City Council Meeting

Gulfport City Council Agenda Template

City of Gulfport Florida

City Council Meeting Notice

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

Gulfport City Hall, 2401 53rd Street South Gulfport, FL

6:00 PM

AGENDA

Call to Order

Invocation given by Councilmember April Thanos

Pledge of Allegiance

Roll Call

Presentations

Mr. Larry Kennedy, President, Gulfport Multipurpose Senior Center Foundation, Inc. - Update

Mr. Andrew Burnham, Vice President, Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. - Water/Sewer Efficiency Rate Study

1.

Public Comment

2.

City Manager Report

3.

City Attorney Report

4.

City Clerk Report

5.

Consent:

5.a.

Consider approval of the Meeting Minutes from Council Meeting held June 18, 2024.

EXHIBIT: Item 5.a. City Council Minutes 06.18.2024.pdf

5.b.

Resolution No 2024-33: A Resolution of the City of Gulfport, Florida, authorizing the City Manager to expend funds for the annual maintenance of the Andrew's Technology UKG Web Based Time & Attendance System.

EXHIBIT: Item 5.b. - Memorandum.pdf

EXHIBIT: Item 5.b. - Resolution No. 2024-33.pdf

5.c.

Resolution No. 2024-34: A Resolution authorizing the City Manager to accept a donation from the Gulfport Multipurpose Senior Center Foundation, Inc. of a recumbent stepper for the Gulfport Multipurpose Senior Center.

EXHIBIT: Item 5.c. - Memorandum.pdf

EXHIBIT: Item 5.c. - Resolution No. 2024-34.pdf

6.

Ordinances

6.a.

Ordinance No. 2024-06: First Reading - An Ordinance of the City of Gulfport, Florida, providing for approval of Application SR24-02: A Subdivision replat application to reconfigure Lot 81, 83, 85, and 87, Veteran City, as legally described herein, from one (1) parcel with four (4) lots of record into two (2) parcels, with conditions; providing for the repeal of ordinances, or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith, to the extent of such conflict; providing for severability; and providing for an effective date.

