City Council Meeting

>>> GOOD EVENING. AND HEY. AND WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR JULY 15th. AS ALWAYS, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT EVERYBODY TURN OFF THEIR PHONES. THAT MEANS LIKE EVERYBODY. OKAY? IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT, CHECK IT NOW PLEASE. >> REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE IN KERVILLE. >> NOT A HANDFUL OF LAWYERS IN A CLOSETED COURTROOM BUT HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF EVERY DAY PEOPLE, DISCIPLINED PEACEFUL PEOPLE, TAKING THE CAUSE AND THEIR BELIEF TO THE STREETS. THAT'S FROM JOHN LOUIS, AND HE DIED THIS WEEK ON THE 17th. >> A YEAR AGO? THIS WEEK? >> NO, NO. 2020. >> I WAS LIKE, I THOUGHT HE DIED BEFORE. >> 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. I'M SORRY. >> THANK YOU. AS TERRIBLE AS THE STORMS WERE TO US AND THE DEVASTATION THAT THEY CAUSED FOR SO MANY PEOPLE HERE, WE WERE SO LUCKY TO NOT HAVE THE LOSS OF LIFE. AND TRULY, WE THOUGHT WE HAD A MESS UNTIL YOU LOOK AT THEIR PHOTOS. THEY HAD A MESS. THEY HAVE A MESS. LATER TONIGHT AFTER OUR PRESENTATIONS, THERE WILL BE SCREENS UP HERE, AND IT WILL GIVE YOU BOTH THE E-MAIL ONLINE WAY TO DONATE IF YOU'D LIKE TO, AS WELL AS WHERE CHECKS CAN BE MAILED. THE CITY HAS REQUESTED, THEY HAVE THIS IN PLACE. THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF TEXAS HILL COUNTY, A 501C3 PUBLIC CHARITY IS PROVIDING RESCUE RELIEF AND RECOVERY SERVICES. WHILE INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES CANNOT RECEIVE DIRECT AID, YOUR CONTRIBUTION ENSURES THAT THE VITAL RESOURCES REACH THE FRONT LINES OF THE CRISIS. SO AGAIN, AFTER PRESENTATIONS, THAT WILL BE UP THERE, AND IT WILL STAY UP THERE IN CASE ANYBODY IS SO INCLINED AND WANTS TO DONATE, THAT WOULD BE A WAY TO DO IT. THANK YOU. SO ROLL CALL IF YOU WILL PLEASE. VICE-MAYOR THANOS? >> HERE. >> COUNCILMEMBER SHAW? >> PRESENT. >> COUNCILMEMBER JACKSON? >> HERE. >> MAYOR LOVE? >> >> CITY ATTORNEY SALZMAN? >> HERE. >> DEPUTY CITY CLERK HARTMAN PRESENT. >> ALL RIGHT. SO OUR AGENDA SAYS WE HAVE THREE PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO ADJUST THAT. WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT, AND WE'LL START WITH OUR FIRST PRESENTATION FROM DUKE ENERGY, CLEAN ENERGY CONNECTION PROGRAM. AND I BELIEVE THAT I'M GOING TO SAY THE NAME HOPEFULLY CORRECT, I SEE THREE GENTLEMEN, BUT I ONLY HAVE TWO NAMES. I HAVE TRAVIS CANUSE AND JEFF BAKER. IF YOU WOULD COME UP AND INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, I'D APPRECIATE IT. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M TRAVIS KNOUS. I'M WITH DUKE ENERGY AND THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR CLEAN ENERGY CONNECTION. CLEAN ENERGY CONNECTION IS A PROGRAM THAT THE CITY OF GULFPORT CURRENTLY PARTICIPATES IN, AND I WAS ASKED TO COME KIND OF GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT SINCE IT'S BEEN A COUPLE YEARS SINCE WE'VE SPOKEN PUBLICLY WITH YOU ABOUT THE PROGRAM. SO TYPICALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY, THERE'S THREE WAYS THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO KIND OF REDUCE YOUR SCOPE TO EMISSIONS. THAT'S EITHER BY REDUCING THE ENERGY YOU USE OR YOUR OWN ON-SITE SOLAR FACILITY THAT FEEDS THE ENERGY YOU CONSUME OR TO HAVE OFF-SITE ENERGY. WHAT CLEAN ENERGY CONNECTION ALLOWS YOU TO DO IS PARTICIPATE IN SCALE SOLAR ENERGY, AND IT'S OFF SITE. THAT MEANS WE HAVE GIANT FACILITIES THAT ARE NOT WITHIN THE CITY OF GULFPORT'S TERRITORY, BUT THAT IT FEEDS ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA. HOPEFULLY THAT'S LARGE ENOUGH FOR YOU GUYS TO BE ABLE TO SEE. SO THE PROGRAM HAS 10 FACILITIES THAT ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THEY'RE ALL 74.9 MEGAWATTS MEANING WE HAVE THREE QUARTERS OF A GIGAWATT OF SOLAR ATTACHED TO THIS PROGRAM. CUSTOMERS ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM IN ORDER EARN RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES. WHAT A RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATE IS FOR THE ABILITY TO ACCOUNT FOR YOUR SCOPE TWO EMISSIONS BECAUSE THE ENERGY IS OFF SITE. RIGHT? IT DOESN'T GO THROUGH A METER THAT'S CONNECTED TO ANY OF YOUR SPECIFIC BILLS. SO FOR THE END OF 2024, YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM WAS ABLE TO OFFSET YOUR SCOPE TWO EMISSIONS BY 10% OF ALL THE USAGE THAT YOU USED FOR THE YEAR. SO THE WAY WE TRY TO EXPLAIN THIS THROUGH A VISUAL IS AS ALL THE ENERGY, AS YOU GUYS CAN SEE HERE AT THE BOTTOM, IS PLACED ON TO THE GRID FOR ALL OF OUR CONSUMERS TO USE, WE ALSO HAVE THE SOLAR ENERGY FROM CLEAN ENERGY CONNECTION THAT ALSO COMES ON THE GRID FOR ALL PEOPLE TO USE. SO ANYBODY IN FLORIDA THAT'S CONNECTED IS USING SOLAR ENERGY. YOU GUYS PAY A PARTICIPANT FEE EACH AND EVERY MONTH BASED ON A SUBSCRIPTION AND THEN YOU'RE ALSO GIVEN ENERGY CREDITS ON YOUR BILL AGAINST THAT FEE FOR THE GENERATION THAT'S CREATED. AND THEN RETURN FOR EVERY MEGAWATT HOUR, YOU RECEIVE ONE REC. 10% IS OFFSET STRICTLY THROUGH THE USE OF THIS PROGRAM. SO WE BASICALLY CHARGE 8.35 PER KILOWATT. THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE BUYING A PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL CAPACITY OF THE ENTIRE PROGRAM. AND THEN YOU'RE PAID FOUR CENTS PER MEGAWATT HOUR. SO WHATEVER PERCENTAGE OF THE WATTS YOU GUYS ARE SUBSCRIBING TO, THAT SAME PERCENTAGE OF THE GENERATION CREATED BY THE SOLAR POWER BY THE SUN IS THEN PUT ON YOUR BILL AS A CREDIT. JUST A GENERIC VIEW OF A BILL THAT WILL ACTUALLY SHOW YOU THAT THE GENERATION HERE FOR YOUR FIRST-YEAR FEE WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF HOW MANY KILOWATTS YOU'RE SUBSCRIBED TO MULTIPLIED BY THE $8.35. THIS FIRST LINE WOULD TALK TO THE POINT OF YOUR ACTUAL CREDIT, WHICH IS THE FOUR CENTS TIMES THE KILOWATT HOURS FOR THAT SAME PERIOD. NOW, THE REASON WE LIKE TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT SOLAR ENERGY AND I CALL IT THE SOLAR COASTER IS BECAUSE EVEN HERE IN FLORIDA, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE SUN ALL THE TIME, THE INTENSITY OF THE SUN AND THE AMOUNT OF SUN THAT WE SEE VARIES THROUGHOUT THE MONTHS. SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE HAVE THIS ORANGE LINE THAT REPRESENTS THE SEASONALITY OF GENERATION OF OUR SOLAR ENERGY. I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE SMALL FOR YOU GUYS TO SEE, BUT BASICALLY FROM THE MONTHS OF MARCH TO AUGUST, YOUR ACTUAL CREDITS ON THE BILL THAT WE SPOKE TO A MOMENT AGO GENERALLY ARE GONNA MORE THAN PAY FOR YOUR SUBSCRIPTION INTO THE FEE. AND THEN THE OTHER SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR IN THE BEGINNING YEARS OF THE PROGRAM, YOUR FEES WILL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN YOUR CREDITS. FOR THE PAST 12 MONTHS, ANY SUBSCRIPTION YOU GUYS ARE PAYING FOR, 90% OF THAT IS COMING BACK TO YOU IN THE FORM OF CREDIT. IT COSTS YOU ABOUT $10 PER KILOWATT TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE PROGRAM IN THE BEGINNING YEARS. YOU GUYS ARE ACTUALLY ON THE THIRD YEAR ANNIVERSARY, THE END OF THE THIRD YEAR ANNIVERSARY, SO BASICALLY COMING UP ON YEAR FOUR. SO THE CREDITS WE'RE GIVING YOU EACH AND EVERY MONTH FOR THE GENERATION ARE NOW GOING TO START INCREASING EACH AND EVERY YEAR BY ONE AND A HALF PERCENT. WHILE THE FEES THAT YOU CONTRIBUTE INTO THE PROGRAM STAY THE SAME. >> SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WE PARTICIPATE IN OUR BILLS, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE CITY PROPER, OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE RESIDENTS OF GULFPORT? >> THE CITY PROPER BECAUSE YOU'RE PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM TODAY. >> THANKS. THAT WASN'T CLEAR TO ME. >> SURE. SORRY ABOUT THAT. YOUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS WITHIN THE CITY ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM AS WELL. SO AT THE END OF THE THREE-YEAR PERIOD, YOU GUYS HAVE SPENT ABOUT $7,000 ON THE PROGRAM. SO YOU'VE PAID IN $57,000 IN FEES. BUT IN CREDITS, YOU'VE RECEIVED $50,000 BACK. SO THIS IS GONNA ACTUALLY START, THE ACTUAL NETTING OF THAT IS GOING TO START DECREASING OVER TIME AS YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO GET THESE INCREASES IN THE CREDITS, AND YOUR FEE WILL STAY THE SAME. SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS IN ADDITION TO THOSE RECS THAT YOU GUYS ARE BEING ABLE TO USE TO REDUCE YOUR SUSTAINABILITY METRICS BY 10% CURRENTLY, WE KIND OF HAVE A GRAPH HERE THAT'S GONNA SHOW YOU GUYS WHAT THE CUMULATIVE AMOUNT IS OVER TIME IF YOU STAY ON THE PROGRAM FOR 33 YEARS. LIKE I SAID, WE'RE IN THE INFANCY OF OUR PROGRAM. WE'RE JUST STARTING YEAR NUMBER FOUR. WE ESTIMATE THE BREAK-EVEN POINT WILL BE BETWEEN YEARS NINE AND 13, AND THAT YOUR ACTUAL PAYBACK PERIOD WILL BE OVER 17-24 YEARS. NOW, YOU GUYS CONTRIBUTE TO THIS MONTHLY THROUGH A MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION. SO THERE WAS NO LARGE UP-FRONT COST FOR YOU TO HAVE TO BUY LAND AND, YOU KNOW, BUY THE MATERIAL AND MAINTAIN IT. WE DO ALL THAT FOR YOU AS PART OF THAT SUBSCRIPTION FEE. . SO IF YOU WERE ABLE TO STAY ON THE PROGRAM AND WE KIND OF HAVE SOME NUMBERS OVER HERE, BUT IF YOU WERE TO STAY ON THE PROGRAM FOR THE FULL 33 YEARS, AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM, NOT ONLY WOULD YOU HAVE HAD 33 YEARS OF THOSE RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES THAT YOU'RE USING TO MEET YOUR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS, BUT YOU ALSO WILL SAVE BETWEEN $60 AND $120,000 ON THE PROGRAM. