City Council

>> welcome to the city of St. Petersburg City Council meeting and your elected officials our mayor Ken Welch. >> District one Council vice chair, hopefully Curtis. District 2 Randy Gabbert district 3 and Mary. District 4 with that Hanna winds. And Council chair Deborah take Sanders. District 6 jihad District 7 John Muhammad. And district day Ricci Lloyd. >> What are the 1/11/2024 city cam beginning with the Crow road com. Thank you. We will today however indication given by father Tom Morgan of Cathedral of Saint Jude the Apostle. And then will followed by the pledge of allegiance with one please stand join me in standing. >> Almighty GOD, we ask your blessing and a gift of wisdom on COUNCILMAN Coakley Curtis as he takes the oath of office. We thank you for a service of our city of St. Petersburg and with the other members of our City Council and local government help them to govern. Well almighty GOD we thank you for the sacrifices that those who choose to serve in government make as they strive to be faithful to the oath that they take. We pray that our City Council and the members of our local government always know that we whom they serve appreciate what they do as they seek to govern wisely. And for our good and the good of St. Petersburg Florida. And your name we pray. A man. >> Thank you father Morgan for that implication. Now so members we have an agenda before us with a few additions where we're heading in 3 in g to I entertain a motion for approval with the move approval, second. Can you please open the machine for voting. Council members can you please cast your votes. The thing that our council members have cast their votes can you please tell and announce the vote. MADAM Chair, the motion to approve the agenda passes unanimously. Thank you. Council members, we have a consent agenda before us and we ask. Do we have any cards or there's no consensus. Nothing you can say nothing of concern about >> We're at the point where we're going to a minister. Our City Council vice chair as he's sworn in today. Our advice year. >> Haha. I'm thinking of that moment color. We solemnly swear. >> What I said is in the city of St. Petersburg. United States of America. That was an officer. The recipient of public funds. The United States too and the That I would call my old office. Well people before. I was the only perform the duties. Office of vice chair of the Office of vice chair. City Council. The city of St. Petersburg Florida. Which I am now about that. >> Novi Sears says here that I'm supposed to research recess for photos is that something that you still would like for us to do for you. Yes, so I I. >> We recess Council meeting for 10 minutes so that we can take photos a few. It really >> The 2. >> Let >> and congratulations to our new by air cope weaker. It is we have 5 doing we look forward to 2024 and all the wonderful things that are going to that afternoons dies. So now we're going open I do we have a Coke and please read the rules for me. If you wish to address to the Council on subjects other than public hearing. Work was additional items listed on the agenda please sign up with the clerk. Only the individual wishing to speak MAY sign an open form seat on the city residents on his property. Business owners in the city or their employees MAY speak all issues discussed and open for must be limited to issues related to the city of St. Petersburg government. If you're speaking to an item on the agenda. You MAY only speak once during the open former when it comes up on the agenda in order to provide an opportunity for all citizens to address Council each individual be given 3 minutes to speak and after which the market phone will be muted. If you wish to address to the council through the zoom meeting. You must use the raise hand feature button in the zoom app or inter star 9 on your phone at the time the agenda item is address when is your turn to speak up a new to enact a state your name and address. At the conclusion of your comments or when you have when you reach the 3 minute time limit. You've been unit always hands will be lowered after each agenda item regardless of the method of participation use the normal rules apply, including the 3 minute time limit on comments. The requirement that any presentation materials must be submitted in advance of the meeting and the rules of decorum if live public comment is disrupted violations of the rules of decorum the chair is authorized to accept public comment by alternate means including by email only and ensure we do have some speakers want to call them to have time. The first 2 speakers. Lynn Morris and Jimmy Elwell please go to the podium state your name and address for the record and you have 3 minutes to address City Council. Just start sorry, it's my first time that's okay. Hi my name is Lynn Morris I live it 27 oh 9. First Avenue South St. Petersburg and I'm here about the noise on central as a 20 plus year resident in the House. I'm all for the businesses that are moving in. But I think they need to respect the fact that people live there. We get up early for work sometimes 05:00am and to wild child is my biggest complaint. Not just the regular business noise that's fine. But once a month on Sundays. They have parties according to the website while trying to close is 03:00pm so I'm a little nervous. But they start these parties at like 6 7 o'clock. And they last until 10 or 11. In the music is so loud. My house stuff is vibrating you cannot sleep because you can't you can hear the tv. We've called the police a couple times but that to me is like a waste of man power. I want to call the cops because of know what does that just seems like it's not fair I think the police have real things to look after. But the noise coming from them is I mean you come in the House and you can barely have a conversation. So my that's my quickly I just want to address the noise issues of businesses are going to open up and they're going to have events after hours. They need to have some type of. Wall or Bush's or something to contain that sound because this is an outdoor they'd have their indoor event. But these are outside like people are dancing in the parking lot having a good time which I'm all for the time. But if you're having a Raver loud music at 10 o'clock and I have to get up at 5. That's just not consider it. And I do think that they are taking into account any of the neighbors along that Street. So. That's my issue with them and thank you. Thank you for listening, and again just the noise but the new businesses I think needs to be addressed. >> Ma'am if you could just hold on a minute I want to get Cali to come over and get your name and number will follow up with you thank you. >> Haven't basically the same problem with wild child please state your name, you know, I'm sorry. Jimmy o well, Olivia 27, 26st Avenue South. Next door to man. And while child. That is my biggest problem but not just the noise. Although the noise my toaster oven my kitties you're setting are going bowling mowing morning boing boing and step on my walls is doing the same thing and it's ridiculous and I don't mind. I'm having loud music but they could turn based down a little bit. That problem plus they'd get delivery trucks that keep the alley blocked almost half of the day. We don't get our garbage emptied the garbage man can get through he's tried they won't move. And that's one. The problem and then they put in a drain