EXHIBIT: Item 6.a. - Memorandum.pdf

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO THE JULY 16th, 2024 REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR GULFPORT. OUR INDICATION TODAY WILL BE BY OUR COUNCIL MEMBER CHRISTINE BROWN, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. SO PLEASE RISE. >> WELCOME, EVERYONE. THE FABRIC OF OUR GENTLE NATION IS TATTERED BUT OUR COURAGE AND COMMON SENSE MUST BRING US TOGETHER. LET US NOT FORGET THE DIFFERING OPINIONS , POLICY AND POLITICS ARE INFERIOR TO LOVE. LOVE, COMPASSION, KINDNESS AND EMPATHY ARE NECESSITIES . ASCENDANT OF THE HATE, VITRIOL AND SIMPLEMINDED IDEAS THAT IGNITE VIOLENCE. WE ALL WANT A WORLD WHERE RESPECT IS PARAMOUNT. FAMILY IS FIRST. LOVE TRANSCENDS. WE MUST INSIST THAT RESPECT FILLS THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS AGAIN. MELANIA TRUMP, JULY 14th, 2024. >>> ROLL CALL PLEASE, CITY CLERK. >> COUNCILMEMBER BROWN? COUNCILMEMBER RAY? VICE MAYOR O'HARA? CITY MANAGER O'REILLY? MAYOR HENDERSON AND COUNCIL MEMBER THANOS HAVE ASKED TO BE EXCUSED. >> WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING. PLEASE WELCOME MR. LARRY KENNEDY. >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT. WE WERE ASKED TO DO AN UPDATE FROM OUR FEBRUARY UPDATE. I'M HERE TO DO A BRIEF ONE FOR YOU AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> IT'S OVER HERE. IT'S GOT TO BE ON THIS SCREEN. >> D.C. IT UP THERE? LITTLE ARROW. >> OUR GOALS ARE THE SAME AS THEY WERE BEFORE. TO SUPPORT THE SENIOR CENTER. OUR PRIMARY IS THE FOOD PANTRY, FITNESS CENTER AND ANYTHING UNEXPECTED THAT COMES UP THAT THEY NEED MONEY FOR THAT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET. ALONG WITH THAT, WE BUILDING FUND THAT WE MADE AT THE END OF MAY OF 2023. IT IS $100,000 A YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS. TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT FUNDS. I CAN'T READ IT FROM BACK HERE. TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO OPERATE THE FOUNDATION. SO WHAT WE DO HAVE , THIS IS HOW WE RAISED OUR MONEY. WE HAVE MANY EVENTS, OVER 40 EVENTS FOR THE PAST 18 MONTHS. AND WE'VE DONE IT FOR THE EARLY PART OF THE YEAR, THE EARLY PART OF THE 18 MONTHS WITH A FEW ACTIVE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD. BUT WE WERE FORTUNATE TO ADD MEMBERS SINCE OUR LAST UPDATE. WE ARE NOW UP TO I BELIEVE 11 MONGERS ON THE BOARD SO IT HAS ALLOWED US TO MAKE SOME CHANGES. WE ACTUALLY HAVE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES, PR COMMITTEE, MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE WHICH ALLOWS US TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS. SOME OF OUR EVENTS WILL BE ARE IN THE CASINO WITH SOME OF THEM HERE IN THE SENIOR CENTER. ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH THE ADDED BOARD MEMBERS IS WITH THE PR COMMITTEE. WE ARE NOW ACTUALLY ON THE MORNING BLEND AND SAINT PETE RADIO SO WE'VE REACHED OUT BEYOND GULFPORT AND WE ARE SEEING THE FRUITS OF THAT COME THROUGH WITH INCREASED PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE IN SIMILAR EVENTS. SO THAT HAS WORKED OUT VERY WELL. THE CLICKING IS NOT WORKING . SO WHERE WE STAND NOW IS REALLY THE IMPORTANT PIECE. SINCE I CAN'T READ THAT FROM HERE I'M GOING TO USE MY CHEAT SHEET. BASICALLY, OUR FIRST INSTALLMENT OF $100,000 WAS DUE IN JUNE , THE TAIL END OF MAY OR JUNE OF THIS YEAR. WE TALKED WITH JIM O'REILLY. HE SAID WE ARE DOING PRETTY GOOD ON OUR INVESTMENT SO WE WILL KEEP IT FOR ANOTHER YEAR. SO WE REINVESTED IT . SO OUR FIRST YEAR , WE MADE ABOUT $11,000 IN OUR INVESTMENT INCOME. MOST OF IT WAS THE 100,000 CD BUT THERE ARE COUPLE OF SMALL CDs THAT WE ALSO HAD. WHERE WE STAND NOW WOULD BE HUNDRED THOUSAND REINVESTMENT AND WILL MATURE IN JUNE OF 2025 AND WE WILL TALK AGAIN WITH THE CITY AT THAT POINT TO SEE IF WE WANT THE MONEY OR WANT TO KEEP IT FOR ANOTHER YEAR. ALONG WITH THAT, WE HAVE OUR SECOND YEAR, WHICH I WAS HOPING