City Council - Incoming Councilmembers

WELCOME TO THE CITY OF SAINT PETERSBURG CITY COUNCIL MEETING. YOU'RE ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE. MAYOR RICK KRISEMAN, DISTRICT ONE, COPLEY CURTIS. DISTRICT TWO, BRANDY GABBARD. DISTRICT THREE, EDMONTON MARY. DISTRICT FOUR. LETTER KIND OF WOODS. DISTRICT FIVE. DEBORAH FEYERICK SANDERS DISTRICT SIX. GINA DRISCOLL. DISTRICT SEVEN. LISA WHEELER BOWMAN AND DISTRICT EIGHT. RICHIE FLOYD. THE COUNCIL MEETING FOR JANUARY THE SIXTH. 2022. LET'S BEGIN WITH THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE. CURTIS YOU'RE NEVER HERE. MONTANARI AND I WENT BIG. SANDERS YOU'RE DRISCOLL HERE. REALLY? BOWMAN. FLOYD HERE. THANK YOU. I'LL BE GIVING THE INVOCATION THIS MORNING, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. WILL EVERYONE PLEASE STAND PLEASE. PLEASE PRAY WITH ME? HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TOGETHER TODAY AS A NEW CITY COUNCIL FULL OF OPTIMISM AND POSITIVE THOUGHTS FOR THE YEAR OF 2022. LORD, WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WE SAID GOODBYE TO EARLIER TODAY. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THEM WITH US. THANK YOU FOR THEIR SERVICE TO THE CITY. LORD, PLEASE BLESS MAYOR ELECT KEN WELCH. PLEASE LET HIM HAVE A FULL AND COMPLETE RECOVERY. AND LORD, PLEASE BLESS HIS ADMINISTRATION AS HE COMES INTO OFFICE. LORD, CONTINUE TO BLESS ALL THE PEOPLE THAT THE WORK FOR THE CITY OF SAINT PETERSBURG, ESPECIALLY OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR POLICE, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR PARAMEDICS BLESS EVERYONE THAT LIVES IN OUR CITY, BLESSED EVERYONE THAT WORKS IN OUR CITY, AND PLEASE BLESSED CITY COUNCIL. WE PRAY ALL THESE THINGS IN JESUS NAME. AMEN. AMEN. TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND REALLY ONE UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. WELL, I WANT TO WELCOME TO THE DAIS COUNCILMEMBER CURTIS, COUNCILMEMBER HANNA WHICH IS A MEMBER. FLOYD. GOOD, GOOD TO HAVE YOU UP HERE. AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE COUNCILMEMBER GABBARD BACK AND VICE CHAIR DRISCOLL AND LET'S GET TO WORK. WE DO HAVE A AGENDA BEFORE US. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA OF APPROVAL. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION IN THE SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA WITH THE CLERK PLEASE OPEN THE MACHINE FOR VOTING COUNCIL MEMBERS. PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES. SAYING ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO VOTED FOR THE CLERK, PLEASE TALLY AND ANNOUNCED THE VOTE. MR. CHAIR, THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. WE HAVE ONE ITEM ON OUR AGENDA DECLARING THE ELECTION OF CITY COUNCIL CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO MOVE THAT MOVE APPROVAL. WE HAVE A MOTION IN THE SECOND ON THE FLOOR HERE. YOU JUST NEED TO STATE WHOEVER MAKES THE MOTION SHOULD STATE THE NAMES OF THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR. OKAY. AND I HAVE A MOTION. ALL RIGHT. MOVE IT. MOVE. APPROVAL OF THE ELECTION. OF THE CHAIR OF CITY COUNCIL, GINA DRISCOLL. AND VICE CHAIR OF CITY COUNCIL. RANDY GABBARD. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? WE HAVE A MOTION IN THE SECOND ON THE FLOOR. DO WE HAVE ANY CARDS ON THIS ITEM? WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CLERK. PLEASE OPEN THE MACHINE FOR VOTING COUNCIL MEMBERS. PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES. BRING OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO VOTED FOR THE CLERK. PLEASE TALLY AND ANNOUNCED THE VOTE. SHARE THE MOTION TO DECLARE THE CHAIR IN THE VICE CHAIR CITY. COUNCIL 2022 PASSED. THANK YOU. WELL, WE'RE JOINED ONCE AGAIN BY JUDGE THE HONORABLE JUDGE PAM CAMPBELL TO ADMINISTER THE OATH OF OFFICE FOR OUR NEW CHAIR AND LET VICE CHAIR DRISCOLL GO DOWN TO THE PODIUM WELCOME BACK. JUDGE CAMPBELL WELL, DANA, I DO NOT DRISCOLL DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT I AM A CITIZEN OF THE CITY OF ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THAT AS AN OFFICER OF THE CITY, THAT AS AN OFFICER OF THE CITY OF ST PETERSBURG, A RECIPIENT AND A RECIPIENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS I WILL SUPPORT, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND THE CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT I AM DULY QUALIFIED TO FULFILL, THAT I AM DULY QUALIFIED TO HOLD OFFICE IN OUR CITY UNDER THE CHARTER OF THE CITY AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE. AND THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY, FULLY, AND THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY PERFORM THE DUTIES OF THE