go into the alley they tried to kill me, it was rain water. Sample of it this is more like sewage water. Where it's coming from his they built this outside area on and they put a bar in there. Well that drain they didn't bother to pipe it into the regular system they just ran right out the back. And if somebody can check on that MAY be and then there garbage can lids they never shot him never and I thought there was an ordinance saying that they were supposed to keep the garbage can lids closed. And I know there are some times are over full, but and you can't do anything about it. But in the summer time flies get so bad out there, and I'd never had flies into let restaurant opened up. Even when new mix was there. We didn't have a fire problem, this is really bad. And then we've got rent to now. And I'm pretty sure that's where they're coming from and then they got their leaf blowers that they take all the trash the 10 their area and blew it on our side they blew it mostly on Over a lens property but they still go lottery overall man in the does just goes everywhere. I spend most of my time outside and it's impossible when you're out there. You've got to clean all the dust off of everything. The way up with on that one. And that's basically what I've got to say. But it's it's really been a problem since they moved in. >> Thank u next up speakers please. I'm sure the next 2 speakers dance around and when Dee Snider please go to the podium. State your name and address for the records and you have 3 minutes to just City Council. >> Yes you can say oh I'm sorry. My name is Wendy Snyder. I leave it to 64 oh 7 Sandpiper way South in St. Petersburg I've missed other meetings which the re Hines proposal is on the agenda. I thought it was on today. I apologize that's what I'm speaking to I really think the rays want to stay here as much as we want them to they've spent a lot of time looking elsewhere for other alternatives haven't come up with anything. The back here. They want here. They know the way we know that that expensive parking lot over there is going to eventually be redeveloped they wanted they want in on that and I don't blame their business. But why are why is the city and when I say city, I mean city County jointly why is the city bending over backwards for them. Why is the city squandering its opportunity to benefit from the appreciation in value of those 64 acres over the next 30 years. Why is the city selling that land at a price below the old out of date appraisal done before the zoning changes that make this redevelopment project possible why not get a new appraisal least them will know what we're getting up. Why is the city spending a million in infrastructure. Costs that are normally paid by the developer. Why is the city spent issuing bonds in an amount that will greatly jeopardize its borrowing ability down the line in the event of a natural disaster. Was the city's squandering its opportunity to address affordable housing crisis that we have in the city. And I'm not to spend a lot of time on that issue because I know the cac is looking at it too. But that's a big issue for me and I think it's a big issue for a lot of the voters in the city. Why is the city giving up half of the revenue to be generated by any new stadium. The under the current term sheet. The city gets nothing from naming rights. It's nothing for streaming rights. Doesn't even get a measly share of ticket revenue that's getting now because snow thing. What is the hurry. It seems to me that the closer we get to 2027. When the rays contractual redevelopment rights expire. The that stronger. The city is negotiating position is what is this hurry and I hope it's not because it would be you guys who have the credit for bringing in one of the biggest redevelopment projects in the state in recent years. I mean if you have future political. Plans in the city or state. I think you really ought to reconsider before you commit the taxpayers to this boondoggle for a Heinz thank you. Dance around in. I love 50 31th Avenue South. I'm here because in the last year or so the building department he's started requiring a change of use applications even without construction. And it's causing huge delays for new business owners. A lot of them are changes of use that are very This the application minutes pecan is 1534 16th Street South. It was a restaurant for years and was reclassified as an event space. Now they want to change it back to a restaurant. There's no construction being done. Requirement is that you put in the they have a full scale drawings that have to be submitted with whatever the current state state of the facility is. That takes an architect to come out to the drawings takes about a month turnaround. This application was submitted on Nov. 17th of 2023 and that's 55 days in the fire marshal still hasn't even opened the file. So that means this person is already 3 months in on rent it and a simple change of use that should have taken 30 minutes. >> The other day I get another application that we submitted for 3074 18th Avenue South. For the South side. Council members, you know it has restaurant right next to Lundy's it's been a restaurant for 40 years. I got the email back from the city that it is considered indoor recreation. It is not a restaurant. Now we have to go through that process even though they're ready to open. They can have to hire an architect spent a month there and hope that the fire marshal takes the time to open the application. So this is it's starting to become an issue that is more applications that I have and it just seems it seems like it's more South side but. It's just something that we need to look into an address. Thank u next guards, police. MADAM Chair next to speakers. Ross prevail and Dylan Dame's these are the last 2 speakers. Please go to the podium state your name and address for the record you have 3 minutes to address to the council. No speakers and zoom. Good afternoon. My name is Ross for Ville I live it to 26st Avenue North and my office is at 200 Central Avenue. Where I've been for now worth over 30 years. I'm here on behalf of the Saint Pete area Chamber of Commerce to talk on the race Hines proposal. For the cap for the Saint Pete chamber, I run the downtown waterfront master playing group. And I've been doing that now for about 13 years and I find it interesting because oftentimes the waterfront the downtown waterfront is considered the crown jewel of St. Petersburg you can people can argue that but but that's kind of the way it's been described over the years and I've been involved with with those including the pier and all of that. In all in this is I think we have an opportunity in St. Petersburg to have another crown jewel and I do believe that the rays Hines group is the right group to do this. I agree with the previous speaker, the rays want to stay in Saint Peter's for I think they want to stay in Petersburg for a number of I think the the ownership and the management of the rays love St. Petersburg they live here. They they want to be a part of the community they've already been a part of the community. I think what has happened to Central Avenue over the years and and and how that is bill top has brought. You know more people to closer area, the stadium. You know if you think back to when we built the stadium and open that back in 1990. You know arguably we were the last of the old stadiums built for major league baseball Camden