FOR. WE UPDATED YOU IN MAY. WE HAD A BOARD MEETING IN JUNE. THE BOARD CREW MOVING SOME MORE MONEY, $100,000 INTO ANOTHER CD. AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE DUE IN JUNE OF 2025 . BUT JIM SAID, AGAIN, WE WILL TALK ABOUT IT IN JUNE . OUR SECOND CD, WE ARE WAITING FOR ONE CD TO ROLL OR MATURE AND THAT DOES THAT ON THE 22nd. THE 23rd WE ARE GOING TO PUT IN -- BECAUSE WE ARE EXPECTING INTEREST RATES TO GO DOWN. SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S STILL 5%. HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HOLD FOR ANOTHER WEEK. SO THAT WAS OUR SECOND INSTALLMENT IN JUNE OF 25. IT IS ALREADY IN THE BANK AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE CITY IF YOU WANT IT IN JUNE OF 2025. ALL ALONG WITH THAT, WE ARE ABLE TO CAUSE A LITTLE BIT OF ANGST ON THE BOARD. WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE ANOTHER $50,000 INTO ANOTHER CD AND THAT IS ACTUALLY TOWARDS OUR THIRD INSTALLMENT, WHICH WILL BE DUE IN JUNE OF 2026. SO WE ARE DOING QUITE WELL. I THINK WE ARE ANYWAY. ALONG WITH THAT, THE FIRST TWO ITEMS ON HERE ARE SOME OF THE UNEXPECTED NEEDS THAT THE SENIOR CENTER HAD SOME FITNESS EQUIPMENT WENT DOWN SO WE REPLACED THAT. THEN YOU HAD A COMPRESSOR THAT'S ABOUT TO GO DOWN OR HAS GONE DOWN AT THIS POINT AND WE'VE APPROVED MONEY TO REPLACE THAT. SO ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT COMES UP, WE ARE HOLDING ENOUGH MONEY ASIDE TO DO THAT. WITH OUR OPERATING EXPENSES WE ARE CUTTING IT KIND OF CLOSE. SO OUR SECOND CD THAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW, WE WILL PROBABLY DO 25 AND 25 OR 40/10 UNLESS WE NEED TO CASH IN THE MONEY. WE DON'T EXPECT TO DO THAT. AFTER THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON A BALANCE OF $500,000. ANY QUESTIONS ON WHAT WE'VE DONE, HOW WE'VE DONE IT OR ANYTHING? >> IS THIS THE END? >> NOPE. A COUPLE MORE THINGS, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ANY RUSSIANS OR IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE MONEY . >> WE AT THE LIONS CLUB HAD A CD ROLLOVER FROM A VERY LOW INTEREST RATE AND GOT INTO 5% TOO. THAT'S REALLY NICE. >> THE CURRENT ONE THAT WE JUST RENEWED IS 5.45. AS OF LAST WEEK WE STILL GET THAT RATE THROUGH. I THINK IT WAS EDWARD JONES. WE ARE CHECKING ALL OVER AND CHECKING DIFFERENT VEHICLES. IT SEEMS LIKE RIGHT NOW CDs ARE THE BEST OPTION FOR US. NO RISK. AND NOTHING ELSE IS COMPARING TO THAT INTEREST-RATE. IT'S GOING PRETTY GOOD FOR US. AT LEAST WE THINK IT IS. I CAN'T GET IN BETWEEN HERE. THERE IT GOES. THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE CITY. BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF US. JIM ESPECIALLY . VERY SUPPORTIVE. WORKS WITH THE FOLKS THAT WE NEED TO WORK WITH AT THE CASINO AND ANYWHERE ELSE. JUSTIN HAS BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL OVER THE PAST YEAR. EXTREMELY HELPFUL. WHATEVER WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING WE ARE DOING THINGS, NOT GOING TO MENTION THEM YET, BUT WE ARE DOING A FEW THINGS HAVE IMPROVED. THEY WILL BE NEW FOR GULFPORT. IT TOOK SOME FINAGLING TO WORK THROUGH EVERYTHING BUT AGAIN, JIM AND OTHER CITY OFFICIALS HAVE HELPED US GET THROUGH THAT AND JUST WAS A BIG PART OF THAT. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION RACHEL. THE SUPERVISOR AT THE SENIOR CENTER. SHE IS INVOLVED IN VIRTUALLY --PERCENT OF THE EVENTS THAT WE DO. WHEN WE TELL HER THAT SHE CAN'T DO IT SHE'S LIKE A BULLDOG AND JUST KEEPS AFTER US TO DO IT. AGAIN, WITH THE CITY , VERY, VERY HELPFUL IN WHAT WE ARE DOING. I HAVE TO MENTION NEW HORIZONS, A BIG PART OF THE VETERANS DAY, WHICH WE WHEEL --WILL DO AGAIN THIS YEAR. --JOB FOR CLOSE TO A YEAR THERE WERE FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE ON THE BOARD DOING EVERYTHING. IT'S REALLY BEEN TOUGH. AND NOW WITH THE REST OF THE MEMBERS IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER. WE CAN DO IT A LITTLE MORE, SO