IT'S A VIOLATION. YOU WOULD PUT IN PLACE MEASUREMENTS AND SUCH LIKE THAT. YOU WOULD LIMIT YOUR LIMITS. THERE WAS DISCUSSION, COUNCIL HAD DISCUSSION IN REGARDS TO IF THERE WAS SECURE LIGHTING IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ON THE FIRST FLOOR BUT IT WOULD NOT BE ELEVATED. IT WOULD BE THE NEXT LEVEL OF THIS ORDNANCE. THAT COULD BE A NUISANCE TO SOMEONE. YES. BUT MAYBE NOT EVERYONE. >> EXACTLY. >> BUT THEN THOSE PEOPLE WOULDN'T COMPLAIN. IT'S TRUE. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO PROCEED WITH THE SECOND STAGE OF IT? >> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DRAFT A VERY COMPREHENSIVE ORDNANCE TALKING ABOUT ZONING, ILLUMINATION AND DIFFERENT THINGS BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT ZONING AREAS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ZONING HAS TO DO WITH IT. >> BECAUSE RESIDENTIAL IS TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN MULTIFAMILY. WHERE PEOPLE HAVE THEIR ILLUMINATION. COMMERCIAL. MOST OF OUR MULTI, EXCEPT FOR TOWN SHORES, REALLY MOST OF OUR MULTIFAMILY IS IN THE MIDDLE OF RESIDENTIAL AREA. >> BUT YOU JUST SAID, YOU JUST SAID, THAT'S WHY IT HAS TO BE DRAFTED COMPREHENSIVE. AND I PRESUME WE WOULDN'T INCLUDE PYCC BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE THEIR OWN HOMEOWNER STUFF. WE WOULDN'T, WE WOULD DEAL WITH OUR ZONING AREAS RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, I MEAN SOME OF THEM MIGHT BE THE SAME. RIGHT. BUT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH EVERY AREA. >> HOW SOON MAY WE SEE THAT? BECAUSE PRESUMABLY SOME OTHER CITIES MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING ALREADY. >> I DEFINITELY LOOKED AT OTHER CITIES ALREADY. THAT'S WHY I KNOW HOW COMPREHENSIVE IT IS. I MEAN I HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND EDIT IT. >> SO THAT MEANS? >> WE HAVE TO INITIALLY GO TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD. BECAUSE IT'S A ZONING CHANGE. >> OKAY. SO AGAIN. >> THAT WOULD BE IF, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE -- >> HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WILL TAKE YOU. >> PROBABLY 60 DAYS AT THE MOST. >> OKAY. AGAIN AS SO MANY THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED. THIS IS BASED UPON RESIDENT INPUT AND TRYING TO RESPOND TO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. AND THEN THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON TOO THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE FURTHER TO IT. WE'RE ALL IN FAVOR OF YOU KNOW SECURITY LIGHTING, THAT TYPE OF THING. YOU KNOW I'M KEENLY AWARE OF THAT, ALWAYS HAVE BEEN. YOU KNOW THEY'RE ALSO SUCH A THING AS A POOR QUALITY OF LIFE MEASURE FOR HOMEOWNERS THAT HAVE LIGHTING GLARING IN THEIR HOME. THERE'S ALSO A VEHICLE SAFETY MATTER TOO BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE SO BRIGHT AND GLARING THAT THEY AFFECT VISIBILITY WHEN ONE IS DRIVING AT NIGHT. I'VE HEARD THAT FROM A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AS WELL. AND I SAW AN EXAMPLE OF IT MYSELF. SO IT HELPED ME UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE SAYING. SO, I'M NOT SURE THAT I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND, I THINK LIKE YOU, AS ATTORNEY -- SAID, THE NEXT THING IS TO DETERMINE THE ILLUMINATION AND STUFF. THANK YOU. >> I PERSONALLY WANT TO AVOID THE HOA CREEP THAT THIS KIND OF BRINGS IN. PERSONALLY I'M ALL FOR, NO LIGHT POLLUTION ANY WHERE. I WANT, I WANT MY INSECTS TO POLLINATE MY NIGHT BLOOMING CACTUS ALL THE TIME BUT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE I HAVE A STREET LIGHT RIGHT THERE. SO I'M A LITTLE BIT. I JUST DON'T WANT THIS TO TURN INTO AN HOA ORDNANCE. >> SO COUNCIL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO ME IS I HAD A LONG TERM RESIDENCE HERE IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO A TWO STORY WAS BUILT NEXT TO HER. AND THE MOTION SENSOR LIGHTS WERE PUT AT THE VERY TOP IN THE SECOND. AND THERE'S PETS WHO LIVE THERE. AND PETS ARE ALLOWED OUT ALL NIGHT LONG. AND ACCORDING TO HER, THAT THESE LIGHTS WERE LEFT, THE MOTION SENSOR WAS SET FOR LIKE 30 MINUTES, OKAY. THIS PARTICULAR PERSON IS A NIGHT PERSON. SO THEY'RE IN THEIR HAY DAY. THEY'RE SLEEPING DURING THE DAY, AND IN THE NIGHTTIME THEY'RE OUT THERE WATCHING THE MOON AND THE STARS, OKAY. DIFFERENT LIFESTYLE THAN ME. BUT THAT'S, THEIR LIFE. AND THEY WERE DISTRESSED TO THE MAXIMUM AND WHEN I ASKED WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THIS, ONE OF THE THINGS I FOUND OUT, IT'S REALLY NOT COVERED ANY WHERE. AND THAT'S WHY, IN MY OPINION, THIS IS THE FIRST STEP BY DECLARING IT INTO THE NUISANCE ORDNANCE SO THAT FUTURE CONVERSATIONS COULD TAKE PLACE. SO THAT WAS ONE. THE SECOND THING THAT HAPPENED AND THIS WAS NOT IN AN AREA THAT YOU KNOW WHERE WE'RE BUILDING A LOT OF TWO STORY HOMES RIGHT NOW. THE SECOND THING THAT HAPPENED TO ME IS THAT, I HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE APPROACH ME PRIMARILY I WANT TO SAY IN THE MARINA AREA, WHERE YOU'RE STILL GOING TO END UP WITH A GOOD NUMBER OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES BUT SOME OF THE FOLKS HAVE DECIDED OF COURSE TO EITHER RAISE THEIR HOMES UP, TAKE THEIR HOMES UP OR BUILD TWO STORIES AND THEY HAD THE SAME THING. SAYING YOU KNOW HOW ARE THINGS GOING TO BE CHANGED SO THAT, WE WON'T HAVE THE NEIGHBORS SPOTLIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD. >> SO A HEIGHT. >> YES. EVEN IF YOU HAD A TWO STORY HOUSE YOU REALLY DON'T NEED TO BE MOTION SENSORS AND SPOTLIGHTS ON THE SECOND STORY SHINING DOWN. YOU CAN JUST KEEP THEM ON THE FIRST STORY, OKAY. YOU WILL STILL SEE THE SAME THING YOU'VE BEEN SEEING ALL ALONG. BUT IT WON'T AFFECT YOUR NEIGHBOR. >> SO THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WOULD BE. AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADUs, THAT COULD BE AN EXAMPLE. THERE COULD BE AN ISSUE THERE. >> IT COULD BE, YES. >> AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO RESPOND THAT WAY BECAUSE I HAD BEEN APPROACHED BY SEVERAL PEOPLE. ONE WAS IMAGINING MORE INTO THE FUTURE AND ONE WAS TOTALLY STRESSED OUT NOW. AND I WAS FINDING OUT WHERE THERE'S REALLY NOTHING, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW AND THAT'S WHY, IT WAS SUGGESTED A TWO STEP PROCESS. FIRST WE HAVE TO INCLUDE IT INTO THE NUISANCE. >> I'M GREAT WITH THAT. I'M GREAT WITH THAT. NO ONE HAS MENTIONED ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO ME. I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING A ABOUT THE HEIGHT AND HOW THAT WOULD WORK. DEFINITELY. >> THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. >> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHTY, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT. YES. JENNIFER. >> JENNIFER DANCH. I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR HAVING IT INCLUDED IN THE NUISANCE AND HAVING IT DETERMINED TO BE A NUISANCE BEFORE YOU CAN SPECIFY IT BUT CONTAINING STILL THE LANGUAGE THAT REFERS TO UP LIGHTING, BEACON LIGHTING, THE SEARCH LIGHTS, THE THINGS THAT POINT AT THE RIGHT OF WAY. UP LIGHTING IF YOU HAVE AN AMERICAN FLAG