yards opened 2 years later Camden yards if you go to that that state if you've ever been I read the opportunity everything around it is engaged. Okay it's it's it's a project that was built in order to bring people down there and enjoy you know the waterfront in Baltimore in that stadium. I think this project has the same same possibilities. I think you know I know that they're going to be the people who are going to disagree over the over the details of the project I understand that we understand that with every project that's ever done if we go back and look at the pier development project there are people disagreed with what was done there. But look at the results that we've had you're going to have disagreements but that's why you go through a process that we're currently going through the city and you try to make sure that you develop the best project possible using the best possible partners that you can as a chamber we believe that those partnerships are the race Hines groups and I would agree with that. I think as long as we keep our eyes on the ball and understand you know what it is we're looking for and I agree with the whole idea of promoting St. Petersburg I didn't agree with the idea the St. Petersburg race, but I agree with promoting St. Petersburg I think we ought to push that as a city more than than we have in the past and I think you're already on that path. So you know in closing. Let me just say this I think the next crown jewel is that area the and we're going to honor the gas plant district I think we're going to do what we need to do for affordable housing or workforce housing. I think the whole project is a win for St. Petersburg as a chamber we want to promote that and I endorse you know moving forward with the project thank you. I counsel my name is Dylan dames of one to 0, 0, on doctor Martin Luther King junior Street north on the face and Florida here on behalf of progressive people of faith around burden folks and the area and all our collaborators are shared values. I want to start by congratulating share fix. Sanders and vice chair greatness on the new roles and then thank Council again for the opportunity to raise our voices during open forum. The reason why I'm here today is because I have hope after attending Tue. Night's community benefits Advisory council meeting and hoping the power of the people let their voices with so many losses of Liberty's in Florida over the past couple years. I don't take it for granted that some of you sitting here today hope to make history in 20 21 with the cba see to give community members a chance to influence the developments relying on and directly impacting their neighborhoods. I would urge Council to maintain this attitude toward democracy in future hearings related to the cba says capacity to converse the citizens like myself. I see it as a continuation of the democracy that were demonstrating to the rest of the state. Through Tuesday's meeting concerns are on affordable housing with the rays both by a standing member of the cac and also the city's presentation of the comments that were raised in DECEMBER. I think it becomes clear that Saint Pete citizens and the developer using different definitions of affordability and equity and I think the way that you as our elected leaders get to those definitions and understand what people mean by affordable is by processes like to see the ac and continuing to converse with us and hear a voice. I think Saint Pete is truly set apart in this way. It often is a headache for me, but I so many of my friends across the state find me lucky and I would agree that we have a lot of luck compared to the rest of Florida with things like the community benefits Advisory Council. I hope you can live up to our progressive packaging through the concerns of citizens being actually recognize and weighed in your final assessments of the historic asking redevelopment thanks for your time. >> Thank you very much anymore cards. Thank you. Now we will close open form and move to our awards and proclamations beginning with the one in I'm going to ask for Saddam in Polk and his family to please join me at the podium for the distinguished citizens war. Also like to invite MISTER About 2 degrees who is the PRESIDENT Of the Friends of our winter to please join me. The ladies and gentlemen, it brings me great joy and when I became a council member and we talk about the accomplishments of it, they're teenagers yes. But we have some young men out there that are doing some really awesome things I want to read I'm Dominique post he was here and you see the sunshine of asteroid in 2021. And I was so impressed by him wanting to learn how to fly. And he flew his first solo flight at the age of 16. If knew that I wanted to recognize him as being someone to watch but the future. Dominic Polk started his aviation journey at the age of 15. He completed his first solo flight when his 16th birthing he recently acquired his private pilot license on 11/10/2023. And is now working toward his instrument rating. Did you all MISS That he has his pilot license now what a wonderful opportunity to come >> You can complete it much of his training et. The Albert whitted airport located in a beautiful city of St. Petersburg Dominic was one of the scholarship recipients of the 2023 friends of Abbott would discover soon. This scholarship enabled him to pursue his aviation go on of becoming a private pilot. Dominant works part-time in the mechanic department at Saint Pete air and he's a full-time student at St. Petersburg college. He also attends Pinellas technical College to take up a Barbary cif uk flying, he'll hit you and >> Haha. Dominic's long-term aviation goal is to become an airline pilot. I also I'm going to give you this award but I invited misty triggers here because when you were here in 2021. My first question was what does it ever seem flight. He took it a step further and help create a scholarship so we could not do this without much to drink, yours. I'm going to ask you to please come to say a few words. >> So we visited with them. The perfect Sanders and she was talking not by name but she's do you I don't know but she inspired a dose the friends over what it up or to do a scholarship program. And so now I have the opportunity to meet Dominic and his family, wonderful people in the end come to find out Dominic is a inspiring role model for the young people of St. Petersburg and he used what he doesn't know is out of the dozens of applications we have he was the highest male score in out of dozens of applications. Now the good part is we're doing more applications. $0.4. We have people like Dominick who got that now they're working on their estimate rating so we've created a bigger scholarship they were hoping the dominant will apply for and hopefully be the best score as well that will give him the ability move forward on his instrument rating is commercial rating. That's a major milestone that he has had a new Year's accomplished with his hard work. Just a little bit of our money it was his hard work. We don't take the credit for that. But he said a major milestone that which if he follows this through and depends on how far he takes aviation. He will be able to be in one of the 5% wage earners in the United States. So it's your hard work and I appreciate you more than >> I would just like to say thank you to Council a very good for the be here. I like to say thank you to my family for the