TO SPEAK WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. THE PR COMMITTEE HAS BEEN A GOOD EXAMPLE. SETTING IT UP BY JENNIFER. SHE'S DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB IN REACHING OUT BEYOND SAINT PETE. WE ALSO HAVE A COMMUNITY GROUP . I HAVEN'T MENTIONED WHO THEY ARE NOW. BUT THEY ARE PUTTING ON AN AUCTION FOR US. IT'S CALLED , SPECIAL DELIVERY. YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN IT ADVERTISED THIS WEEK. IT WILL WORK OFF OF MAILBOXES. WE ARE SUPPORTING THEM WITH BUYING WHATEVER BUT THEY HAVE ARRANGED FOR THE ARTIST AND THEY WILL ARRANGE FOR THE ACTUAL AUCTION. SO AGAIN, NOW WE ARE GETTING PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN THE WHICH IS REALLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO. SO PLEASED WITH WHERE WE HAVE GONE THE LAST SIX MONTHS. AND THAT IS IT. AGAIN, I WOULD ASK FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. I WOULD LIKE IT IF ALL THE COUNCILMEMBERS WERE MEMBERS OF THE FOUNDATION. YOU CAN SEE OUR FACEBOOK POSTS, I'M SURE. OR SYLVIA DOES ANYWAY. SHARE THEM, COMMENT ON THEM, WHATEVER. JUST SPREAD THE PR FOR US. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. >> HOW IS THE PANTRY DOING? ARE YOU WELL-STOCKED? >> YES. WHENEVER WE RUN LOW RACHEL TELLS US AND WE JUST TRANSFER MONEY. THERE'S QUITE A FEW DONATIONS THAT COME IN FOR THE PANTRY SO THAT'S NEVER REALLY BEEN A PROBLEM. >> COULD. IF SHE IS SURE ALL SHE HAS TO DO IS LIKE WITH THE EQUIPMENT. WE'VE APPROVED EVERYTHING THAT SHE'S ASKED FOR SO FAR. >> I JUST WANT TO SAY YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, LARRY. AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO WAS INVOLVED. VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> NOW I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME MR. ANDREW . >> I THINK WE ARE SQUARED AWAY. THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS --BRIEF PRESENTATION ABOUT THE UTILITY ENTERPRISE FUND AND IT WILL GIVE THE PUBLIC SOME GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THE UTILITY RATES HAVE BEEN, WHERE WE ARE HEADED, AND OUR OUTLOOK. LONG STORY SHORT, WE ARE IN A GOOD PLACE AND I THINK WE HAVE A POSITIVE OUTLOOK AS WE MOVE INTO NEXT YEAR'S ANALYSIS. BY WAY OF AN OPENING STATEMENT. IN TERMS OF A REFRESHER ON RATES, AS MANY OF YOU REAL --WILL RECALL, ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO WE IDENTIFIED SOME GREAT STRUCTURE MODIFICATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 THAT ACTUALLY DID NOT HAVE ANY INCREASE IN THEM IN UTILITY RATES. IT ACTUALLY WAS A RATE RESTRUCTURING THAT LOWER THE BILLS FOR VERY LOW VOLUME USERS AT ONE THOUSAND GALLONS WITHOUT ANY CREASY'S --INCREASES TO OTHER USERS. IN 2023 AS PARTNER --PART OF THAT RESTRUCTURING WE HAD A MULTIYEAR PLAN. WE DID FINANCIAL PLANS TO HELP THE UTILITY SYSTEM, ANALYZE , CAPITAL SPENDING, DIFFERENT FUNDING OPTIONS FOR THE CAPITAL NEEDS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ADEQUATE RESERVES, GOOD CASH FLOWS AND PROVIDING THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SERVICE AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST TO REALLY OPTIMIZE THINGS. SO AS PART OF THAT ANALYSIS YOU ADOPTED TWO YEARS OF RATE FOR RESTRUCTURING. THE FIRST OF THOSE IS IMPLEMENT IT LAST YEAR. IT WAS AN INCREASE PICK FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE . SO WE ALREADY HAVE A PLANT BASED ON PAST STUDIES TO KEEP THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE UTILITY IN ORDER WITH MUTUAL REQUIREMENTS. THIS YEAR WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS TOOK STOCK OF WHERE WE ARE, HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE SOME OF THE INFORMATION HAS CHANGED AND HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOUR OUTLOOK LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW. BECAUSE OF YOUR PAST ACTIONS THAT HAVE PUT THE UTILITY UNDER A SOLID FOUNDATION AND HAVE A PLAN