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE OVERVIEW. DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM? I DO. >> SURE. >> SO I LOVE THE IDEA OF SOLAR. I HAVE IT ON MY HOUSE. DO YOU HAVE ANY WIND PROJECTS? WE DO NOT HAVE WIND PROJECTS IN FLORIDA. IF YOU WERE TO EVER LOOK AT THE WIND MAPS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH UTILITIES, THE WIND JUST IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS CONSISTENT ENOUGH IN FLORIDA AS IT MIGHT BE ESPECIALLY IN THE WEST. >> I KNOW. I SAW A NEW THING ABOUT WIND GENERATORS THAT DON'T HAVE BLADES, SO NO BIRDS GET HURT, AND ALL THAT. SO THAT'S VERY COOL. ANYWAY. AND ARE YOU DOING ANYTHING, BECAUSE I LOVE THE IDEA OF SOLAR. I DON'T LOVE THE IDEA OF TAKING POTENTIAL FARMLAND OR LAND THAT'S GOOD FOR SOMETHING ELSE AND JUST PUTTING SOLAR ON IT. SO ARE YOU LOOKING AT PUTTING SOLAR ON, SAY, YOUR BUILDINGS OR ON TOP OF PARKING LOTS OR SOMEPLACE ELSE OR STACKING IT OR DOING IT SOME OTHER WAY SO THAT IT DOESN'T TAKE SO MUCH LAND? >> THE WAY WE DO IT TODAY, AT LEAST WITH THE PORTFOLIO FOR THE CLEAN ENERGY CONNECTION PROGRAM IS WE ARE ABLE TO GO OUT THERE AND BUY LAND THAT WAS ALREADY VACANT AND ALREADY CLEARED, RIGHT? WE DIDN'T GO THROUGH AND CUT DOWN TREES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO BUILD IT. SO OVER TIME, FOR YOU TILLTY SCALE, THIS IS THE CHEAPEST, MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO DO IT. GRASS STILL GROWS UNDERNEATH ALL OF THE SOLAR PANELS, AND THIS IS UTILITY SCALE. SO IT TAKES UP, YOU KNOW, MANY, MANY ACRES. >> AND IS IT IN AREAS THAT HAVE A LOT OF WILDLIFE, AND IS IT FENCED? DOES IT INTERFERE WITH THAT? IT IS FENCED OFF FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE FACILITY AND FOR ANYBODY THAT MIGHT ENCROACH IT. THOUGH IT IS SOLAR POWER AND IT DOES SEEM VERY SAFE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT CAN STILL BE A VERY DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENT. >> AND SOMEBODY COULD DO SOMETHING YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO. >> THAT'S CORRECT TOO. >> BUT I KNOW IF IT'S LAND THAT SOMEBODY THINKS IS KIND OF WORTHLESS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE BUT IT STILL COULD BE A WILDLIFE CORRIDOR. THAT'S TRUE. YOU WANNA? >> YOU COULD PUT BRIDGES OVER IT. BRIDGES OVER IT. THEY'RE DOING THAT. WE DID HAVE ONE FACILITY WHERE WE DID INVESTIGATION. >> PLEASE COME UP TO USE THE MIC BECAUSE WE'RE BEING RECORDED. >> OKAY. JUST A FEW COMMENTS ON THAT. MY NAME IS TOM. I'M WITH DUKE ENERGY. AND THERE IS ONE SITE WHERE WE DID AN INVESTIGATION, AND IT WAS A WILDLIFE CORRIDOR OVER IN THE CENTRAL PART OF THE STATE. SO WE DIVIDED UP THE FENCING IN AREAS TO ALLOW MIGRATION. SO WE LOOK AT WILDLIFE. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE GOPHER TORTOISES, AND WE HAVE TO GET PERMITS AND SPECIALISTS COME OUT AND REMOVE THEM. IF THERE'S ANY ENDANGERED SPECIES, THAT SITE IS OFF THE LIST IMMEDIATELY. AND THE OTHER THING IS WE'LL PUT FLOWERING BUSHES AROUND SOME OF OUR SITES FOR THE BEES TO USE THAT. WE'VE FOUND THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO ACTUALLY MIX AT THAT SITE WITH THE SOLAR ANYTHING ELSE BESIDES SOMETHING SMALL LIKE FLOWERING PLANTS. >> NO, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. >> IT JUST DOESN'T WORK. >> YOU DON'T WANT TREES TO BLOCK THE SOLAR. >> ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES IS FOR A FARMER THAT MIGHT HAVE A COUPLE THOUSAND ACRES, HE CAN NOW OFTEN WE LEASE THE LAND FROM THEM, SO THEY GET A STEADY INCOME AS OPPOSED TO THE VARIABILITY OF HOW THEIR AGRICULTURE DOES, SO IT CAN KIND OF BALANCE OUT IF YOU'RE A FARMER HOW YOU'RE MAKING INCOME AND STILL MAINTAIN AN AGRICULTURAL LIFESTYLE. OKAY. BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE SEEN SOLAR LIKE ON TOWERS, AND IT HAS PANELS ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE ARE MORE FOR CONSUMER RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, LARGE SCALE. >> THEY ARE. AND THOSE HELP A LITTLE BIT. WHEN WE GET TO CITY SCAPES, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THE SCALE THAT WE NEED BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING 400 ACRES. BUT ONE THING THAT'S HAPPENED IS THE PANELS HAVE BECOME MORE EFFICIENT. SO WHERE WE USED TO NEED 500 ACRES, NOW WE USE 400 ACRES TO GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF ENERGY. THEY'RE SHRINKING A LITTLE BIT. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO 50 ACRES. >> ARE THERE PUBLIC PLACES WHERE YOU COULD PUT THEM? I'M THINKING CAR PARKS AND STUFF LIKE THAT WHERE YOU COULD PUT THEM ON THE ROOF AND PAY WHOEVER HAS THE CAR PARK OR WHATEVER PUT THEM ON THE ROOF. BECAUSE THAT LAND IS ALREADY TAKEN UP. WE DID THAT ON THE PIER IN ST. PETERSBURG. AND IT HAS A DOUBLE BENEFIT OF, YOU KNOW, SUPPLYING SHADE TO THE CARS. IT'S JUST REALLY EXPENSIVE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BUILD IT FOR HURRICANE STRENGTH WINDS. YOU HAVE THIS HUGE PANEL THAT'S BASICALLY A BIG SAIL. >> DON'T YOU HAVE TO DO THAT IN THE COUNTRY? >> WELL, IF WE GO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STATE, IT'S DIFFERENT. WE TRY TO PICK THE MIDDLE OF THE STATE WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME HURRICANE RISKS THAT WE HAVE HERE ON THE COAST. YEAH, AND THOSE PANELS ARE EIGHT OR NINE FEET OFF THE GROUND. YOU HAVE TO GO 15 FEET UP, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT BECOMES A BIGGER SAIL. WE STILL HAVE TO MEET THE HURRICANE CODES WHEREVER WE GO. RIGHT, OF COURSE. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO IS THIS PROGRAM DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE DOING AS WE REPLACE ROOFS AND ADD SOLAR TO THOSE? >> UM, ON YOUR CITY BUILDINGS? >> YES. >> YES, THIS IS DIFFERENT. >> OKAY. >> SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT YOUR UTILITY USAGE AND YOU ALREADY HAVE THE SOLAR ON YOUR BUILDINGS, THROUGH YOUR BILLS YOU'RE ALREADY REDUCING YOUR USAGE BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA PULL FROM THAT SOLAR, THAT SOLAR ARRAY ON TOP OF THE BUILDING BEFORE YOU PULL FROM THE DUKE ENERGY GRID. SO THIS WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY USING THERE. OKAY. THANK YOU. >> SURE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >>> OKAY. OUR SECOND PRESENTATION TONIGHT IS GOING TO BE FROM OUR CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE. MOST OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN COMING TO MEETINGS KNOW THAT WE DID SELECT A COMMITTEE PRETTY EARLY IN THIS NEW ADMINISTRATION, AND I'VE HEARD NOTHING BUT RAVE REVIEWS FROM OUR STAFF ABOUT HOW PROFESSIONAL THIS GROUP HAS BEEN AS WELL AS HOW WELL THEY'VE WORKED TOGETHER. SO I SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THEY'RE GONNA COME UP HERE NOW, AND THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE, IF YOU REMEMBER THE PROCESS WE WENT THROUGH EACH ONE OF US UP HERE PICKED FOUR OR FIVE, UM, SECTIONS THAT WE PARTICULARLY WANTED TO BE REVIEWED, AND THEN WE SAW WHERE THE GENERAL CONSENSUS WAS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DIRECTED THEM TO DO. AND THEY HAVE DONE THAT. AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT AS THEY GIVE OUR REPORT, I NEED FOR EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THEIR THOUGHTS AND THEIR SUGGESTIONS FOR OUR CONSIDERATION. NO DECISIONS WILL BE MADE TONIGHT. AND EVEN IF WERE TO AGREE WITH THEM 100%, WE DON'T HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE CHARTER. THAT HAPPENS ON A REFERENDUM, OKAY? SO IF YOU HEAR OR SEE ANYTHING THAT YOU DON'T LIKE TONIGHT, DON'T PANIC. AND LIKEWISE, IF YOU HEAR AND SEE THINGS YOU DO LIKE, THEN SPREAD THE WORD. BUT IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO THE RESIDENTS TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE DECISION. WITH THAT BEING -- >> CAN I ASK ANDY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT? ANDY, SOMEBODY BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE THAT SAYS THAT THE COUNCIL CAN MAKE SOME CHANGES TO THE CHARTER REVIEW JUST WITH A COUNCIL VOTE. IS THAT TRUE? AND WHAT KIND OF CHANGES WOULD THOSE BE? NO. WE DISCUSSED, WE DISCUSSED A WARD ISSUE. WE DISCUSSED CHANGING WARD BOUNDARIES THAT YOU CAN DO, BUT THAT'S ALREADY IN THE CHARTER. BUT THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THAT WE CAN CHANGE? NO. OTHER THAN WHAT YOU WANT TO PUT ON FOR REFERENDUM. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. >> OKAY. SO ANY ULTIMATE DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE THROUGH THE REFERENDUM THAT OUR RESIDENTS WOULD VOTE ON. THAT BEING SAID, I BELIEVE THAT JOE GUENTHER IS GOING TO GIVE THE REPORT, AND ARE ALL OF YOU GOING TO COME UP HERE TONIGHT? NO? ALL RIGHTY. THANK YOU, JOE. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JOE GUENTHER, AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF SERVING AS A CHAIRPERSON OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE. I'M JOINED THIS EVENING BY MY FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS, VICE CHAIRPERSON AARON BEAMAN, DEBRA ATKINS, JOE GONZALEZ-HASTINGS, AND ROBERT RUBEN. TOGETHER, WE ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS. THE COUNCIL HAS TASKED US WITH REVIEWING SPECIFIC SECTIONS OF THE CHARTER, NAMELY SECTIONS 103, 302, 305, 306, AND 1,005. AFTER THOROUGH DISCUSSION, THOUGHTFUL ANALYSIS, AND COLLABORATIVE DELIBERATION, WE HAVE PREPARED A SET OF PROPOSED CHANGES FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. IN ADDITION TO THE SECTIONS ORIGINALLY ASSIGNED TO US, THE COMMITTEE TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO REVIEW OTHER PORTIONS OF THE CHARTER IN ORDER TO ENSURE A COMPREHENSIVE AND COHESIVE EVALUATION. AFTER CAREFUL EXAMINATION, WE CONCLUDED THAT THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS ARE CURRENTLY ADEQUATE AND DO NOT REQUIRE ANY REVISIONS. THOSE WOULD BE SECTIONS 101, 102, 201, 301, 303, 305B, 305C, AND 307. LASTLY, WHILE IT WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED BY THE COUNCIL, THE COMMITTEE FELT COMPELLED TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON SECTION 304 AS IT SURFACED DURING OUR DISCUSSION AS AN AREA THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM CLARIFICATION. WE APPRECIATE THE TRUST THAT YOU PLACED IN US TO CARRY OUT THIS IMPORTANT WORK, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IN GREATER DETAIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO OUR CITY. AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ON OUR RECOMMENDATIONS. WE HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO READ IT. >> APPARENTLY, I DID GET THEM, BUT I APPARENTLY NOT EVERYBODY ELSE DID GET THEM IN ADVANCE. SO THIS WILL BE ADDED TO FURTHER DISCUSSION, AND WE WILL INVITE YOU BACK IN CASE WE HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. BECAUSE THEY JUST RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION TONIGHT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FEEDBACK. IS THERE ANYTHING -- >> EXCUSE ME. >> OH, SORRY. >> IS THERE ANYTHING, WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU, I HAD KIND OF TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU. ONE WAS AND THIS KIND OF NEEDS ANDY TO GIVE COMMENT TOO, CITY ATTORNEY, BACKING IT UP IF THE GOAL WAS TO HAVE THIS, IF WE DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A REFERENDUM AND WE WANTED TO HAVE IT ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT, WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING CONCRETE FROM US? I BELIEVE THE CITY CLERK STATED WE HAVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING DONE BY AUGUST. I WOULD TELL YOU THERE'S SOME PLUSES AND MINUSES. NUMBER ONE, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT FROM THE CITY, WHICH IS A GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS BECAUSE YOU DON'T NECESSARILY GET A GOOD TURNOUT WHEN THIS IS THE SOLE ISSUE. AND IF IT'S A CHARTER CHANGE, I THINK YOU WANT THE BEST TURNOUT YOU CAN GET. . SO WHILE WE DID DISCUSS PUTTING SOME OF THESE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT, I THINK COUNCIL NEEDS TO CONSIDER WHETHER IT'D BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO PUT THEM IN MARCH. ALSO FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER, MAYOR, AS YOU MENTIONED YOU ASKED FOR CERTAIN SECTIONS TO BE LOOKED AT. THAT IS WHAT THE CHARTER COMMITTEE DID. THERE ARE OTHER SECTIONS OF THE CHARTER CERTAINLY THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO LOOK AT, SHOULD YOU GIVE THEM THAT DIRECTION. AS I'VE TOLD YOU, MAYOR, IT'S A PHENOMENAL GROUP. THEY DO GREAT WORK. THEY HAVE GOOD DISCUSSIONS ON THESE ITEMS. AND IT'S WELL THOUGHT OUT, THEIR PROPOSALS. >> SO THAT DOES LEAD TO MY SECOND QUESTION. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO LOOK INTO A COUPLE OTHER THINGS BECAUSE I CAN SEE WHERE THIS HAS TO READ RIGHT IN ORDER FOR THIS TO READ RIGHT, SO THAT I GET. BUT I WAS GOING TO OFFER YOU AN OPPORTUNITY, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THIS AT YOUR HIGH RATE OF PAY, BUT IF IN YOUR CONVERSATIONS IF MAYBE THE FIVE OF YOU HAD A CONSENSUS AND COULD COME UP WITH MAYBE FOUR MORE SECTIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST REALLY AS A GROUP WANTED TO ATTACK AND LOOK AT AS WELL, I KNOW I WOULD BE OPEN TO THAT. NOW, I HAVE NOT RUN THAT BY THE REST OF MY COUNCIL YET, BUT I'M SEEING SHAKING HEADS. >> I THINK THE WHOLE THING SHOULD BE LOOKED AT, NOT JUST FOUR SECTIONS. >> AND THEN WITH THAT IN MIND, WE DON'T NEED TO RUSH, RUSH, RUSH IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL WORK THAT YOU WANT TO DO, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU WOULD AGREE WITH ME, BUT I PERSONALLY THINK THAT I WOULD RATHER SEE US BE ON ONE BALLOT RATHER THAN SOME ON A NOVEMBER BALLOT AND SOME ON A MARCH BALLOT. I THINK THERE COULD BE A PERCEPTION OR A FEAR THAT WE'RE MESSING WITH THE CHARTER EVERY TIME. AND I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING. SO I THINK THAT MAYBE WE WOULD THROW IT BACK TO YOU SO THAT YA'LL COULD GET TOGETHER AND DECIDE WHAT ELSE YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT, AND I'M NOT REQUESTING, I'M NOT REQUESTING THAT YOU DO THE ENTIRE CHARTER. BUT IF YOU WANTED TO SELECT A COUPLE IN A SIMILAR PROCESS WE DID, THEN WORK ON THAT, AND IN THE MEANTIME THE COUNCIL HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH AND SEE THE CHANGES. AND THEN WE WOULD ASK YOU MAYBE TO COME BACK, AND YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO US AT THAT TIME AND GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY IN IF CASE SOMETHING WASN'T CLEAR TO US WHY YOU WANTED TO CHANGE THIS OR THAT. YOU KNOW, WE COULD HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT AS WELL. HOW DOES THAT SOUND TO MY COUNCIL FIRST? >> I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE MARCH THING FIRST. BUT I ALSO WOULD THINK THAT IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO AT LEAST READ THROUGH THE WHOLE CHARTER AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE AREN'T OTHER THINGS YOU WANT TO DISCUSS. TO ME, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO REVIEW IT, YOU MIGHT AS WELL LOOK AT ALL OF IT. A LOT OF IT YOU MAY HAVE NO ISSUES WITH. I THINK WE SHOULD PUT IT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM AND THEN ONCE WE DISCUSS THINGS, IF WE HAVE, SAY WE WANT TO CHANGE SOMETHING FROM TWO YEARS TO THREE YEARS OR WHATEVER, THEN MAYBE WE CAN GIVE THAT BACK TO YOU AS FEEDBACK, AND YOU GUYS COULD DISCUSS IT MORE IF THAT'S WHAT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD THING TO DO. >> I THINK IF THEY GAVE US THEIR SUGGESTIONS, WE EITHER WILL ACCEPT THEM OR REJECT THEM. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO SEND IT BACK TO THEM AGAIN. >> I THINK THEY MIGHT HAVE MORE INPUT. >> OKAY. >> UM, I HAVE STATED RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING THAT I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF REVIEWING THE WHOLE DOCUMENT SINCE IT'S SOMETHING WE DO EVERY 10 YEARS. AND I TOO AM IN FAVOR OF DOING IT ALL AT ONCE IN THE MARCH ELECTION. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> MISS JACKSON? >> I'M IN FAVOR FOR THE MARCH ELECTION, AND I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU AS A GROUP TO DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO REVIEW THE WHOLE THING. WHAT ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD. >> IN OUR CLASS AT BOCA RATON, OUR NEWLY ELECTED MUNICIPALITIES, THEY DID SUGGEST EVERY 10 YEARS. I'M HAPPY IF YOU GUYS ARE WILLING TO REVIEW THE WHOLE THING, THAT WORKS FOR ME, BUT I ALSO AGREE WITH MARCH. >> OKAY. SO I THINK YOU GOT YOUR DIRECTIVE. >> THANK YOU. >> AND WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME VERY MUCH. AND I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I WAS LUCKY AND I SAW IN ADVANCE, AND I LIKED WHAT I SAW, AND I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. BUT I WOULD BE DISCUSSING THAT PROBABLY WITH MY COUNCIL. >> THANK YOU. >> SHOULD WE PUT THAT ON THE NEXT AGENDA? >> NO. I WON'T BE HERE. >> OH. >> I'M SORRY, WHAT? >> HIS QUESTION WAS IF WE HAD A DATE IN MIND OF WHEN YOU'D WANT TO RE-MEET WITH OUR BOARD. WHAT I DO KNOW ON THE TOP OF MY HEAD IS I'M NOT HERE FOR THE NEXT MEETING AUGUST 5th. AND THEN I KNOW THAT THE NEXT, THE MEETING AFTER THAT, AUGUST 19th, WE ALREADY HAVE TWO BIG DISCUSSION ITEMS. SO I'M GOING TO GUESS IT WOULD BE FOLLOWING THAT. IT WOULD BE SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER. >> THANK YOU. >> WHAT'S THE DEADLINE FOR BEING ON THE MARCH BALLOT? >> WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME. I'LL FIND THAT OUT FOR SURE. I KNEW THE ONLY TIME PERIOD WE WOULD HAVE RUSHED IS IF YOU WANTED TO PUT ANYTHING ON IN NOVEMBER. WE'LL MEET. >> THANK YOU. >> AND WE WILL GET BACK TO YOU WITH A DEFINITE DATE. SOMETIMES THERE'S A LOT OF JUGGLING OF WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA EACH WEEK. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHTY. WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WILL OPEN THIS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. YOU'LL HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES TO DISCUSS ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA CURRENTLY. SO A SHOW OF HANDS IF I CAN. LAUREN, DID YOU HEAR THAT? THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE'S NAMES YOU HAVE TO KEEP STRAIGHT. LAUREN STERN, WARD 4. WHY AM I UP HERE? OKAY. SO THIS IS A VERY SPARSELY ATTENDED ROOM. I HOPE EVERYONE'S ENJOYING THEIR VACATIONS TO LESS HUMID AREAS, IF THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE UP TO. I DID SEND AN E-MAIL TO YOU GUYS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE STATED THIS. WE'D REALLY LOVE TO HAVE A REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT OPTION. IF IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE PLAYED ON THE LOUDSPEAKERS, COULD IT BE PUT ONLINE TO BE READ ACCESS BLUE? THERE ARE ACCESSIBLY. THEY HAVE CHILD CARE STUFF, THEY DON'T LIVE HERE FULL TIME, THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY EVERYBODY IN GULFPORT ISN'T HERE TWO TUESDAYS A MONTH. THEIR VOICES MATTER TOO. I KNOW YOU'RE REALLY RESPONSIVE TO E-MAILS. I'M VERY IMPRESSED. AND PUBLIC COMMENT IS LIKE BEING IN THE CONVERSATION WITH EVERYONE ELSE. I CALL FACEBOOK THE FIFTH WARD BECAUSE I THINK IT IS AN IMPORTANT SPACE FOR PUBLIC DIALOGUE, BUT I SOMETIMES COMMENT AND DO SAY THIS IS NOT PUBLIC RECORD. WHATEVER YOU SAID, COME TO THE MEETING, AND SAY IT HERE. THIS IS IMPORTANT, AS WE KNOW. SO THERE ARE MULTIPLE OPTIONS. THERE'S VOICE RECORDINGS. THERE'S LIKE A TYPED SUBMISSION FORM. WE COULD DO ADDRESS VERIFICATION TO MAKE SURE IT'S JUST LIMITED TO RESIDENTS, NOT TO ANYONE AS PUBLIC COMMENT IS. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AND I'M GOING TO KEEP ASKING ABOUT IT AND MENTIONING IT ON THE RECORD HERE BECAUSE I'M HERE THIS WEEK. AND I KNOW THAT IT'S BEING WORKED ON, BUT I WOULD LOVE AN UPDATE. THANKS. ALL RIGHTY. AND WHO'S NEXT? SHOW OF HANDS. JOHN? >> MY NAME IS JOHN BRIAN. I LIVE HERE IN GULFPORT. ABOUT SMOKING IN THE PARKS AND THE SMOKING STUFF. WHY DON'T WE GO AFTER THE LITTERING? >> SO JOHN, SO JOHN EXCUSE ME ONE MOMENT, THAT IS ON THE AGENDA, SO YOU NEED TO HOLD THAT COMMENT UNTIL WE GET TO THAT. THAT'S ON THE AGENDA TODAY. >> I'M TALKING ABOUT LITTERING. WE'RE GOING TO ENFORCE SOMETHING ELSE, BUT WE CAN'T GET THE LITTERING, WHICH IS OFFICERS I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS 50-60 YEARS. WE CAN'T GET THAT ENFORCED. ARE WE GONNA HIRE EXTRA POLICE OFFICERS HERE TO TRY TO ENFORCE THE NEW LAWS? IS MY WHOLE THING. THANK YOU. MARILYN? >> MARILYN. I LIVE OVER BY HOYT FIELD. I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK TOM NICHOLLS AND HIS TEAM. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FIELD, YOU SHOULD. AFTER WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE THROUGH THE STORM AND THE FACT TO HEAR EVERYBODY OVER THERE PLAYING, IT'S BEEN GREAT. SO. >> VERY GOOD. WHO ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, LENNIE. GOOD EVENING. 5213 DELOITTE AVENUE, SOUTH. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE. BUT I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ABOUT THE 4th OF JULY PARADE. THAT WAS REALLY A FABULOUS EVENT. I'M IN THE MARCHING BAND AND WE WERE ABLE TO MARCH, AND I GOTTA SAY THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS ON THE THIRD, THUNDERSTORMS ON THE MORNING, THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON. WHOEVER MADE THAT DECISION THAT SAID BY GOLLY, FOR THOSE TWO HOURS THAT WE KNOW THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A THUNDERSTORM IN GULFPORT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PARADE. WHO MADE THAT DECISION? I WOULD HAVE TO GUESS THAT WAS JUSTIN. YOU JUST DON'T KNOW. THIS GUY GETS DOWN TO EVERY MINUTE DETAIL. HE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT. >> DON'T PLAY POKER AGAINST HIM. AND MY OTHER COMMENT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS ABOUT THE CHARTER REVIEW. I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY BENEFICIAL IF THERE COULD BE MAYBE A WORKSHOP ON THAT, JUST HOLDING A SPECIAL MEETING SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING EVERYTHING YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, LOOKING AT THE CHANGES, TRYING TO GET AS MUCH PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AS POSSIBLE. IT'S GONNA COME DOWN TO THE VOTERS, AND WE NEED TO REALLY TRY TO GET PUBLIC INPUT INTO THIS. SO WHEN THEY SEE THIS ON THE BALLOT, THEY DON'T FREAK OUT, AND WONDER WHAT THE HECK IS THIS ALL ABOUT? THAT'S MY COMMENT. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHTY. WOLF GANG? YEAH, HI. THANK YOU. WOLFGANG, BEACHWAY PARK, GULFPORT. I RUN A GULFPORT GRASS ROOTS, A VOLUNTEER GROUP HERE IN TOWN. WE DID HAVE A BEYOND THE BEACH CLEAN UP THIS PAST SATURDAY, AND WE HAD 18 PEOPLE SHOW UP, INCLUDING SIX CHILDREN FROM SCOUT TROOP NUMBER 285 IN THE TYRONE AREA. I LOVE TO SEE WHEN THE KIDS ARE THERE BECAUSE THEY GET SO EXCITED TO HAVE PAILS AND PICKERS AND BAGS AND BRING BACK THEIR TRASH. WE WEIGH ALL THE TRASH BECAUSE WE REPORT TO KEEP PINELLAS BEAUTIFUL. WE HAD 117 POUNDS OF TRASH GATHERED UP BY ALL THE PEOPLE THERE. IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT. IT WAS RIGHT BEFORE THE BEACH VOLLEYBALL COMPETITION, WHICH WAS MAGNIFICENT ALSO. AND I DID WANNA SAY AGAIN ABOUT THE NO SMOKING ORDINANCE, WE HAD AGAIN VERY LITTLE CIGARETTE BUTTS ALL AROUND. SO THE ORDINANCE IS WORKING. I'M AMAZED AT HOW GOOD IT'S WORKING ACTUALLY. AND THAT'S IT FOR THAT. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, ALSO ON THIS DAY JULY 15th, I MOVED TO GULFPORT 11 YEARS AGO. AND IT'S BEEN JUST A BEAUTIFUL THING AFTER THAT. I LOVE THIS CITY. I MET KAREN LOVE LIKE A MONTH AFTER I MOVED HERE. >> AWW. >> AND WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER EVER SINCE. SO THANK YOU ALL. >> WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU HERE, WOLF. THANK YOU, HON. ALL RIGHTY, WHO'S NEXT? KAREN? >> WELL, I WANT TO ACTUALLY I HAVE TWO THINGS TO SAY. WOLFGANG'S BEEN HERE 11 YEARS. I CLOSED ON MY HOUSE ON JULY 5th, 2016. SO I'VE BEEN HERE NINE YEARS. AND I FEEL THE SAME WAY. AND IT'S WONDERFUL MEETING YOU, KAREN. >> THANK YOU. >> WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF A RELATIONSHIP, BUT YOU KNOW, SOME OF MY DEAREST FRIENDS ARE ON THIS COUNCIL. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO KNOWING MORE ABOUT YOU TWO AS WELL. THE OTHER THING IS I WANT TO ECHO WHAT LAUREN SAID. NOT ONLY ARE THERE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT OF TOWN, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO JUST PLAIN CAN'T GET HERE. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SENIORS, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ILL, AND WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY. WE DID IT DURING COVID. SO I KNOW IT COULD COST MONEY. I KNOW IT'S A HASSLE. BUT THE TECHNOLOGY HAS IMPROVED SO MUCH SINCE THEN, I THINK AS A RESULT OF HAVING TO WORK REMOTELY DURING COVID THAT I REALLY THINK THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE. I DO. AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY CALL-IN SHOWS ON THE RADIO. SOMETIMES PEOPLE SEND AN E-MAIL THAT THE HOST WILL READ. SOMETIMES, UH, PEOPLE SEND A TWEET OR SOMETHING. I DON'T THINK VIDEO IS REQUIRED, BUT I THINK THERE HAS TO BE A WAY TO INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO BE HERE. OH, AND KAREN SCHWARTZ LIVE ON DELOITTE AVENUE SOUTH. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. >> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WHO ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, PLEASE. >> HI. LISA, WATERFRONT DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I WANT TO ADDRESS A GROWING ISSUE IN GULFPORT. THE INCREASING NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN VEHICLES ALONG OUR BEACH FRONT AND PUBLIC SPACES. THIS ISN'T AN ISOLATED TREND. IT'S A LIFESTYLE CHOICE FOR THEM. WITH 10 TO 14 VEHICLES PARKED LONG-TERM BY THE BEACH FUNCTIONING AS HOMES, SOME REMAIN UNMOVED FOR MONTHS. THESE CAMPERS UTILIZE OUR FACILITIES FOR BATHING, SOMETIMES IN JUST UNDERWEAR. AND WHEN RESTROOMS ARE LOCKED AT NIGHT, IT CREATES OBVIOUS CONCERNS. SURROUNDING AREAS THAT ARE OFF THE BEACH ARE CLUTTERED WITH SOLAR PANELS, UMBRELLAS, TARPS, DOG BEDS, HAMMOCKS. WE HAD A FAUX LEATHER LEOPARD CHAIR SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT FOR WEEKS. THEY SLEEP ON THE PICNIC TABLES, GATHER IN PAVILIONS, SOME ENGAGE IN DRUG USE, OR OPENLY ASK FOR MONEY. THIS IS A DAILY REALITY FOR ANYONE VISITING THE BEACH, DINING DOWNTOWN, OR SIMPLY TAKING A WALK. THIS ISN'T ABOUT VILIFYING INDIVIDUALS BUT UNCHECKED, IT'S BEGINNING TO SHAPE GULFPORT'S REPUTATION AND SENSE OF SECURITY. RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS ARE ASKING WHY IS THIS NOW CONSIDERED THE NORM? I PROPOSE YOU TO CONSIDER PROACTIVE STEPS. EXTEND OVERNIGHT PARKING AND NO SLEEPING IN VEHICLE RULES TO ADJOINING STREETS AS THEY DO ON THE BEACH LOT. IMPLEMENT METERED PARKING OR TIME LIMITS TO DISCOURAGE INDEFINITE OCCUPATION. ALLOCATE POTENTIAL PARKING REVENUE FOR COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENTS AND OUTREACH. OTHER TOWNS LIKE SAFETY HARBOR ENFORCE SUCH STANDARDS WHILE REMAINING WELCOMING AND TOURIST FRIENDLY. GULFPORT DESERVES THE SAME. IF I HAD KNOWN THIS DETERIORATING SITUATION WOULD BE ALLOWED AND GROWING EXPONENTIALLY UNCHECKED, I WOULD HAVE RECONSIDERED PURCHASING MY HOME HERE. HIGH TAX-PAYING RESIDENTS ARE BEING ASKED TO ACCEPT WHAT FEELS LIKE UNMANAGED PUBLIC SPACE WITH NO DISCUSSION OF SOLUTIONS. PLEASE HELP GULFPORT REMAIN VIBRANT, SAFE, AND WELCOMING. THIS ISSUE DESERVES THOUGHTFUL, TIMELY ATTENTION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. AND DEB. >> DEB ATKINS, 27th AVENUE SOUTH. KUDOS TO EVERYONE FOR THE 4th OF JULY. WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND, BUT I COULD TELL IT WAS SMASHING SUCCESS. AND I KNOW WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THE PARADE, BUT I WONDER IF WE MIGHT CONSIDER TRADING OUT THE FIREWORKS FOR THE ANNUAL PICNIC AND MAKING THAT A GULFPORT TRADITION GOING FORWARD. ESPECIALLY I LOVE THE FIREWORKS, BUT THE BEACH TOWNS ALL HAVE SO MANY FIREWORKS THAT WE CAN SEE AND THE KIDS CAN ENJOY EVEN FROM OUR SHORES ACROSS THE WATER, SO I DON'T THINK WE'D BE GIVING UP A LOT THERE. JUST A THOUGHT. AS OUR FORMER MAYOR USED TO ALWAYS SAY, WE WERE ONE STORM AWAY FROM CHANGING THE ENTIRE LOOK OF GULFPORT, AND HE CERTAINLY WASN'T WRONG. I HOPE THAT WE ARE DOCUMENTING THE CHANGES FOR THE HISTORY MUSEUM IN THE ARCHIVES. I LOVE LOOKING AT THOSE OLD PHOTOS AND SEEING THAT. SO I ENVISION FUTURE GENERATIONS SAYING WOW, LOOK, THE HOUSES USED TO BE ON THE GROUND, AND THAT IS NO MORE. AND LOOK AT THOSE PILES OF TRASH. SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO DO. ALSO, THE PRESENTATIONS THAT ARE GIVEN HERE FROM VARIOUS SPEAKERS, THE TAMPA BAY, THE RESILIENCY AND STUFF, EVERYONE COMES WITH A PowerPoint DECK. COULD WE POST THOSE ON THE WEBSITE IN PDF? YOU JUST GET THAT BRIEF GLIMPSE. WE TALK ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WATCHING FROM AFAR, SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE VALUABLE INFORMATION TO ADD TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE IF WE COULD. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I HOPE WE'LL HEAR A PERMITTING UPDATE TONIGHT BECAUSE THERE ARE NO NEW NUMBERS ON THE WEB. IT HASN'T BEEN UPDATED SINCE MAY 5th. THANK YOU. WHO ELSE DO I HAVE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT? YES. >> BOB, SHORE BOULEVARD. I GAVE EVERYONE OF YOU GUYS ONE OF THESE. THIS EXACT SYSTEM HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN MY HOMETOWN, WHICH SITS BELOW SEA LEVEL, AND IT WORKS PERFECTLY. IT'S NOT SUPER EXPENSIVE. IT'LL TAKE CARE OF THE CIGARETTE BUTT PROBLEM BECAUSE IF YOU'RE IN A BAR AND YOU CAN'T SMOKE IN THE BAR, WHAT DO YOU DO? YOU GO OUTSIDE, YOU SMOKE, YOU FLICK YOUR CIGARETTE IN THE STREET, FLIP IT IN THE SEWER, GOES INTO THE PIPE ON TO THE BEACH. THIS BAFFLE BOX, I CAN EXPLAIN THIS TO YOU. CATCHES ALL THE TRASH, CIGARETTE BUTTS, AND SUBSTANCES LIKE FERTILIZER. IT SETTLES AT THE BOTTOM. SO THAT HELPS WITH THE RIDE TIDE PROBLEM. BUT THIS HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED, IT WORKS, I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS. I HAD AN ENGINEER DRAW THIS UP. SCOTT'S OVER HERE. HE'S A COASTAL ENGINEER. THAT'S WHAT HE DOES. HE HAS OFFERED HIS SERVICES FREE TO THE TOWN. HE HASN'T RECEIVED A PHONE CALL YET. THIS WORKS! WE'RE GONNA SEE THIS THURSDAY. THAT'S WHY I MADE SURE I CAME HERE AND PRINTED THESE UP. THURSDAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MASSIVE RAIN. MASSIVE RAIN. IT'S NOT GOING TO BREACH THE BEACH. IT'S NOT GOING TO BREACH THE SEAWALL, BUT OUR ROADS WILL BE FLOODED. THIS WHOLE AREA BACK WILL BE FLOODED. EVERYBODY JUST FIXED THEIR HOUSES AND STUFF BACK THERE. THEIR FOOTERS WILL BE WASHED OUT. YOU'RE GONNA SEE IT. WE'RE GOING TO SEE THIS THURSDAY. IF THIS WAS INSTALLED, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THAT. WE WOULD HAVE DRY ROADS, DRY ROADS. BECAUSE THAT TIDE IS GONNA BE UP, IT'S LIKE PUTTING A CORK IN OUR SYSTEM. EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THOSE PIPES COMES UP INTO THE ROAD. I'VE SEEN PEOPLE OUT HERE CLEANING THE CULVERT AND CLEANING THE PIPES FOR THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS. DOESN'T MATTER. THAT DOESN'T MATTER AT ALL. WITH THIS SYSTEM, YOU HAVE TO CLEAN THESE AND THESE ALONE. AND WE HAVE THE TRUCK TO DO IT ALREADY, THE BAFFLE BOXES, THE SCREENS, OKAY? IMPLEMENT THIS AND WE HAVE DRY ROADS. THIS WILL NOT STOP HURRICANE FLOODING. ONCE THAT WATER COMES OVER THE BEACH AND THE SEAWALLS, WE'RE FLOODED OUT. THIS IS NOT FOR THAT. THIS IS FOR JUST A HEAVY RAIN AND A HIGH TIDE, WHICH KILLS US EVERY TIME. YOU'RE GONNA SEE IT THURSDAY, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT AT THE NEXT MEETING, OKAY? OH, AND THE OTHER THING. WHAT LISA WAS SAYING HERE ABOUT PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR CARS. I HAD SOMEBODY KICK IN MY GATE. I HAVEN'T BEEN OUTSIDE. I'VE BEEN INSIDE WORKING ON MY HOUSE. MY SHOWER IN MY YARD TURNED INTO THE COMMUNITY SHOWER. SO YOU KNOW, IT'S A PROBLEM DOWN THERE. IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING WHERE YOU HAD AN HOUR LIMIT OR SINCE THAT AREA RIGHT THERE IS ZONED RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL, IF WE COULD HAVE NO LIVING IN YOUR CAR IN A COMMERCIAL AREA. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE I CLOSE IT? OKAY. NOPE. PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW CLOSED. AND WE WILL GO IN SPEAKING ORDER. NOPE. I'M JUMPING AHEAD OF THE GAME. I APOLOGIZE. WE WILL NOW GO TO THE CITY MANAGER REPORT. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. MAYOR, JUST A COUPLE ITEMS THIS EVENING. ONE, YOU RECEIVED YOUR BUDGET AS REQUIRED BY THE CITY CHARTER FOR LATER DISCUSSION, BUT YOU MET THE DEADLINE TODAY THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE YOU A COMPLETED BUDGET, BALANCED BUDGET, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE WHEN YOU SET YOUR MILLAGE RATE. WE'LL HAVE THAT TO SCHEDULE LATER IN THE NEXT MONTH. THEN THE SECOND ITEM IS I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE ADU ISSUE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL MEETING IN REGARDS TO RETAINING THEIR CONSULTING SERVICES TO ASSIST US. WE KIND OF WORKED THROUGH THE SUGGESTIONS YOU ALL HAD PROVIDED ME, AND WE WORKED THROUGH SOME ITEMS THAT WERE OUTSTANDING, AND MISS FISHER PROVIDED US SOME OPTIONS THAT WOULD PROBABLY BRING EVERYONE INTO A COMPLIANCE AREA, WHICH WE'LL START WORKING ON IT ONCE WE HAVE THE AGREEMENT. THERE IS ONE PENDING ISSUE. I KNOW THE CITY ATTORNEY WE SPOKE A LITTLE BIT WITH MISS FISHER IN REGARDS TO THE PINELLAS COUNTY ATTORNEY'S APPROACH TO IT AND THE IMPACTS THAT POSSIBLY COULD EXIST UNDER SENATE BILL 180. AND I'LL LET THE CITY ATTORNEY SPEAK TO THAT. WHERE WE'RE AT IS ONCE WE START THIS, ONCE THIS ISSUE IS ADDRESSED, THEN WE'LL START WITH THE PROCESS OF CHANGING YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. YOU'LL HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR COMP PLAN TO ALLOW FOR THIS, WHICH THEN SUBSEQUENTLY YOU'LL SUBMIT, AND THEN YOU WOULD CHANGE YOUR LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, YOUR ZONING AND SUCH TO ALLOW FOR THIS. SO THE PROCESS HAS STARTED. WE DID MEET WITH MISS FISHER. WE'LL START THE PROCESS, BUT I KNOW THERE'S A CLOUD SO TO SPEAK IN REGARDS THE COUNTY'S POSITION. >> BEFORE WE MOVE ON, DOES ANYONE NEED TO CLARIFY ANYTHING THAT THE CITY MANAGER JUST SAID? >> YES. SO YOU WERE GONNA MENTION THE THINGS WE WERE IN AGREEMENT ON SO THAT WE ALL KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE. >> YEAH. SURE, I CAN ANSWER THAT. BASICALLY, THERE WAS ALL AGREEMENT FROM YOU ALL TO MAINTAIN THIS 40% LOT COVERAGE, TO MAINTAIN THE SETBACKS, TO NOT GRANT ANYTHING OBTUSE. WITH THE THREE ISSUES THAT WERE OUTSTANDING WERE PARKING OWNER HAVING TO LIVE ON THE PROPERTY, AND ALSO THE UTILIZATION OF UTILITIES AND SANITATION. WE'VE LOOKED AT AND HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION AND THERE'S OPTIONS TO ADDRESS EACH OF THOSE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE WOULD BRING YOU. BECAUSE OTHER CITIES ARE CHANGING BECAUSE WE DO HAVE FOR LIKE PARKING, WE HAVE A VERY RESTRICTIVE ORDINANCE. ONE THAT REQUIRES FOR EVERY UNIT THAT YOU HAVE TWO PARKING SPACES. NOW, ARE YOU UTILIZING THE TWO THAT YOU HAVE SAY IN YOUR MAIN HOME? AND I'M JUST NOT TRYING TO DRAW ANYBODY'S PROJECT, BUT ARE YOU UTILIZING THEM? SO IT'S MORE FORM BASED OR USE-BASED NEED ADDRESSING THE PARKING THAT WAY. THE OTHER WAS IN REGARDS TO SANITATION. OTHER CITIES HAVE CREATED A SEPARATE TIER FOR THIS SPECIFIC SITUATION. AND IT'S AN OPTION THE COUNCIL CAN LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE. AND THE THIRD WAS THE OWNER OCCUPATION. IT PROVIDED WHAT WE FELT IN A DISCUSSION AND IT WAS DIFFERENT PLACES FOR EACH OF YOU WAS THAT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE ANTICIPATED OR POSSIBLY COULD EXIST WOULD BE ADDRESSED BY HAVING THE OWNER ON SITE. AND THAT'S WHERE I'M AT. >> OKAY. THAN I THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE NEED TO CLARIFY ANYTHING WITH THE CITY MANAGER ON THIS? >> THE OTHER ITEM I HAVE THIS EVENING, MAYOR, BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD IS WE HAVE TO PROBABLY HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THE COAST GUARD BUILDING. AND IN REGARD TO THE PROPERTY, WE'VE HAD PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE LION'S CLUB ABOUT THEM POSSIBLY NOT RENEWING THEIR LEASE, WHICH WOULD TRIGGER A BUYOUT CLAUSE. BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE COAST GUARD BUILDING THAT IS ALMOST 90% DESTROYED, AND IT HAS A LOT OF ASBESTOS IN IT. WE'LL BE BRINGING BACK OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL TO REMOVE IT, REBUILD IT, AND THAT'S A POSSIBILITY. BUT REBUILDING IS GOING TO BE QUITE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ELEVATED BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION. DO YOU REALLY NEED IT? IT'S THE ISSUE THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH THE LION'S CLUB. THESE ARE OLD BUILDING, AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FACILITATE THESE GROUPS IN THE 49th STREET NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AND ALSO LIKE FOR THE LION'S CLUB, THE POSSIBILITY IF THE THEY HAVE A PANCAKE BREAKFAST, THEY COULD BE IN THE SENIOR CENTER AND USE THE KITCHEN THERE. SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH THESE GROUPS AS THEY MOVE FORWARD, BUT WE DON'T ANTICIPATE EXPENDING THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH REPLACING THESE FACILITIES. AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT IT. >> OKAY. >> HOW ABOUT THE GULFPORT YACHT CLUB, THE LITTLE YACHT CLUB? THAT WAS A CONCRETE STRUCTURE BUILDING. ALL RIGHTY. NO QUESTIONS? ANYTHING ELSE? >> THAT'S ALL. >> ALL RIGHTY. THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CITY ATTORNEY REPORT. >> YES, MAYOR, COUNCIL, ONE THING THAT THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED WHEN WE MET WITH LINDA FISHER, SHE SOMEWHAT SURPRISED US BY SAYING THAT BEFORE WE COULD IMPLEMENT ANY OF THESE CHANGES FOR THE AUD'S, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE LOOKED AT IT AND THOUGHT SENATE BILL 180 WOULD PROHIBIT THAT. ON INITIAL LOOK, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE HE'S GOING WITH THAT, BUT WE'RE WAITING TO GET THE WRITTEN ANALYSIS SO WE CAN AT LEAST LOOK AT IT AND SEE HOW THE COUNTY IS LOOKING AT THAT ISSUE. I READ THE SECTION THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE TIMES, AND I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE IT. SO THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING I'M MISSING. BUT I WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT. THE SECOND THING IS THE VICE MAYOR ASKED ME TO GIVE YOU A VERY SHORT UNDERSTANDING, AND I THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOME CONFUSION ON HOW WE DO CODE ENFORCEMENT IN THE CITY. AND IF IT'S OKAY, MAYOR, I'LL JUST TELL YOU. PLEASE. >> WHERE SOME OF THE CONFUSION MAY BE, THE LAW REQUIRE, AND THIS IS STATUTORY, THE LAW REQUIRES WHEN SOMEONE IS NOTICED OF A VIOLATION, OF A CODE VIOLATION THAT THEY HAVE TO BE GIVEN A PERIOD OF TIME TO CORRECT IT, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS. THEY HAVE TO BE GIVEN A PERIOD OF TIME. NOW, SOMETIMES THERE'S AN EXCEPTION FOR AN EMERGENCY HEALTH AND WELFARE ISSUE, WHICH WE CAN TAKE DIFFERENT ACTION. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IT'S NOT. SO THE CODE OFFICER COMES OUT AND GIVES THEM A NOTICE AND SAYS HEY, YOU NEED TO CORRECT THIS, OR VERBALLY SAYS IT BY, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST SAY A WEEK FOR OUR DISCUSSION. CODE OFFICER GOES BACK. IF IT HASN'T BEEN DONE, NOW THE CODE OFFICER HAS TO TAKE A FORMAL ACTION, WHICH IS NOTICE THEM OF A VIOLATION OFFICIALLY BASED ON THE STATUTE, WHICH REQUIRES THE GIVING OF A WRITTEN NOTICE EITHER BY CERTIFIED MAIL AND/OR POSTING THE PROPERTY. AND THAT BRINGS IN ITS OWN ISSUES BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE HAVE OWNERS THAT DON'T LIVE HERE AND IT'S THE OWNER THAT YOU GO AFTER, NOT THE TENANT. BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, IF WE DON'T GET COMPLIANCE WE'RE ENDING UP WITH A LIEN AND WE'RE PUTTING A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY, SO IT'S AFTER THE OWNER. HOWEVER, IF THE OWNER DOESN'T PICK UP CERTIFIED MAIL, WE CAN ALWAYS POST THE PROPERTY, AND THE LAW SAYS IT'S ASSUMED THAT YOU OWN A PIECE OF PROPERTY EVEN IF YOU'RE IN HAWAII, THAT YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, ON YOUR PROPERTY. SO POSTING IS USUALLY ENOUGH. WE THEN GO BEFORE THE, TAKE THE CASE BEFORE THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE. THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE HEARS THE CASE. SOME DO CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARDS, SOMETIMES YOU CAN TAKE THESE CASES TO CIVIL COURT. YOU CAN DO ANY OF THESE, ALL OF THEM IF YOU SO CHOOSE. AT THAT TIME, A HEARING IS HELD. WE HAVE THE BURDEN OF PROOF TO SHOW THAT A VIOLATION HAS OCCURRED AND THAT EITHER WE'RE ASKING FOR ONE OF THREE THINGS, EITHER THAT IT WAS CORRECTED PRIOR, WHICH WE WANT TO ESTABLISH IT AS A VIOLATION FOR PURPOSES OF A REPEAT VIOLATION, WHICH I'LL MENTION IN A SECOND. IT HASN'T BEEN CORRECTED, THE PERSON NEEDS A PERIOD OF TIME TO COME IN COMPLIANCE, AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR THAT. OR THEY'RE JUST FIGHTING IT. SO THE MAGISTRATE MAKES HIS DECISION. I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'VE BEEN PRETTY MUCH WON EVERY ONE OF OUR CASES. THEY'RE WELL PREPARED, WELL DONE. USUALLY WHEN SOMEBODY COMES BEFORE THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE, THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO CORRECT THIS. THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE THEN HAS AN OBLIGATION UNDER THE LAW TO GIVE THAT PERSON A REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME THAT HE THINKS BASED ON THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A TIME PERIOD, AND THEN IF THEY DO NOT COME IN COMPLIANCE BASED ON HIS ORDER, THE FINE STARTS. SO THE FIRST FINE CANNOT OCCUR UNTIL THE MAGISTRATE OR THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR A JUDGE SAYS THAT BY THIS DATE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE DONE SOMETHING. IT'S A $250 A DAY MAXIMUM FINE THAT CAN OCCUR. NOW, THE KEY HERE IS REPEAT VIOLATION. AND THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. IN A REPEAT VIOLATION, YOU DON'T GET THE EXTRA TIME TO COME IN COMPLIANCE. SO