Thanks to the chair they were fixed centers for recognizing me. >> the council met last night for the words of encouragement and support. It will MISS The want to appreciate everyone. Thank. >> With 3 I can not not recognize. His mom is the new home. Again. So we want to thank you mom for allowing him to explore something different outside of the box. I'm not corralling him into something that society expects young african-american men to do what you've actually introducing something and thank you. MISTER Driggers for hearing those comments in regard to opening an opportunity right here in the low Saint Pete that they actually have that opportunity to learn how to fly. >> Thank you thank you and Grandma me did not stand up stand up and down you know where yeah yeah we're going to take this moment, so I definitely want to present to you this city Council meeting with the citizen award whereas a great city is only as great as those persons who give exemplary service to their communities. Read it through participation in volunteer programs through unique personal achievement in their profession or other endeavors or simply through a lifetime of good citizenship. And where it ends set service said is truly the lifeblood of the community and the city. So often goes unrecognized in and we were waiting. Now therefore as the duly elected member of the St. Petersburg City Council are hereby recognize that Dominique Polk junior. We have an outstanding citizen. One who is worthy of the esteem of both the community and the great city. St. Petersburg Florida. Thank you. Councilmember Mount airy. >> What I wanted to say hello to Dominic again and your whole family, it's it's great to see you know are our society needs needs role models of all ages. And you you you are role models for for a young people in our city. And I've told my my story I started to fly when that when I was your age I started when I was 16 flew through high school College. In the military and then American Airlines I wish I had time today to show you my office because in my office, it's there's a lot of the airplane. Pictures and models and that sort of stuff my flight helmet when Elsa flying fighters and the and the Air Force. Aviation's a very Choice there's a lot of different things you can do. In aviation you're you're you're starting a in a very strong position and you've got a lot of friends out there, I'm glad to that while triggers and friends of our weighted that that are planting those seeds. Those those seeds for for young people for a career in aviation it makes a huge difference. Chair fix Sanders, thank you for recognizing a Dominic and his achievements and congratulations on earning your private pilot's license. >> Relations again next we'll move to a 2. Our national mentoring month proclamation by council member Hans. >> Well thank you MADAM Chair and and we're continuing on the theme here for all models. For those that don't know that it's a natural mentoring month. It is my honor to present this proclamation I will say that I became a mentor through the Pinellas County school system through lunch House and I started with my meant he was in elementary school with the lunch pal program and now she's in middle school and that they're a beach fundamental and seeing her grill as a young lady has been an honor for me it really truly is an honor every week when I get to meet with her and see her growth and see her trajectory and see a bright future and know that my role now will help her get a scholarship in the future. Through their program. So I encourage everyone to get involved and find out and you're going to get a little bit more information from Pinellas County schools. We have seen more Brown here he's the director of strategic partnerships I'm Sean Ferguson, the senior coordinator. I think the age of we left she left she she left so sure they're here I'm going to read the proclamation and then they're going to hear a little bit information for you. Whereas JANUARY is national national mentoring month an annual campaign to recruit quality mentors to provide additional networks of support for young people and whereas the city of St. Petersburg recognizes the contributions of volunteer mentors. Guide young people to success in their education career and well-being and whereas mentoring programs help make our state and community stronger by enabling impact full relationships and increase social capital for young people and provide invaluable support networks and whereas mentors can help young people explore careers and build skills to achieve higher lifetime economic outcomes, the activities like helping them set career goals write a resume practice for an interview connecting with them to operate connecting them to opportunities and more whereas research has demonstrated that mentoring programs have a significant positive impact and a variety of academic achievement measures, including truancy and absenteeism Scholastic efficacy and engagement school-related misconduct and peer support. And whereas quality mentoring promotes healthy relationships and communication, positive self esteem emotional well-being and relationship row for young people and whereas with the mentor youth facing risk are more likely to enroll in college, less likely to start using drugs and more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities. And whereas while one in 3 young people still grow up without a mentor, demonstrating the need for additional wearing this and resources from mentoring programs and whereas national mentoring month is a time of the year to celebrate elevate and encourage mentoring across our state and recruit caring adult mentors in now therefore I council member elissa hand what's on behalf of Mayor Kenneth p Welch to here by proclaims Jan. 20 24 as mentoring month in St. Petersburg and I urge citizens to participate in mentoring programs that support children and youth. >> I just got volunteer old that I'm going to be the one doing the speech. Home. Thank you Council woman Hannah with I appreciate thank you to the council members chairperson. Fig Sanders we really appreciate the opportunity to be here. My name is Fergus think Renee haha so we at the Office of strategic partnerships are so excited to receive this proclamation for JANUARY which is national mentoring month every year. Enters play a very important role in the lives of thousands of our students in our district every year mentors help students with positive choices. They help develop critical thinking skills support academic achievement and enhance their social and emotional well-being research has shown that students who participate in the formal mentoring program have better attendance. They have an increased desire to attend college. They become they have better adult interactions, higher graduation rates and are less likely to engage in negative behaviors. The Office of strategic partnerships is pre very proud of the almost 1500 active trained mentors that we have in our district and those 1500 mentors actually are training about our mentoring about 3500 As you can see there's a big gap there a great need. Throughout the district. One of the programs Council person hand which is a part of would be I take second children mentoring program, it's very that Pinellas education Foundation actually gives scholarship money about $9,000 to each student for them to attend college and part of that program is the mentorship