AND NEXT PLACE FOR NEXT YEAR ALREADY. I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN INDICATION OF WHAT THINGS LOOK LIKE AND HOW THEY ARE TRENDING. NEXT YEAR WOULD BE ABOUT ESTABLISHING A NEW PLAN FOR THE UTILITY, A NEW THREE-YEAR CURRENT PLAN AND IN GOOD SHAPE. SO THIS FINANCIAL MODEL THAT WE USE, IT'S VERY COMPREHENSIVE. AS I MENTIONED, WE LOOK AT A VARIETY OF SCENARIOS. INFLATION FACTORS, CAPITAL SPENDING, FUNDING SOURCES AS WELL AS KEY VARIABLES AND DRIVERS . FOR THE CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG, THAT PROVIDES OUR WHOLESALE WATER. AND SIMILARLY PURCHASED WATER FROM ST. PETERSBURG. THOSE ITEMS ARE OVER 60% OF OUR BUDGET EACH YEAR. THEY ARE BIG DRIVERS. SO WE RUN THIS SCENARIO. EACH YEAR WE WANT TO COMPARE HOW WE ARE DOING VERSUS WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE AND UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE CHANGES. THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THE CALLOUTS ARE INTENDED TO DO IS HELP YOU FOCUS. I WANT TO EXPLAIN EVERY ROW OF THE MODEL TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WITH KIND OF THE SAME FORECAST OF RATE ADJUSTMENTS BUILDING ON OUR PROOF PLAN FOR 24 AND 25 , AND THE SAME FORECAST AND THE OTHER YEARS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP LEFT CHART OUR OPERATING FUND, BALANCES ARE ACTUALLY BE HIGHER THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED LAST YEAR. A BIG PART OF THAT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN ON THE EXPENSE SIDE OF SAINT PETE ON THE SUPER SIDE. OUR VOLUMES HAVE BEEN GOING DOWN AND I THINK IN PART THAT COULD BE DRIVEN BY NUMBER VARIABLES. BUT WE'VE BEEN UNDERTAKING INVESTMENT AND IMPROVING OUR UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT WE CAN AVOID SOME INFLOW AND INFILTRATION . RAIN FLOWS OR GROUNDWATER THAT'S COMING INTO THE SEWER SYSTEM TO KIND OF IMPROVE THE INTEGRITY OF IT. I THINK THAT'S HAVING AN IMPACT ON THE PURCHASED WATER VOLUME. WE CAME IN AT THREE QUARTERS OF 1 MILLION UNDER BUDGET IN 2023 ON OUR WASTEWATER EXPENSES, WHICH IS FANTASTIC. AS OF THAT, SOME ADDITIONAL GRANTS ON THE LOWER RIGHT-HAND SIDE FOR SOME OF THOSE CONTINUED SANITARY CAPITAL PROJECTS OF $1 MILLION GRANTS. THE FUND THAT THE UTILITY ENTERPRISE HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE CASH THAN WHAT WE ARE THINKING COMING INTO THIS YEAR SO WE NOT ONLY MEET OUR MINIMUM TWO MONTH REQUIREMENT, WHICH IS THAT DASHED BLACK LINE ON THE TOP LEFT CHART, BUT REALLY OUR TARGET OF THREE MONTHS OF OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE NEEDS. FINANCIAL HEALTH FOR THE UTILITY IS GOOD. WE HAVE HAD POSITIVE OCCURRENCES. AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO KEYS AS TO SEE IF WE HAVE THE SEWER VOLUMES STAY AT THE CONSISTENT LEVELS THAT ARE LOWER THAN WHAT THEY HAVE EVER BEEN HISTORICALLY. I WAS LOOKING AT THIS AND THIS IS THE LOWEST VOLUME THAT WE'VE HAD FOR SEWER FLOWS IN THE PAST 10, 12 YEARS. THERE CAN BE A NUMBER OF DRIVERS AGAIN. AGAIN, THIS IS A GOOD REFLECTION OF THE INVESTMENTS WE ARE MAKING IN OUR UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE HAVING AN IMPACT, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE INTENDED TO SEE. IN TERMS OF LOOKING AHEAD, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED , HERE, SOME OF THE ANNUAL COST CHANGES THAT YOU SEE IN OPERATIONS. THE BIG ONE IN THE GREEN IS THE PURCHASED WATER EXPENSES FROM ST. PETERSBURG THAT'S BEEN A BIG DRIVER TO OUR RATE FORECAST PREVIOUSLY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE GOING FORWARD. NEXT YEAR SAINT PETE HAS IDENTIFIED ABOUT AN 11% INCREASE IN WHOLESALE WASTEWATER RATE, ABOUT 7% ON THE WHOLESALE WATER RATE. AGAIN, THAT'S WHY OUR SYSTEM INTEGRITY AND INVESTING IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO MINIMIZE THOSE COST. SO THE WATER THAT WE LOSE IN THE SYSTEM FROM LEAKS, WHILE WE ARE STILL PAYING TO PURCHASE THAT WATER FROM