JUST SAY HYPOTHETICALLY SOMEBODY WAS WORKING OUT OF THEIR HOME IMPROPERLY AND THEY WERE FOUND IN VIOLATION, THEY CAME IN COMPLIANCE, AND THEN THEY DID IT AGAIN. WELL, NOW FOR EVERY DAY THAT THEY'RE OBSERVED VIOLATING AGAIN, YOU CAN HAVE AN UP TO A $500 A DAY FINE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE HEARING TO OCCUR BEFORE SOMEBODY CAN BE FOUND NOT IN COMPLIANCE. SO THAT'S WHY A LOT OF THESE CASES ARE BROUGHT FORWARD EVEN IF SOMEBODY IS IN COMPLIANCE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T MEET THE FIRST DEADLINE, AND WE WANT TO ESTABLISH IT FOR THE SECOND TIME. BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE FINES SOMETIMES YOU'LL SEE THESE IN SHORT-TERM RENTALS, RIGHT? SO THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS IS THERE COMES A LOT OF TIMES AN INDIVIDUAL WILL SAY, WELL, THAT'S THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS. WELL, WHEN YOU HAVE A REPEAT VIOLATION, THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS CAN BE $500 A DAY FOR EACH DAY THOSE VIOLATIONS OCCUR. YOU CANNOT FINE PEOPLE INITIALLY FOR THE FIRST VIOLATION UNTIL A MAGISTRATE OR A JUDGE OR CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD FINDS THEM IN VIOLATION. NOW, THE OTHER THING TO DO AND FRANKLY THE CITY DOESN'T DO THIS TOO OFTEN BUT YOU KNOW LET'S JUST ASSUME SOMEBODY HAS CONTINUED TO VIOLATE AND WE PUT A LIEN ON THEIR PROPERTY. YOU CAN GO FORWARD AND FORECLOSE THAT LIEN. NORMALLY WHY WE DON'T DO THIS IS THAT USUALLY A CASE WHERE WE SEE SOMEBODY WHO WE WOULD FORECLOSE ON THEIR LIEN PROBABLY HAVE A FORECLOSURE ON THEIR MORTGAGE GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME. AND THEN WE'RE REDUCED, WE'RE BEHIND THE MORTGAGE. A LOT OF THESE CASES WE SEE WE DO A NOTICE OF APPEARANCE AND AN ANSWER JUST IN CASE THERE'S ANY EXTRA MONEY TO PAY OFF THE CITY. BUT A LOT OF THOSE TIMES, YOU DON'T GET IT. IN SOME OF THE VERY BAD SITUATIONS WHERE SAY SOMEBODY IS A HOARDER AND WE CAN'T GET THEM TO FIX THAT SITUATION, WE CAN BRING IN AN INJUNCTIVE ACTION. WE'RE DEALING WITH ONE, EVERYBODY'S PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH OFF OF 49th. WE'VE HAD FINES GIVEN FOR VIOLATIONS OF CARS. WE'RE GOING BACK IN FRONT OF THE JUDGE AGAIN TO ASK FOR SOME HELP TO DO A PERMANENT INJUNCTION IN THAT SITUATION. SO THOSE ARE POSSIBILITIES OF THINGS WE CAN DO. WE CAN ASK THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE TO ABATE A NUISANCE. THOSE ARE THE HOARDER SITUATIONS WHERE THEY GIVE US PERMISSION TO COME IN AND CLEAR OUT THE WHOLE AREA. BUT YOU NEED A COURT ORDER OR A SPECIAL MAGISTRATE ORDER IN THOSE SITUATIONS. YOU DON'T SEE THAT MANY CASES GOING BEFORE THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE IS A GOOD THING, IT MEANS WE'RE GETTING MORE COMPLIANCE. WE'LL STILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE CASES WHERE EITHER THE PERSON IS GOING TO FIGHT US, THE PERSON'S NOT GOING TO SHOW UP, AND WE'RE GONNA END UP WITH JUST FINES. THOSE ARE SOMEWHAT THOSE FINES THAT OVER THE YEARS YOU'VE HEARD OF ALL THESE DOLLARS THAT ARE OWE TODAY THE CITY, BUT THEY'RE USUALLY NOT COLLECTED BECAUSE EITHER THE, YOU KNOW AGAIN WE'RE BEHIND THE MORTGAGE, OR YOU KNOW THE FINE IS, IT'S NOT GONNA BE PAID. YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WORK ON THOSE. BUT THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE OUT THERE. SO THAT'S A BRIEF SUMMARY. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER 'EM. I UNDERSTAND. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. ANYBODY NEED A CLARIFICATION ON ANYTHING? SO I HEARD EVERYTHING YOU SAID, BUT JUST BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE SOME RESIDENTS HERE, I DON'T THINK THIS QUESTION REALLY IS FOR YOU, BUT JUST IN CASE. WITH ALL OF OUR CAMPERS DOWN AT THE BEACH AND OUR PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, LIVE ON OUR CITY STREETS, ARE WE AWARE OF ANYTHING --I KNOW THAT THEY CAN BE BREAKING ORDINANCES, AND THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN CODE ENFORCEMENT. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN CONSIDER OR THINK OF THAT WE COULD HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT LOOK INTO FOR SOME OF THE VIOLATIONS WE HAVE GOING ON? >> WE'VE TALK TODAY ED TO THE CHIEF ABOUT THIS. PEOPLE CAN SLEEP IN THEIR CAR, BUT THEY CAN'T LIVE. SO THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE ABOUT BRINGING OUT A COUCH OR CHAIR. A CHAIR. >> YOU CAN'T BE DOING THAT. YOU CAN'T MAKE IT YOUR ABODE. >> AND WOULD THAT BE A PHONE CALL TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR TO CODE ENFORCEMENT? POLICE DEPARTMENT. >> TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. >> BECAUSE AGAIN, IN THESE SITUATIONS, THESE ARE USUALLY THE TYPE THAT YOU WANT THE POLICE INVOLVED. AND THE CHIEF HAS MADE IT AVAILABLE THAT WHEN THE CODE OFFICER GOES TO SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS, A POLICE OFFICER WILL BE AVAILABLE ALSO BECAUSE WE WANT TO DO THAT FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT. AND THAT TURNS ON THE TYPE OF CASE IT IS. >> AND I THINK I ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT TO HAVE AN UMBRELLA LEAN-TO IN THE PARKING LOT ON OUR PUBLIC STREET TAKING UP ANOTHER SPOT, THAT IS A VIOLATION AS WELL. THAT IS A VIOLATION. >> AND THAT'S POLICE ALSO. >> AND THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN PROPOSE TO BRING FORWARD, OF COURSE SOME OF THEM ARE NOT THINGS THE CITY HAS ENTERTAINED IN THE PAST. AND OF COURSE THAT INVOLVES METERS AND I GUESS WE DON'T DO METERS ANYMORE, BUT WE DO PAID PARKING ONLINE. THOSE KIND OF SITUATIONS. AND WE CAN ALWAYS ENFORCE THOSE. OF COURSE, THAT AFFECTS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT AREN'T VIOLATING ANY OF THE RULES, AND SO THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THOSE SITUATIONS. >> BUT ALSO THE BEACH, IF THEY'RE IN THE BEACH PARKING LOT, THAT CLOSES. SO THEY CAN MAKE THOSE PEOPLE MOVE. IT'S JUST ON THE STREET. >> AND WE DO. AND WE DO. WE DO. >> BUT THAT ALSO DOESN'T MEAN THAT SOMEBODY DOESN'T COME IN AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING AND WE NEED SOMEBODY TO BE AWARE OF THAT. POLICE GO DOWN THERE. THEY DO ENFORCE THAT ASPECT OF IT. WE'VE HAD TO POST NUMEROUS CITY PARKING LOTS FOR THAT REASON. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. CITY CLERK'S REPORT. >> NO REPORT, MAYOR. >> ALL RIGHTY. THANK YOU. SO THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REPORTS. AND WE WILL START WITH VICE-MAYOR THANOS. >>> OKAY. FIRST OF ALL, 4th OF JULY WAS GREAT AND A LOT OF FUN. AND I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT. I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT. WHERE ARE WE ON IT IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW. AND ALSO, THE ONE ACT PLAYS ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AND THEY WERE EXCELLENT. AND I RECOMMEND THOSE. AND I WENT TO A MIDTOWN MEETING, AND THAT WAS REALLY GOOD. THEY'RE GETTING A GOOD ENERGY AND TRYING TO GET MORE PEOPLE THERE AND WANT TO WORK WITH FUSION 49th AND GMC, SO THEY'RE DOING WELL. AND THAT'S THE MAIN THING. BUT I DO HAVE SOME THINGS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT FOR NEW BUSINESS. >> OKAY. >> I GUESS ANOTHER THING, ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE FOR THE CITY MANAGER IS I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I GOT ONE THAT IF YOU HAVE A HOMEOWNERS PERMIT, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SELL YOUR HOUSE OR RENT IT FOR A YEAR. WHAT'S OUR PROCESS FOR CHECKING WHETHER PEOPLE ARE COMPLYING WITH THAT? IT WOULD BE, IF WE WERE MADE AWARE OF IT, WE WOULD INVESTIGATE. WE'RE NOT GOING BEHIND EACH OWNER PERMIT. I ONLY HAVE X AMOUNT OF RESOURCES. IF THINK THERE'S SOMEONE DOING IT OR HAS LISTED IT. >> IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A CITIZEN COMPLAINT? >> YES. THE SAME PEOPLE DOING THE ISSUING PERMITS AND DOING THE CODE ENFORCEMENT WOULD HAVE TO GO BEHIND EVERY OWNER PERMIT AND ASK AND CHECK THE PROPERTY. I MEAN, IT'S RESOURCES. THAT'S THE LEVEL OF CODE ENFORCEMENT WE'RE GOING TO ESCALATE TO, THEN WE'D HAVE TO HAVE RESOURCES. BECAUSE IT SEEMS, IS THAT A STATE LAW? >> YES. >> IT'S A STATE LAW? >> YES, IT'S FLORIDA STATUTE. I PROVIDED IT TO COUNCILMEMBER SHAW. >> I KNOW SHE KNEW ABOUT ONE. I WAS JUST ASKING IN GENERAL. >> IT'S STATE LAW. >> BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE ARE DOING IT. >> IT'S STATE LAW IN THE FACT THAT IT'S IN THE SAME SECTION OF THE FLORIDA STATUTE THAT REQUIRES AN OWNER OR BUILDER TO COME SIGN. WE TALKED ABOUT THAT EARLY ON WITH BUILDING. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO COME DOWN TO CITY? BECAUSE THAT'S IN THE STATUTE, THAT YOU HAVE TO SIGN FOR AN OWNER-BUILDER PERMIT. SAME THING WITH SELLING IT. THAT'S ALL IN THAT FLORIDA STATUTE. IF SOMEONE IS MADE AWARE OF IT, THEN WE CAN TAKE ACTION. BUT IT'S RESOURCES. OKAY. AND THEN I THINK THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR AN UPDATE. I DON'T HAVE ONE THIS EVENING. OKAY. NOT EVEN WHERE WE ARE ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT WE'VE SENT LETTERS TO AND HOW MUCH CODE ENFORCEMENT WE'VE DONE? >> I COULDN'T TELL YOU THAT TONIGHT. >> OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAD. YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, I WISH THAT ON THE SELLERS PROPERTY DISCLOSURES THAT THERE WAS MORE PERMITTING QUESTIONS ASKED. >> YES. >> BECAUSE IF THE SELLER FLAT-OUT LIES, THAT'S FRAUD, AND THEY CAN PROSECUTE. SO I WISH THAT, BUT THEN AGAIN ON SOME OF THESE SLICK BEHIND-THE-SCENES DEALS, THERE ARE NO PROPERTY DISCLOSURES. I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT HOUSES. MANY OF THE HOUSES I LOOKED AT, I ALWAYS GO TO CHECK WHETHER THEY'VE GOTTEN PERMITS FOR ALL THE WORK. YEAH, HARDLY ANY HAVE. SO YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN THAT'S SOMETHING WHEN YOU'RE BUYING, THEORETICALLY IN THE SEARCHES, THEY FIND THAT STUFF. BUT AND I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DISCLOSURE THING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, I TOTALLY AGREE. I KNOW IT'S A LAW YOU HAVE TO DISCLOSE EITHER TO A RENTER OR WHEN YOU'RE SELLING IF IT'S FLOODED, BUT YOU REALLY ALWAYS HAD TO DISCLOSE THAT. BUT NOW, I GUESS THEY'RE MORE SERIOUS ABOUT IT. BUT STILL PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO DO THAT. >> OKAY. >> AND YOU WOULD, YOU'D HAVE TO TAKE THEM TO COURT. >> UH-HUH. >> I AGREE. >> COUNCILMEMBER SHAW? >> THANK YOU. I KEEP BEING TOLD I DON'T SPEAK LOUD ENOUGH. I'LL TRY TO GET CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE. THE SENIOR CENTER IS ALWAYS PLEASED TO DISCUSS WHAT'S ON THEIR MIND. THIS PAST WEEK, POTHOLES WERE ON THEIR LIST AGAIN. NOT JUST FOR CARS BUT BICYCLE SAFETY. MIKE, ONE OF THE REGULARS THERE, SAID HE WAS ALMOST HIT ON TANGERINE ON HIS BIKE MORE THAN ONCE. AND HIS SOLUTION FOR INCREASED SAFETY IS TO MAKE EACH SIDE A ONE-WAY DIRECTION. A SENIOR SHARED HOW MUCH SHE APPRECIATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE, LISTEN TO BILL AND FRIENDS SING AND PLAY MUSIC, AND TO HAVE LUNCH WITH OTHERS. I GAVE MY WORD THAT I WOULD SHARE THEIR CONCERNS. IT WAS A BIG DAY BEFORE LUNCH. THEY WERE DISTRIBUTING GROCERIES AND THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS WAS SET UP IN ORDER TO MAKE FOLKS AWARE THEIR VOTE BY MAIL REGISTRATIONS HAD EXPIRED. IT WAS QUITE AN EXCITING DAY AND FULL HOUSE. AN OH, I WAS ABLE TO FINALLY MEET MARGARET, THE ONE THAT'S 103 YEARS OLD, AND WE HAD A LOVELY VISIT. WHAT I'M HEARING FROM RESIDENTS AND I DON'T MEAN TO SUGGEST THAT I'M THE ONLY ONE HEARING THESE THINGS, BUT WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE, AGAIN THEY WANT MY ASSURANCE THAT I'M SHARING. SO JULY 4th WAS A BIG HIT! AND WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS LET'S PLEASE DO THE PICNIC AND THE PARADE DOWN BY TOMLINSON PARK IN TANGERINE AGAIN. FINE WITH FIREWORKS DOWNTOWN IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE. BUT THEY LOVED IT. I HAVE NOT HEARD, I HEARD ONE PERSON SAY OH, I MISS NOT HAVING THE PARADE DOWN ON THE BEACH, AND THEN THEY PROCEEDED TO TALK ABOUT HOW WONDERFUL IT WAS. SO I GUESS THAT REALLY WASN'T A NEGATIVE. TREMENDOUS EXCITEMENT OVER THE HOYT FIELD, THE SAND, THE BOARDWALK AND THE PIER LOOKS GREAT. I'M EXCITED TOO. I'M HEARING A SURPRISING NUMBER OF FOLKS TALKING ABOUT TIMED PARKING AT THE BEACH. THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE PREVIOUSLY BEEN INCLINED TOWARD, BUT I'M HEARING THEIR RATIONALE AND UNDERSTAND. AND I TOO HAVE HEARD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT ABOUT THE ENCAMPMENTS ALONG SHORE BOULEVARD. AND IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT AND THE MAIN PERSON IS NOT THERE RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S A SIGHT TO BEHOLD. AND I DON'T MEAN A PLEASANT SIGHT. SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT FOLKS ARE SAYING THERE. AND I, PERSONALLY I UNDERSTAND THE LAW ABOUT PEOPLE SLEEPING IN THEIR VEHICLES BECAUSE I CAN GET DROWSY DRIVING. AND TO BE ABLE TO SLEEP IN MY VEHICLE FOR SAFETY REASONS IS ONE THING, BUT THEY'RE SETTING UP HOUSE THERE. THEY HAVE MULTIPLE FACEBOOK PAGES ON HOW TO DO IT AND WHERE TO GO, AND WE'RE ON IT. AND ONE FELLOW ACTUALLY HAS COME TO SHARE THIS IS HOW YOU SET UP YOUR SOLAR PANEL, EVERYBODY. SO THIS IS A BIG DEAL, AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE SAY WELL, WHAT ARE THEY HURTING? BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, OTHER PEOPLE SAY, WELL THEN THEY CAN DO IT IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE. SO DIFFERENT SIDES, DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. THE QUESTION OF WHY WE PRESENT AS RECYCLING BUT SOME THINK THAT WE DO NOT, I SAW THAT WE HAVE A REVENUE LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET AND ASKED A FEW QUESTIONS. WE DO RECYCLE, BUT WE CAN'T RECYCLE WHAT'S CONTAMINATED. THE RESIDENTS DO WELL, I'M TOLD, IN THAT 95% OF WHAT IS COLLECTED IS RECYCLABLE. IT BECOMES MORE CHALLENGING ALONG BEACH BOULEVARD, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN SOME FOLKS JUST THROW EVERYTHING IN EVERYTHING. SO THAT CONTAMINATES IT. I UNDERSTAND WE CAN BE PROUD OF THE 95%, WHICH IS REPORTEDLY MUCH HIGHER THAN MANY AREAS. FOR QUESTIONS, CONTACT OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THAT ONE. AND BY THE WAY, JUST TO SUPPORT WHAT'S BEEN SUGGESTED ABOUT BAFFLE BOXES, OTHER ENGINEERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE SUGGESTED THAT AS WELL. DUKE ENERGY WAS ADVISED ABOUT REPAIRING THE STREET LIGHT COVER ON THE POST BY THE BLUE BUILDING. FOR THOSE INTERESTED, IT CAN BE SEEN ON DUKE ENERGY'S WEBSITE. FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN ASKING THE WORN LIGHT POST BANNERS THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED BUT WE DO HAVE NEW ONES IN STOCK, THERE ARE SOME PRIORITIES AHEAD, AND JUST ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE. BUT WE ARE GETTING CLOSER. I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO A POLICE RIDE ALONG ON FRIDAY. WE TOURED THE POLICE STATION, I MET A FEW OFFICERS AND STAFF MEMBERS, I GAVE SOME SCRITCHES TO RAY THE DOG, AND I HAD SOME AWARENESS OF HOW MUCH IS INVOLVED, BUT ENDED WITH FAR MORE. THE RANGE OF CALLS THAT THEY RECEIVE ARE INCREDIBLE. EVERYTHING FROM CRIME AND LIFE-THREATENING SITUATIONS AND PROPERTY PROTECTION TO A LONG, LONG, LONG LIST OF THINGS. AND NOTHING, NOTHING EVEN BEGINS TO HELP US RELATE TO HOW MUCH PAPERWORK AND DOCUMENTATION THEY HAVE. I ALSO LEARNED THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS HELP WITH CRISIS SUPPORT, ON THE SPOT SUPPORT LINE CALLED TRACE WHICH CONNECTS TO COUNSELOR TRACE, WHICH IS A TELEHEALTH CRISIS INTERVENTION. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT AT ALL. AS WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, I STARTED OUT GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE OUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT LEARNED MORE THAN EXPECTED AND LEFT WITH AN EVEN GREATER APPRECIATION. A HUGE THANK YOU TO SERGEANT WILSY FOR HER TIME AND PROFESSIONALISM AND TO ALL I WAS ABLE TO MEET AND SPEAK WITH THAT DAY. IT PROVIDED ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE BEYOND THE UNIFORM AND THE BADGE AND REMIND ME OF THE PEOPLE, THEIR HUMANITY, CHALLENGES, AND EVERYDAY LIVES. EXCUSE ME. I DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO ATTEND THE CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY. I ALSO ATTENDED THE MIDTOWN BUSINESS COLLECTIVE MIXER. IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM BUSINESSES AND NEW BUSINESSES. THURSDAY, BY THE WAY, THERE IS AN OPEN MIC POETRY AT THE LIBRARY WITH KRISTA FAIRBROTHER, OUR POET LAUREATE FROM 6-7:00 P.M. I WAS GOING TO ASK FOR AN UPDATE ON PERMITTING, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT, THE UPDATES AS FAR AS THE NUMBERS. AND HOW MANY HOMES HAVE RESPONDED TO THE COURTESY LETTER OR HOW MANY HAVE NOT. AND I'M ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO REPORTS ON THE STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN WITH THE PERMITTING SYSTEM SINCE THE LAST MEETING. THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. YOU GOT A LOT IN THERE. [LAUGHTER] COUNCILMEMBER JACKSON? >> YES. SO FIRST I'LL ADDRESS THE VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT. I BELIEVE OUR CITY CLERK IS AT A CONFERENCE, AND SO SHE WANTED TO GIVE SOME INPUT FROM OTHER CITY CLERKS ON WHAT THEY'RE D