they on the mentor so having a positive role model to guide them all the way through high school and then receive that scholarship at the end of the program goes a very very long way. We also have 5,000 role models some of you MAY be familiar with also the girlfriends club and of course lunch pals are some of our mentoring programs. So with each of the mentoring program students have the opportunity paired with a caring adult on a regular basis mentors agree to meet with their students for 30 minutes. >> Either once a week or every other week. It's a very small time commitment. I know we've all got half an hour once a week. And so the district's currently seeking businesses churches government organizations across St. Petersburg and Pinellas County to help with our mentoring efforts and we at the Office of strategic partnerships this my director doctor Sima ground were honored for the time that you all have taken we appreciate. The opportunity and we just ask that you continue to look for opportunities go into Pinellas County schools go in there meet with the students I guarantee once you're in there you start meet with them you're going to absolutely love it. So we always want to encourage you also become active in Pinellas County schools Haha. Thank you so much we do appreciate all that you do for young people and thank you councilmember Hannah was bringing this forward. Mix we would now have a proclamation in honor of the one 100th anniversary and this a full councilmember >> Good afternoon, everyone, it is such an honor to be presenting the proclamation for the St. Petersburg shuffleboard club to honor its upcoming one 100th anniversary. I have a personal tie of my own to the shuffleboard club having been. Gotten involved with it many years ago and doing a couple of projects there that's where I met Christine but even before I met her. I some neighbors, Wendy that we're going to shuffle board Club on Fri. Night they do this open shuffle thing where it's free and you know you bringing beverage and and and play and they've got music and everything like the chef working on what how is is this is a thing now you're like yeah. So I went and I had a blast. It actually became like the as something that I would you act and bring friends with me on a regular bases. I would have friends visit from Orlando and they would want to go to the shelter were club. I mean I couldn't believe it. It was wonderful to see this resurgence of popularity comes down to the work of I'm Christine page, the executive director of the shuffleboard club and the many members who work with her to really just improve. I always be improving the shuffleboard club to make that necessary. You know renovations things like that working with our our parks and wrecked department you know be good partners because it is a city property. We couldn't pick a better steward of the property then the shuffleboard club and as I read the proclamation I think you'll understand. What I mean when I say that thanks to the people who have really dedicated themselves to. This excess of the shuffleboard club. It's really they've made it so much more than a club, it's truly a community and I encourage everyone to check it out if you haven't before if it's been a while since you have. Try shuffle it is time to get back out there because the weather is perfect for it right right now most most time most of the time. But this is just a wonderful historic asset in our city that is just as popular today as it was when it was first born 100 years ago. The proclamation reads whereas the Petersburg shuffleboard club was founded on 1/24/1924. And whereas the Petersburg shuffleboard club grew from 2 to 105 courts, becoming the largest recreational Club of its kind in the world growing to over 5,000 members in the 1940's. And whereas the Florida shuffleboard Association was founded at the Petersburg shuffleboard Club in 1928. And whereas to this day shuffleboard players around the world. Play by the rules standardized at the St. Petersburg shuffleboard Club. In 1928. And whereas the National shuffleboard Association was founded at the Petersburg shuffleboard Club in 1932. And whereas the international shuffle board Association was founded at the Petersburg shuffleboard Club in 1979. And whereas the St. Petersburg shuffleboard club is an important part of the tourism and recreation history of the city of St. Petersburg and whereas the Petersburg chef we're covering mains an important part of the culture and community of the city of St. Petersburg being open and welcoming and whereas since 2005. The St. Petersburg shuffleboard club has fueled the chef word revival in St. Petersburg and around the world inspiring renewed interest in the sport and remains the largest in the world with 82 court and over 2600 members. Now therefore I Gina Driscoll on behalf of canon 2 outs mayor of the city of St. Petersburg Florida. Do hereby proclaim Jan. 24th 2024 as St. Petersburg shuffleboard day in St. Petersburg and I urge citizens to join in celebration of the centennial anniversary of the club. >> The work and that the heart that you have put into making the club so successful. I would love for you to say a few words to everyone today. Thank you council members for doing It's been a milestone that we've been looking forward to 4 for a number of years 20 years ago and might not have made it so and if not for the hard work of many people people who came before me and their vision for what the club should be and the hard work. It took 2 to bring it back We're we're very excited. We're using this year to not only bring attention to the club of course we want everyone to come in and join but to do some special of events and a lot of outreach to make sure that everyone in St. Petersburg knows that they're welcome to come in tried the sport that is a lot of a lot of fun. Some. Thank you very much. >> Thank you again to Christine and the club members who are here today if you could stand really quick so we can recognize you. They make this happen so here's to and here's to the next 100 years. Thank you for then. Thank you so much and thank you councilmember jump. For the presenting their well-deserved honor to the several board climb. So now we won't move to our legal item j one in joining us is assistant city attorney Joe Patton or how are Good afternoon. Thank MADAM Chair, good afternoon I'm here to Approval of a resolution with final payment to the outside counsel of Jones fairly in hand. It's $3,213.55. This is the final payment our outside counsel, a labor dispute matter of the Miranda case which went on for for some time I'll tell you that the client which is missed particular case. The Police Department is very satisfied with the work that was done while we did negotiate a lower bill to get to this point they did do the council that outside counsel did certainly did the work is deserving of it and the money is allocated is is budget and allocate with. Police Department budget so with that everybody has any questions I'll be happy to answer otherwise of seeking approval of the resolution of approval, second. >> We have a motion and a second to approve a one clear can you please open the machine for voting. Council members can you please place your votes. Seeing that all council members a place of votes can you please tally enough votes. >> MADAM Chair, the motion to approve agenda item j one passes unanimously. >> Thank you thank you, everyone. Now