ST. PETERSBURG. AGAIN, HAVING WATER MAINS AND SIMILARLY ON THE SEWER SIDE WILL HELP US CONTROL IS EXPEND TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE. WE WILL HAVE A PAYBACK ON THAT AS WELL. IN LINE 25 YOU'LL SEE THE FORECASTED INCREASE. AS WE GET TO NEXT YEAR YOU CAN SEE THE UPDATE ON FLOWS AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE BETTER NEWS THERE. FOR NOW, THAT'S THE BEST INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF OUR CURRENT FLOW LEVELS AND INCREASES FROM SAINT PETE. WE ARE LOOKING AT A 9% INCREASE IN OUR COST NEXT YEAR BUT THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE WERE FORECASTING. IT'S JUST A BIG NUMBER BUT IT'S NOT A SURPRISE IN THE FINANCIAL PLAN BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN FORECASTING THESE LEVELS OF INCREASES. >> 9% IS GOOD COMPARED TO THE FACT THAT SAINT PETE IS GOING TO CHARGE US 11. >> EXACTLY. 11% ON THE WASTEWATER. YEAH. THIS IS OUR TOTAL POT OF OPERATING EXPENSES. THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS HERE. YOU CAN SEE PERSONAL COSTS ARE GOING UP 4% AND SOME OF OUR MAINTENANCE COSTS ARE GOING UP AT ABOUT 6%, CHEMICAL COSTS, IT'S THE SAME PURCHASES. THAT'S KIND OF THE BIG ONE. MANY CUSTOMERS WE ARE FOCUSED ON LOOKING YOUR WATER, SEWER AND STORM UTILITIES. ON THE BILL YOU ALSO SEE OTHER CHARGES LIKE YOUR SANITATION CHARGES FOR GARBAGE SERVICES, RECYCLING. THOSE HAVE IDENTIFIED INCREASES FOR NEXT YEAR THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH PENNELL'S COUNTY INCREASE. WHERE WE HAVE TO TAKE THE GARBAGE AND THE RECYCLABLE MATERIALS TO , WE ARE FOLLOWING SUIT WITH THAT, AS ARE MANY AGENCIES BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS TO TAKE THEIRS TO THE LANDFILL. THE WASTE FACILITY. SO WE PUT THOSE IN AS WELL. AND THEN WE ALSO INCLUDED THE WATER TEXT THAT SHOWS UP ON THE BILL JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT THE TOTAL BILL LOOKS LIKE FOR A TYPICAL HOUSEHOLD. YOU HAVE ABOUT HALF OF YOUR BILLS FROM LAST TIME WE LOOKED AT THIS WHEN WE DID THE RATE RESTRUCTURING AT ABOUT 2000 GALLONS OR LESS. SO THIS IS A GOOD INDICATOR OF THAT TYPICAL USAGE FOR MANY HOUSEHOLDS IN THE COMMUNITY. SO IT'S ABOUT A SEVEN DOLLAR INCREASE ON THE TOTAL BILL AT ABOUT 7.5%. WE DO LOOK AT A HIGHER USAGE LEVEL TO QUANTIFY THE IMPACT THERE AND SAY 4000 GALLONS. AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT 7.5%. IN THIS CASE, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS A BIT HIGHER BECAUSE THERE'S MORE WATER USE SO IT'S ABOUT $11.50 ON 4000 GALLON BILL. MOST ARE AT THE 2000 GALLON LEVEL SO THAT'S THE FOCUS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT BUT WE WANT TO GIVE A SENSE OF THE RANGE OF BILL IMPACTS THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN SEE. WE ALSO DO A LOT OF WORK NOT JUST WITH THE CITY OF GULFPORT WILL --BUT WITH OTHER AGENCIES. WE DO WANT TO TAKE A SNAPSHOT OF HOW TO OUR TYPICAL COSTS COMPARED TO OTHERS. SO THE BLUE BAR REPRESENTS THE WATER PORTION OF THE BILL. THE ORANGE REPRESENTS THE SEWER. THE GREEN REPRESENTS THE STORM WATER BILL. THAT'S EXCLUDING TAXES. THIS DOES INCLUDE SOLID WASTE. I'M JUST SHOWING YOU THE COST FOR 2000 GALLONS OF WATER AND SEWER PLUS THE STORM WATER CHARGE AND HOW WE FIT IN THE REGION. I KNOW IT'S TOUGH TO SEE ON THE CHART BUT THE AVERAGES $64.15. WE ARE SMACK DAB IN THE AVERAGE OF THE AREA. AS THINGS PLAY OUT TO NEXT YEAR THESE AGENCIES WILL HAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF INCREASES. SOME ARE DOING STUDIES RIGHT NOW, SUCH AS NEW PORT RICHEY, WE ARE HELPING THEM EVALUATE THEIR RATES. OTHERS HAVE PUBLISHED PLANS OF INCREASES. GOING UP AT 5% A YEAR. OTHERS ARE DOING STUDIES NOW AND WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON LOCAL UTILITY RATES. I WILL GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES, LOOKING AT A 20% INCREASE NEXT YEAR ON THEIR SOLID WASTE FEE AND THEIR STORMWATER FEE. HILLSBORO COUNTY