ON THE LIGHT YOU EVER TO HAVE A LIGHT SHINING ON IT AT NIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THAT IT ALLOWS FOR OTHERWISE APPROVED. IN THIS PARTICULAR LANGUAGE, IN THIS PART OF IT IT'S STILL INCLUDED IN THAT. AND I THINK THAT SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED. I REALIZE THAT LATER ON IT WILL BE SPECIFIED BUT HERE IT DOES NOT CHANGE. SO I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT SAYS THIS IS A NUISANCE AND THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF IT. BUT REALLY THERE'S GOING TO BE OTHER EXAMPLES OF ITS LATER BUT THESE ARE STILL IN THERE AS EXAMPLES OF THINGS THAT WOULD BE A NUISANCE AND THEY'RE REALLY NOT. NECESSARILY EXAMPLES OF A NUISANCE. SO, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT PART OF IT. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS MATTER? SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. DO WE HAVE ANY E COMMENTS? NO E COMMENTS ON THIS ONE. >> ALL RIGHTY. >> COUNCIL MEMBER EARLEY. >> YES. >> VICE MAYOR THANOS. >> COUNCIL MEMBER SHAW. >> YES. >> COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. >> YES. >> MAYOR LOVE. >> YES. >> CARRIES TO PASSAGE. >> MOVING ON TO RESOLUTIONS. ITEM 8A RESOLUTION NUMBER 2026-08 A RESOLUTION AMENDING FEES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF LEISURE SERVICES IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 25 OF THE CODE OF ORDNANCES. PROVIDING FOR THE ADOPTION OF A FEE SCHEDULE FOR THE 2026 CHILDREN SUM SUMMER'S RECREATION PROGRAM. >> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> YEAH I WAS. MAYOR IF I CAN TAKE A STEP. BEFORE YOU. TAKE ACTION ON THIS TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF MARIBEL GUTIERREZ TO MAINTAINING AFFORDABILITY OF THIS PROGRAM. AS SOME OF YOU SPOKE WITH THE TAX BILLS, THINGS TO THAT EFFECT. WITH THE LEGISLATION THAT'S OUT THERE. ONE THING THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED, THIS TO ME THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPTS ANNUALLY BECAUSE IT'S AFFORDABLE. THOSE WHO NEED THE RECREATION PROGRAM CAN CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE. AS YOU SEE IN OUR MEMO WE DO HAVE MANY WAYS TO OFFSET THE COST. I CAN TELL YOU COMPARATIVELY TO OTHER CITIES IN THE AREA, WE'RE VERY AFFORDABLE. AND I THINK COUNCIL, IT'S A BLESSING TO THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS CONTINUOUSLY ENDORSED THAT VALUE SYSTEM. AND THE COST ASSOCIATED TO OFFERING CHILDREN THIS RECREATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS IN SPEAKING ORDER. NO QUESTIONS. OKAY. I THINK IT'S GREAT TOO TO KEEP THE COST. IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME. HAVE YOU EVER LOOKED AT. I JUST LOOKED TODAY AT THE MARKET HOW MANY BABIES THERE WERE. HAVE WE EVER LOOKED AT DOING ANY KIND OF CHILD CARE FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN? >> WE DO HAVE VPK. AND IT STARTS. >> BUT YOUNG YOUNG, YOUNGER TODDLERS. NO YOUNGER THAN -- >> WE DO START AT 3. >> OKAY THAT IS YOUNG. BUT NOTHING BELOW. OKAY. WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF INCREASE TO CURRENT RATES. >> BASICALLY NO INCREASE DO THE CURRENT RATE. IT'S BASED ON THE NUMBER OF WEEKS OF THE PROGRAM. IF YOU HAVE AN EIGHT WEEK SUMMER PROGRAM, IT'S TIED TO THE SCHOOL CALENDAR. SCHOOL GETS OUT JUST A TAD LATER THIS YEAR. A FEW DAYS. AND YOU HAVE 10 WEEKS THIS SUMMER. PAST SUMMERS YOU'VE HAD EIGHT WEEKS. IT'S WHERE THE PINELLAS COUNCIL SCHOOL SYSTEM CHOOSES TO GO BACK. I DID SEE THAT AND THOUGHT IT WAS LOGICAL. BUT I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS AN INCREASE OR NOT. THAT'S GOOD, THAT'S GREAT. I DO APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE THIS YOUNG PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES. >> COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. >> NO COMMENTS I TOTALLY SUPPORT THIS. >> THANK YOU. >> I WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED BY HOW AFFORDABLE IT IS, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH. I WAS EXPECTS. I HAD NEVER LOOKED AT THOSE NUMBERS BEFORE. WHEN I LOOKED AT IT I WAS WHOA. BECAUSE I READ RECENTLY THAT FOR A CHILD CARE COST IT'S $25 AN HOUR. NEW CAREER. >> THAT WOULD BE A RAISE FOR ME. I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO SEE THIS AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT. THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS. AND YES, THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELPS OUR CITY TAXES WITH. SO, THANK YOU. >> I'M SORRY, PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NONE. WARDEN STERN. >> HELLO, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REITERATE THAT WE ARE THE YOUNG PARENTS COUNCIL OF GULF PORT WOULD LOVE TO HAVE CHILD CARE IN THAT EXACT FACILITY VERY AFFORDABLE FOR THESE MEETINGS. THEY ARE NOT, THERE'S LOTS OF BABIES, LOTS OF YOUNG KIDS IN GULFPORT AND MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO COME TO THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE IT'S NOT A CONVENIENT TIME. CHILD CARE. SO I LOVE THAT WE HAVE THIS, JUST REITERATING THAT THERE'S LOTS OF PARENTS THAT I TALK TO THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT FOR CITY WORKSHOPS. CANDIDATE FORUMS AND OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND WE HAVE A GREAT FACILITY THAT ALREADY SEES MANY KIDS IN AND OCCUPANT OF THEM TAKEN GREAT CARE OF BY OUR CITY STAFF. >> THANK YOU, ANYBODY ELSE. ANY E COMMENTS ON THIS MATTER. >> NO E COMMENTS ON THIS ONE. >> ALL RIGHTY, CALL THE VOTE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER EARLEY. >> YES. >> COUNCIL MEMBER THANOS. >> YES. >> COUNCIL MEMBER SHAW. >> YES. >> COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. >> YES. >> MAYOR LOVE. >> >> PASSES TO PASSAGE. >> AND WE HAVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2026-09 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH COLT SERVICES, LLC FOR THE INSTALLATION OF POTABLE WATER INSERT VALVES ASSOCIATED WITH THE 58th STREET ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. >> WHY IS IT GETTING ADDED ON. BECAUSE WE IDENTIFIED AS WE NEEDED THE VALVE. THERE'S SOME VALVES THAT DON'T NEED TO BE REPLACED. TO KEEP THE PROJECT MOVING WE LOOKED AT THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROJECT TO ADD THEM IN. >> OKAY. >> THANK YOU. PUBLIC COMMENT? DO WE HAVE ANY E COMMENT. NOT ON THIS ITEM MAYOR. ALL RIGHTY. CALL THE VOTE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER EARLEY. >> YES. >> VICE MAYOR THANOS. YES. >> COUNCIL MEMBER SHAW. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON. MAYOR LOVE. >> YES. >> PASSES. >> -- MAYOR, COUNCIL HAD DETERMINED TO TABLE THIS ACTION WITH THE DESIRE SO SEEK AN ADDITIONAL APPRAISAL TIED TO AN AMI APPRAISAL AND ALSO TO FAIR MARKET VALUE. WHAT THIS DOES IS, NEW APPRAISAL ESTABLISHING THE FAIR MARKET VALUE. IF I COULD DIRECT YOU TO, IN YOUR APPRAISAL TO PAGE 16. MARKET VALUE CONCLUSION IS OUTLINED SPECIFICALLY. IN THAT AMOUNT TO TOTAL APPRAISAL VALUE FOR MARKET VALUE IS $455,000 OF WHICH YOU WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR 50% OF THAT. OKAY, THANK