we would take up our report items with g one project prosper in joining us. MISTER Fay steinhauser who is executive director of project prosper welcome. Thank you. Well first of all thank you so much to COUNCILMAN Hannah what's for the invitation and thank you so much for your time to the council to hear about our programming. Specifically currently freight. And there you go all right. >> So I want to start today by just telling you a little bit about Saint Petersburg's immigrant population. So in 2018 that are more than 27,000 immigrants making up 11% of the population of the city. And it's interesting they're actually more likely than the native population to own their own home have an advanced degree and be employed. But paradoxically they also tend to have a lower median individual income. And this is a really diverse population comes from you know many areas of the world many backgrounds. So you can see that this is a a very important population that we have in the city here. To support population project prosper as a mission to provide financial integration services and resources that empower recent refugees and immigrants to chief financial stability and inclusion we were formed in 2007 and we're a 5 oh one c 3 nonprofit, and we formed after are co founders sought to problems in the community that needed to be addressed. The first problem was developing an understanding and using the financial system for immigrants is a challenge and existing programs within the community simply were not meeting the unique needs of this population. Among those needs are language comprehension especially of difficult financial terms, cultural barriers such as debt being unacceptable or avoiding interest in loans and banking in some cultures and also understanding the role of credit in our own culture understanding that in this country is very unusual in the world actually but in this country nearly everyone is going to engage with credit at some point in their life. And you can use it to buy almost anything from a cup of coffee to a car to an entire corporation. Our clients also sometimes have issues with fear, including fear of banks, governments credit itself and I would say pretty much across the whole population, the fear of just making a costly mistake. They also have increased vulnerability to scammers and predatory lenders and that really is because they simply have a lack of life experience and they really just don't know what is normal in the system. I'd like to expand just a little bit on these points about that and fear and lack of life experience which are really key to our populations vulnerability. And I'd like to just share with the council we have members in our community who actually have never had access to a bank account in their entire life. And that's because the countries that they lived in simply did not allow them to participate and that sort of a system. Some of our clients come from places where being in debt can quite literally get you killed. And others have just had bad experiences with maybe banks limiting their access to funds that they deposited or in some cases simply just stealing the money. As we know that there's an on that there's a native population that also deals with some of these issues as well. But there's a big difference between our population and there's within this country, the vast majority of people agree that our financial systems are trustworthy and safe to use. So the folks that we have here that have a lot of fear about banks and the financial system, they're a minority population and the vast majority that does agree the system is dysfunctional. Our clients have the exact opposite as they should say some of them have the exact opposite they come from countries sometimes where the vast majority of the population does not trust the bank does not trust the financial system and only a small minority actually trust them. So when they come to the United States there's a lot of education that needs to happen for clients that have those issues about why banking is important and why they need to engage with the system when they've gone their whole life without it. Our first. I'm sorry. So we want to understand the problems that. I'm sorry out of whack you're okay our second problem that we saw in the community is full inclusion to the financial system which really means getting access to credit being able to fully use the system really requires that. Things that they needed our clients need on that is knowledge on how to access credit, you know why is this important how do I actually access it what are the steps that I take and being the primary and accounts. I mention this one because we have a lot of folks that are married to Americans and so they come over and maybe the American is the one who applies for the credit cards and as it turns out. If you're a secondary on a card you're not really getting the credit history that you need to be able to fully be included in the system. They also safe and affordable opportunities to build a credit history. A lot of our clients use what's called a secured credit card and it requires a deposit. So for anyone who isn't familiar. If you apply for a secured credit card they asked for $500 deposit in the bank the bank holds and they give you a credit card that you can use that has a $500 maximum limit. Use that credit card for a little while and if you respect the boundaries of the credit card you can it then graduate onto a regular credit card without a deposit. And this is a really common way that clients enter into the credit system. But the problem is if you can't say that first $500 to be able to do that deposit to get started. This is not saying that you can use to be fully included into the system. So in response to these problems. We develops to to to serve the community. The first is a financial literacy program and this program really brings programming out into the community to community Esau or English for speakers of other languages sites or other partner sites. And we go to places where clients naturally gather we don't believe that clients should be coming to our office specifically for net financial literacy education, we know people are busy and we have to be out in the community where they are. Within the program we offer 13 intermediate to advanced level English or Spanish courses that cover the basics from you know what is the bank was a credit union, 2 very advanced topics like personal income taxes homebuying etc we just recently added a beginner level English curriculum which is really focused on financial survival skills and then we're also developing awesome e learning courses as well to increased access. Our second program is a 0% interest loan program. This program features a $2,500 maximum loan that has a savings component with it as well. We credit report to all 3 of the major bureaus and we don't require any credit history at all to be in the program. There's also financial coaching and match savings component if the coaching requirement is satisfied. Last year we worked in 3 counties and this year actually expanding down into manatee County and we provided a 132 financial literacy classes across those counties and within Pinellas County we had 7 different sites that all to pieces. We also granted 10 loans and I think it's always important to talk about your funders because that can greatly influence here works among our funders are the Pinellas County school