IS LOOKING AT ABOUT A 10% INCREASE ON THEIR SOLID WASTE FEE , WHAT IS PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR. AND THEN THEY APPROVE LAST YEAR, OR MAY HAVE BEEN THE YEAR BEFORE, A FOUR-YEAR MULTI-RATE PLAN THAT INCLUDES 5% INCREASE PLUS THE CPI, PLUS THEY PASSED THE WATER INCREASES. SO IT'S ABOUT A 9% YEAR-OVER-YEAR INCREASE FOR FOUR YEARS ON HILLSBORO BASED ON ESTIMATES OF THE CPI COMPONENT . AND , SO SAINT PETE NEXT YEAR, THEY ARE LOOKING AT 6.75% INCREASE ON WATER AND SEWER BUT A 25% INCREASE ON STORMWATER FEES. IN THE FORECAST AFTER THAT IS ABOUT A 15% INCREASE ON THE STORMWATER FEES . THE YEAR AFTER THAT SAINT PETE, AND 10% AFTER. THOSE ARE THE PROJECTIONS ALSO FOR LARGO. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASES FOR A LOT OF THESE AGENCIES THAT THEY ARE AN ACTING OR LOOKING AT AND ACTING. CLEARWATER IS LOOKING AT CONVERSATIONS ON UTILITY RATES WITH THE 7% TO 8% INCREASE RANGE. WATER AND SEWER IT COMBINES VERY COMPARABLE TO OURS. I WANT TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THAT INCREASES THAT WE ARE LOOK AT ARE VERY COMPARABLE TO WHAT WE SEE IN THE REGION AND WITH OUR OUTLOOK, WHERE IF YOU NOTICE, SOME OF THOSE INCREASES ARE LOWERING IN OUR OUTLOOK AND YOU MAY BE ABLE TO LOWER THEM FURTHER IF THE PURCHASED QUANTITIES FROM SAINT PETE HOLD WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE VERY COMPARABLE IN COST AS OTHERS ADJUST THEIR RATES TO KEEP UP WITH INFRASTRUCTURE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING UP SO MUCH THAT THEY DIDN'T START THEIR SEWER STUFF 10 YEARS AGO ? >> IT'S TIMING. IT'S A GREAT --IF YOU THINK ABOUT TAMPA , IT WAS A FEW YEARS AGO THEY HAD A NUMBER OF LINEBREAKS THAT YOU MAY HAVE READ ABOUT IN THE PAPER. WATER LINEBREAKS DOWNTOWN, THEY EMBARKED UPON MASTER PLANS AS PART OF COMPLETING THOSE MASTER PLANS THEY ACTUALLY ADOPTED A 20 YEAR ORDINANCE THAT THEY ARE ONLY ABOUT FOUR YEARS INTO. ON AVERAGE IT IS 6% TO 7% YEAR INCREASES BECAUSE THEY NEED TO ADDRESS THE INFRASTRUCTURE. EACH YEAR WE UPDATE THE SERVICE CHARGE AND KEEPS MOVING UP. WE ARE SHIFTING OVER TO THE RIGHT. SO THESE ARE A SNAPSHOT IN TIME BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS AT A DIFFERENT JOURNEY ON WHERE THEY ARE IN TERMS OF INVESTING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE , DEALING WITH REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS, EACH UTILITY IS GOING TO BE A BIT DIFFERENT ON HOW THEY CHOOSE TO DEAL WITH THOSE REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE OF THEIR UNIQUE CONSIDERATIONS. THAT'S ONE OF THE REALLY BIG DRIVERS . WE HAVE ALSO UPDATED THE COMPARISON FOR 4000 GALLONS AND AGAIN WITH OUR RATE STRUCTURE WE HAVE BEEN VERY CONSCIOUS ABOUT PROMOTING AFFORDABILITY FOR LOWER VOLUME USES AND HAVING A PRICE SIGNAL FOR CONSERVATION AS WE START TO GET TO HIGHER LEVELS OF USAGE. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TOWARD THE HIGHER END OF THE CHART , AT 4000 GALLONS. AGAIN, WITH SOME OF THE INCREASES THAT WE ARE SEEING, I EXPECT WE WILL BE COMPARABLE. WE CAN SEE THE HIGHS AND OF THE RANGE TODAY. I THINK WE WILL SEE SOME OTHERS GIVE UP ON THIS CHART AS WE GO FORWARD IN TIME. AGAIN, IT'S A SNAPSHOT. I DON'T WANT YOU TO FEEL ANYTHING , OR TAKE TOO MANY THINGS AWAY FROM IT BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO CHANGE , AS ALL OF THE UTILITIES IN THIS AREA DEAL WITH THE CHALLENGES IT'S CHANGING AT A PRETTY RAPID PACE. SOME OF THESE PERCENTAGES ARE PRETTY BIG FROM YEAR-TO-YEAR. IN SUMMARY, THIS YEAR'S LAST YEAR OF THAT THREE-YEAR PLAN IN 2023. WE HELD RATES FLAT AND ACTUALLY RESTRUCTURED THINGS TO LOWER BILLS FOR SOME USERS. THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS YEAR IS TO STICK TO THAT PLAN . THE 8% INCREASE FOR WATER AND SEWER, THE DOLLAR INCREASE TO THE STORMWATER CHARGE. AS WE GO TO NEXT YEAR WE NEED TO INCORPORATE UPDATED INFORMATION AND TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ANY