YEAR, THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF CHAIR OF CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAINT PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, WHICH I AM NOW ABOUT TO ENTER ALL RIGHT. NEXT, VICE CHAIR I, BRANDY GABBARD, SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR AND AFFIRM THAT I AM A CITIZEN OF THE CITY. THAT I AM A CITIZEN OF THE CITY OF ST PETERSBURG, THE STATE OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THAT AS AN OFFICER FROM THE CITY, THAT AS AN OFFICER OF THE CITY OF ST PETERSBURG AND A RECIPIENT OF THE PUBLIC AND A RECIPIENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS, I WILL SUPPORT, PROTECT AND DEFEND I WILL SUPPORT, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT, THE CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF LAW OF THE UNITED STATES. AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA. I AM DEEPLY QUALIFIED TO THINK ABOUT THAT. I AM DULY QUALIFIED TO HOLD OFFICE THE CHARTER OF THIS CITY, UNDER THE CHARTER OF THE CITY AND CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY PERFORM THE DUTY. THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF VICE CHAIR OF THE OFFICE OF VICE, CHAIR OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY COUNCIL. OF THE CITY OF SAINT PETERSBURG, FLORIDA. OF THE CITY OF SAINT PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, HOME, WHICH I AM NOW ABOUT TO ENTER ON, WHICH I AM NOW ABOUT TO ENTER INTO JUST ONE EXERCISE AND FOR THE ONE FOR FRANK TO FINALLY GET READY FOR THE HISTORY MUSEUM. THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME THE AMERICAN WILL HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JUDGE CAMPBELL, FOR ASSISTING US WITH THE SWEARING IN OF OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS TODAY. AND FOR FOR THESE 22 ROLES THAT COUNCILMEMBER GABBARD AND I ARE HONORED TO FULFILL. AND CONGRATULATIONS, COUNCILMEMBER GABBARD. BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR COUNCIL CHAIRMAN NERI FOR NOT ONE BUT TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF SERVICE AS OUR COUNCIL CHAIR SIR, YOU HAVE LED OUR CITY COUNCIL THROUGH VERY DIFFICULT TIMES WITH STRENGTH AND GRACE AND YOU HAVE SHOWN EVERYONE WHAT IT MEANS TO BRING HONOR AND DIGNITY TO THE OFFICE OF CITY COUNCIL. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT. IF I, IF I IF I DO A GREAT JOB THIS YEAR, IT'S BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WATCHING YOU AND LEARNING FROM YOU. SO THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU MISS MR. CLARK. MADAM CHAIR. MR. CLARK, CAN YOU PUSH MY BUTTON, PLEASE? OH, DO YOU? OH, THE BUTTONS HAVEN'T SWITCHED. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SWITCHED MINE. OH, YEAH. I DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD WORK THAT. COUNCILMEMBER MONTANARI THANK YOU, MADAM. MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU FOR THE VERY, VERY KIND WORDS. IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE AS CHAIR OF CITY COUNCIL, AND IT HAS BEEN A A CHALLENGE OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. BUT WE ARE SO BLESSED HERE IN OUR CITY TO HAVE SUCH A GREAT TEAM OF PEOPLE IN THE ADMINISTRATION. THE CITY'S CLERK'S OFFICE IN OUR CITY COUNCIL OFFICE. THE CITY SHEPHERD IS A GREAT PERSON TO WORK WITH. AND THEN WE HAVE SOME GREAT LEGISLATIVE AIDES THAT WORK VERY HARD EVERY DAY TO MAKE A DIFFICULT JOB A LITTLE BIT EASIER. AND I'D BE REMISS ALSO IF I DIDN'T THANK OUR CITY LEGAL TEAM OF ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY THAT WE WORK WITH. THE LEGAL TEAM IS THE DEPARTMENT THAT I WORK WITH THE MOST. AND THERE ARE ALWAYS PROFESSIONAL AND THEY GIVE GREAT, HONEST LEGAL ADVICE TO US AND JUST DO A WONDERFUL JOB. AND SO IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE AS CHAIR. AND I CONGRATULATE YOU ON ON YOUR CHAIRMANSHIP AND VICE CHAIR GABBARD. I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU'RE OUR VICE CHAIR TO. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF YOU FOR BOTH OF YOU. THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR GABBARD. THANK YOU, CHAIR DRISCOLL. I GOT TO GET USED TO SAYING THAT, RIGHT? YEAH. THE TITLES ARE ALWAYS SOMETHING YOU GOT TO GET USED TO, BUT REALLY, TO ME, THE TITLES ARE NOT WHAT'S IMPORTANT. AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THE THE COLLABORATION AND THE CAMARADERIE THAT WE FEEL WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY OF SAINT PETERSBURG AND COUNCIL. FORMER COUNCIL CHAIR MARTIN MARY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LEADING US SO WELL. OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, THERE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN A MORE DIFFICULT TIME TO BE CHAIR OF THIS COUNCIL. AND YOU DID IT SO WELL YOU DID IT IN A WAY THAT KEPT US MOVING FORWARD. IT KEPT THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL ELEVATED AND KEPT US IN A PLACE WHERE WE COULD CONTINUE TO MAKE THE DECISIONS FOR THE CITY THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THAT AND FOR YOUR EVEN LEADERSHIP IN THAT ROLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. FOR THOSE NICE WORDS. AND THEN I'LL JUST TAKE A QUICK MOMENT OF PRIVILEGE, JUST BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY DO THAT YET AS NEWLY SWORN IN. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO EVERYONE THAT SUPPORTED ME ALONG THE WAY OF GETTING HERE, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY FORTUNATE TODAY BECAUSE I HAVE MY CORE SUPPORT SYSTEM RIGHT HERE IN THE ROOM WITH ME, MY FAMILY AND MY BEST FRIENDS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD WHO HAVE BEEN WITH ME THROUGH THICK AND THIN AND GOT ME TO THIS PLACE. AND I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM FOR BEING HERE TODAY. AND FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE. AND I WANT TO WELCOME COUNCILMEMBER FLOYD, COUNCILMEMBER HANNAH WATTS AND COUNCILMEMBER CURTIS TO THE BODY. TIMES WILL NOT ALWAYS BE EASY, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SERVING WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER CURTIS. THANK YOU, CHAIR. JUST QUICKLY, I WASN'T ACTUALLY PLANNING ON SAYING ANYTHING, WHICH I KNOW IS SURPRISING BECAUSE MY LAST NAME IS CURTIS. BUT MY WIFE HAPPENED TO WALK IN, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY THANK HER. MY KIDS ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN UP SINCE LIKE FOUR 30 THIS MORNING. SO THIS DAY BECAME A LITTLE BIT MORE CHALLENGING THAN IT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE. BUT THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE THING, WHEN WE DECIDED AND I SAY WE PURPOSEFULLY TO DO THIS IN JUNE, MY WIFE IS THE HERO BEHIND THIS STORY. AND SO I'VE GOTTEN AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF HELP FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, INCLUDING EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS DIAS, WHICH MY HEART IS FULL AND THANKFUL TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. BUT MY WIFE IS THE HERO OF THIS STORY. AND I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY SAY THANK YOU AND I LOVE YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR. YOU, COUNCILMEMBER HANNA, IT'S IN THE SPIRIT OF WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY AND SEEING THE FRIENDLY FACES AND HEAR WHAT I SEE IS FAMILY. AND I SEE CITY COUNCIL FAMILY HERE. I SEE THE CITY OF ST PETERSBURG FAMILY HERE, AND I SEE OUR FAMILIES HERE. AND MY MOTHER COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY. SHE DIED SEPTEMBER 20TH. MY IN-LAWS CAME TO SUPPORT AND I SO APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. BECAUSE I WISH HE COULD HAVE BEEN HERE TO MY HUSBAND AND MY DAUGHTER. YOU'VE BEEN MY ROCK. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR ME. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING THE CITY OF ST PETERSBURG AND I ALWAYS REMEMBER WE ARE FAMILY. GOOD OR BAD, FAMILY DISAGREES, BUT IT'S ALWAYS FAMILY. AND YOU FIND A WAY TO GET THROUGH EVERYTHING. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND SEEING THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS, I'LL TAKE A MOMENT TO WELCOME OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS. AS YOU HEARD THROUGH OUR SEND OFF THIS MORNING. A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID YOU'VE GOT BIG SHOES TO FILL, BUT I KNOW THAT EACH OF YOU BROUGHT YOUR OWN SHOES AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND SEEING THE TALENT THAT YOU'RE BRINGING TO THE DAIS AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND AT A CRITICAL TIME IN OUR CITY. I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT BALANCE OF TALENT AND PASSION BACKGROUNDS AND AREAS OF EXPERTIZE THAT WILL ENSURE THAT OUR CITY IS IN GOOD HANDS. AND ALONG WITH OUR NEW MAYOR, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SAINT PETERSBURG SHINE EVEN BRIGHTER THAN IT EVER HAS BEFORE. SO I AM VERY PROUD TO BE SITTING HERE WITH YOU, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAYS AND YEARS AHEAD OF OUR COLLABORATIVE AND COOPERATIVE WORK TOGETHER. THANK YOU. YEAH. SEEING THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO JOINED US HERE TODAY. WE ARE HERE FOR YOU. AND WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU CAME TO WITNESS THIS WONDERFUL DAY OF CEREMONY. AND ON THAT NOTE, WE ARE ADJOURNED.