board that we have grants with thanks United Way and other individuals and foundations. But I think perhaps the best way you to recognize the impact of our work is to show you a client journey. So I'd like to introduce you to Saint Pete residents, Ernesto in Liliana they came to Saint Pete in 2015 from Venezuela and they came here looking for safety for themselves and their children. Ernesto was hoping to get a better job than his role in housekeeping so he enrolled for English language classes at Northeast high school and that's where he encountered project prospers financial literacy program. At the end of our core series there we told him about our loan program as well as the other participants and immediately it peaks, Ernesto interest because he had never had a chance to you know have that some of the extend that kind of trust in him. He's his loan for immigration expenses and just a few years later his wife Liliana also got a loan and used for immigration expenses and when we asked them about their experience. They said that project prosper really provided a foundation for them to build their financial life upon. To wrap up my time I'd like to just share a couple of challenges that we face in the community and ways I hope we could all work together. So one of our biggest challenges is just community letting people know that these folks are in our community and that they have certain very specific challenges and that they're very important segment of society, their success is really our success. Secondly, of course is the fact that our work addresses the challenges that these folks are facing. And then we would love to increase the client access that we have so within the city of St. Petersburg we have to existing ptc Saint Pete in clear view and both are kind of in central Saint Pete, so we'd love to be able to reach clients and other areas of the city and make sure that we're getting access as much as we can. And then our access point we're hoping for through businesses. A lot of businesses in the area employee immigrants, including our hotels or restaurants and many many many other employers. And what we love to be able to do is to go into those businesses and as an employee benefit be able to offer them classes that fit right into the workday there during lunch hour or after hours cetera. And the reason this is so important and and you know would be valuable for employers is because more financially fit staff is actually better staff and there's a body of research that shows that so and my time there thank you so much for your time today and if anyone has questions I'd be happy to respond. Thank you we do have COUNCILMAN Elect to make comments councilmember handle it, thank you chair and thank you Fe for that wonderful presentation would also like to not have a board member here Molly all that's part of the organization, thank you both for what you do for project prosper I will tell you. When you're speaking about a refugee or immigrant family that's what I grew up with because my family were Cuban refugees that they came and the issue of trust is 6 dream Lee important in that community. They do not trust government a lot of times and depending on your circumstances they come from difficult circumstances horrific think that happened in other countries. They have cultural barriers coming into this country they have language barriers coming into this country. Then you add the trust issues and it's just I mean it's sad even when you see the children of these families that sometimes have to guide your own parents in the system there the advocates for their parents children in elementary schools. That are serving as you know translator, Israeli and explaining the system to their parents at a very young age. So I really appreciate what you're doing for 11% of our population. That's out there I want to point now I love the fact that you have found ways to engage with employers to provide it as an employee benefit. So you can reach more people out there for employers I think that's fantastic. The loan program. I remember when I was young and I didn't have any credit and I didn't have anyone that can give me credit or sign for a credit card because my family did in half that ability. My mom would not buy property because she was scared that the government would take it away from her. I mean that's the reality so so this is real and it's still happening and I'm just so glad that you're you're providing the service so thank you so much, thank you both. Thank you councilmember no. >> Vice chair Gert Thank you MADAM Chair. Councilmember hand with thank you for bringing this forward This was great faith. Thank you for the presentation just to see the amazing work that you're doing really I just I just wanted to commend you in the entire organization. For the work and and for the impact they are making. When I when I first started my business up a large part of it was doing financial literacy classes and doing them across the city frankly across the state. And If there's any support I can give please don't hesitate to reach It really is what got me started in the financial world is is trying to help younger professionals navigate this and it's it is it's amazing big scary system. And it still is sometimes and so I just very proud that this work is happening here in St. Petersburg and the support I can give please not hesitate to reach out, but thank you for all the work that you and the organization is doing. >> Thank you, thank you, MADAM Chair. Thank you and thank you missus and House of the presentation and again we congratulate you and appreciate all that you're doing good to see you Thank you for attending joining us today. Thank you judge, thank you. The next we will now move to item g to JANUARY and named storm report and joining us. These are known as amber bolding by emergency management manager. Hello I want. >> As always it is a pleasure to be with you all today. Big congratulations to chair fix Anderson, vice chair Curtis on your appointments. My first time being here this year which I guess it's only been a couple weeks but congratulations there's been a shuffle so I have to get used Everybody seats. So we're going I'm summarizing go over. This year storm or this month storm we also have the storm last month and it's just been very busy time. So I know the club. Before we jump into my report though I do want to touch on the weather pattern that we're seeing right now so. >> You know we've been hearing well this is very unique we're you know we're not seeing these kind of storms we don't usually get this kind of weather and that is true. But we are in a severe El Nino pattern and that doesn't come around very often. So the El Nino itself can they save or 2 to 7 years right now and we're in a more severe El Nino. Which means the jet stream. The normally is north of Florida has shifted down so those winter storms that are typical for the country are getting pushed down further so that jet stream spring him right over kind that South Central Florida area which is where we're going to get more that significant weather. So we had that significant storm in DECEMBER we had one this week and we're going have another one on Fri.. Tomorrow not quite as But it's going to happen more often so hopefully we don't see them to the caliber that we did in DECEMBER and and this week but certainly we always want to stay on our toes and be ready for that because that is