CHANGES FOR THE CAPITAL PLAN, CP PURCHASES, THE RATE INCREASES TO LOOK AT ESTABLISHING A NEW MULTIYEAR PLAN. WITH WHAT WE SEE NOW , I WOULD SAY PUT A POSITIVE OUTLOOK ON UTILITY, WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT THING AND I REALLY COMMEND YOU FOR CONTINUING TO BE PROACTIVE ABOUT MANAGING UTILITY AND DELICATELY BALANCING , COVERING THE NEEDS OF PROVIDING CLEAN AND SAFE DRINKING WATER . OBVIOUSLY ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE, MOVING WITH THE WASTEWATER AND AFFORDABILITY. IT'S A VERY DELICATE BALANCE AND I COMMEND YOU FOR TRYING TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THAT EACH YEAR. WE ARE HAPPY TO HELP TRY TO FACILITATE THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS FOR YOU IN THAT REGARD. FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. >> THANKS. >> ANY QUESTIONS? >> I'M GLAD TO SEE THE SAVINGS ON INFRASTRUCTURE. INVESTORS WE HAVE DONE, THE LATERAL LINES FOR THE SEWERS , WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS OBVIOUSLY SHOWING SOME SIGNIFICANT RETURN. >> THE FLOWS ARE DOWN, WHICH IS GREAT. >> AS LONG AS WE CAN CONTINUE. >> I AGREE. >> I THINK WE ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE STUDY AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. BURNHAM. NOW THIS BRINGS US TO OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM THAT IS NOT OTHERWISE ON THE AGENDA. HE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS WHEN THEY COME UP. PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS AND PUT YOUR HANDS UP. MISS LOVE? >> GOOD EVENING. I WOULD LIKE TO SEND SOME WELL WISHES TO APRIL. I UNDERSTAND THAT SHE'S DOING WITH COVID . TWO, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE GRAY ACCOLADES TO WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT COMMUNICATION THAT CAME OUT IN OUR WATER BILL. NOTHING THAT I HAVEN'T READ BEFORE BUT CERTAINLY SOME THINGS THAT I NEEDED TO READ AGAIN. AND ANYONE WHO IS RELATIVELY NEW TO FLORIDA OR GULFPORT NEEDS TO READ THAT. I KNOW IT WAS SO VALUABLE I PUT IT IN WITH ALL OF MY OTHER GOODIES WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING READY IT'S ALL RIGHT THERE. IT WAS A GREAT PIECE. THREE, I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WALK ON QUITE A FEW OF THE NEW SIDEWALKS. WHERE THEY CUT THE CURB AND WHEELCHAIRS AND MOBILITY SCOOTERS. MY MOM USED TO HAVE TO DO A WHEELIE TO GET UP OVER 29 AND 58 AND I THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO FLIP EVERY TIME. SO IT'S REALLY COOL THAT IT IS AN EASY GRADE NOW. . ANOTHER THING, I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO LARRY AND HIS ENTIRE BOARD. FOR THE LAST YEAR TO TWO YEARS THE SENIOR FOUNDATION HAS DONE MORE THAN THE PREVIOUS 12 YEARS THAT I WAS PAYING ANY ATTENTION . IT'S REALLY COOL TO SEE ALL OF THE EVENTS THEY CAME UP WITH. WITH THAT IN MIND, I HAVE TO SAY THAT SPECIAL DELIVERY, THE REASON WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT NOW EVEN THOUGH THE EVENT DOESN'T HAPPEN UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER IS BECAUSE IF ANYBODY IS EVEN THINKING ABOUT GETTING A NEW MAILBOX PLEASE WAIT. IF YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE HAVE 10 REALLY, REALLY UNIQUE ARTISTS WITHIN GULFPORT, ALL OF WHICH ARE GOING TO DONATE TOTALLY ALL OF THEIR TIME AND THERE'S NO RULES. SEE YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF CREATIONS THEY WILL COME UP WITH. THAT WILL BE AN AUCTION. SO PLEASE , WAIT ON US. WE WILL BE READY SOON. AND THEN THE LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY , I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO PETE TORRES, IF I'M SAYING HIS LAST NAME CORRECTLY. HE DRIVES THE TRASH TRUCKS. HE'S BEEN WORKING FOR THE CITY FOR 38 YEARS . I'VE NEVER SEEN HIM WHERE HE DOESN'T HAVE A WAY OF A FRIENDLY -- OR NOT ALL OF HIS PEOPLE AND HE'S ALWAYS IN A GOOD MOOD. I THINK HE HAS ONE MORE WEEK TO WORK. THANKS. >>