what when we get into the season's of in the El Nino. What that means. All right so for this JANUARY, severe weather event I'm going to start off with just a timeline overview of the events that we saw and then cover more of the specific city preparation response actions and then I'll finish up with impacts that we saw from the storm. So we first on monitoring this one early last week. The weather service had an inkling it was going to come you know again it's that jet stream so is up towards Alaska and they're waiting on it to come down. On Thu. Last week we had our first National Weather Service webinar and on Fri. Is when we sent that first situation information to the executive policy group into our department emergency. Preparedness coordinators in the city to say hey. This is coming that are very confident. It creed weather impacts the of of what it will cause we're still not sure yet but we're already looking at that potential flooding situation based on those lessons learned from DECEMBER. Come Sun., it was even more confident that we're going to get that water rise and the potential coastal flooding. So it's when public works their prep work which I'll get in. On Mon. We held our first executive policy group briefing first thing that morning and a decision was made to activate the emergency operation center to a level 2 partial activation. This activation was virtual that allowed us to establish a battle rhythm with too time daily executive policy, your briefings and real-time updates via Microsoft teams. Jeff Baker from Duke energy was actually able to join us in person from fire headquarters on Tue., which was the day the storm actually moved in to sit there with us and monitor real-time as the storm was moving in any kind of power outages and how he could work with our crews to get people back online faster. And on Wed.. We begin the damage assessment process getting out there looking at our neighborhoods to see if we took on water and any homes if there is any wind damage and things like that. And then to today were brief. Source city preparation response actions. A lot happened between last week and this week and it's a I think accumulation of lessons learned from previous storms and I'm just wanting to make sure we can do as much as we can so clouds team and public works to lot with some clearing storm drains and lines cleared clad city some great stat sheets with lots of numbers, I'm I'm happy to read those are few have questions cloud can come up. And give those but it includes over 3,000 inland inspections and a 138 of those inlets were cleared. Street sweeping 384 total miles were swept in they picked up a 100 and keep 180 cubic yards of debris off the streets. They distributed a total of 13,550 sandbags, 3300 of those were delivered to the houses that received the flooding during the DECEMBER event. So when we look at our forecast what we were hearing from the National Weather Service is this could be very comparable to what we saw in DECEMBER though hopeful not quite to that level. So that's what we're planning for South houses plate flooded during that DECEMBER event that's what we're planning for in JANUARY so we want to make sure that those those houses are protected as much as possible. And then other full service sites they handed out just over 12,000. In addition the public works crews service backflow preventers installed a flood barrier lowered lakes and use permanent and temporary pumps to manage the flood waters as they came in. The city also placed trailer mounted mess variable message boards throughout the city's high risk areas to warn about the potential weather and the potential for high water. Widespread messaging with social media print media and tv. The Saint Pete service, id or transitions to the citizens Information Center taking calls from the public, giving them information before the storm and then taking damage reports after the storm whether it was line. Trees downed lines down. Are whatever the issue was flooding that way we could get into the see click fix system and dispatched out. The Police Department stage to the high-risk areas to monitor monitor flooding in real time and they were prepared to close down those streets are neighborhoods. The flooding became an issue and a safety problem. Fire rescue performed initial damage assessment by grid Tue. Night which then informed our full damage assessment which happened Wed. Morning with the planning and Department they did that Wed. Morning and then any of those damage reports that we got to see click fix were handled on a case-by-case basis through the appropriate dispatch center. And then when we look at impacts. Fairly low impacts a citywide especially when we compare it to the previous 2 storms that we saw with the DECEMBER storm Dalia. This was much more of a wind storm for us then the DECEMBER storm which was very much a water storm. So the storm itself was quite brief and moved through around 04:00pm on Tue.. And within an hour it was gone, so if you are like a staring at the radar it was a very strong McConnell potent system that just came through. During that time frame I'm sure everybody's phones went off. We had 2 tornado warnings. So that means National Weather Service sees that We had one warning that came through kind of for North Saint Pete mid Pinellas County and then shortly after there is a tornado warning that came through for more South County. And it was that second warning that actually we did have that. Yes 0 confirmed tornado. After the storm moved We still have the coastal tide of continue to rise. It rose until about 6 o'clock until those winds shifted off shore and started pushing that search water back out. So to give you some final numbers. Our total storm tide which is the regular tied plus the storm surge that came in was about 2.8 feet and just to give you a comparison back in DECEMBER. It was 3.9 7. So we were about just over a foot less than what we saw last month. And it made all the difference as well we didn't have any. Reported flooding of any of our homes with this one. Wind speeds sustained 30 miles per hour with gusts up to 46 miles per hour and those recorded Albert whitted airport. To look at damage assessment we had heavy prolonged pretty much throughout the day and that brought down some trees which created sporadic power outages around the All of which were restored fairly quickly. No record of damages from flooding again. We did have the roads go underwater and you know that the typical spots that we're used to. That we again we didn't have any reports at the water inside homes and it it will drain very quickly as well to speak go back to that tornado. We did have a confirmed ef 0 tornado with winds of about 82 miles per hour. And that very briefly touched down. I'm in the Bartlett Park area it caused a tree to go through a roof on a home on Kingston Street South and some roof damage to an apartment building over on 6th Street South. Street team was deployed over to that area just 2. See if there's any unmet needs to check on the It was determined that no residents were displaced, but that team is still working with those residents to make sure that we're fulfilling any needs that they might have. And that is my report we're joined with the leadership team here today is also happy to answer any questions or provide clarification on anything that you might have thank you. >> Thank you councilmember governor. Thank you cha