City Council Meeting

>> WELCOME, EVERYBODY, TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WILL BE GIVEN BY GULFPORT MULTIPURPOSE SENIOR CENTER CAPITAL CAMPAIGN UPDATE , 1027, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND. >> THE CURE FOR BOREDOM IS CURIOSITY. THERE IS NO CURE FOR CURIOSITY. THANK YOU. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> ROLL CALL, PLEASE. >> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ] >> WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS. THE FIRST IS AN UPDATE ON THE SENIOR CENTER , AND THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN UPDATE. LET'S GET RIGHT TO IT. WELCOME. >> HELLO, I AM KAREN COX, PRESIDENT. THIS IS AARON JOHNSON, CAMPAIGN MANAGER, WORKING ON THE SENIOR CENTER CAPITAL CAMPAIGN. WE HAVE PREPARED A REPORT FOR YOU THIS EVENING AND AS YOU CAN SEE, I WILL READ THE NUMBERS FOR YOU. THE NUMBER WE HAVE, 2.5 MILLION 543,000 IN CONFIRMED GIFTS SECURED. REQUEST UNDER CONSIDERATION, MEANING THEY HAVE NOT MADE A CONFIRMATION BUT HAVE NOT SAID NO, IS $315,000. PRIORITY ASK IN THE NEXT 90 DAYS, WHICH IS MORE LIKE THE NEXT 60, IS $2 MILLION. THOSE PRIORITY ASKS ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE OUTLINED , WE HAVE A STRATEGY FOR, WE HAVE A PLAN, AND PLAN TO ASK FOR A SPECIFIC AMOUNT. OUR BENCHMARK IS $3.5 MILLION BY AUGUST 31st AND WE ARE ON TRACK FOR THAT. SO, WE WILL JUST BE WORKING VERY HARD ON MAKING SURE THAT WE MEET THAT BENCHMARK GOAL. RIGHT NOW, OUR PLANNED ACTIVITIES, WE HAVE A CAMPAIGN CABINET MEETING REGULARLY AND THEY HAVE GREAT LEADERSHIP. OF COURSE, WE HAVE RACHEL, AND WE HAVE CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIRS AND WE ARE ALSO RECRUITING AN ENGAGING HONORARY CHAIRS. WE JUST LEARNED THAT JOE AND MATTIE GUENTHER WILL BE SERVING AS HONORARY CHAIRS AND WE HOPE TO SECURE ANOTHER COUPLE AS WELL FOR MORE VISIBILITY AND MORE EXCITEMENT. AS WE MOVE ALONG, OUR PLANNED ACTIVITIES IN THE NEXT 90 DAYS, IS REFINING AND IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES EVERY TIME YOU MAKE A MOVE AND ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS, OR CORPORATIONS, WE HAVE REFINED OUR STRATEGY FURTHER AND WE WILL JUST KEEP MOVING TOWARD THAT. CULTIVATION EVENTS, TO ENGAGE PROSPECTIVE DONORS TO CREATE INTEREST AND IDENTIFY POTENTIAL PROSPECTS, WE HAVE A COUPLE MORE PLANNED BETWEEN NOW AND EARLY FALL. WE ARE SENDING OUT A CAMPAIGN NEWSLETTER AND WE WILL BE ANNOUNCING THE GIFTS THAT WE HAVE SECURED AND THOSE ARE JUST TO CREATE SOME INTEREST AND INSPIRE OTHER PEOPLE. >> WE WILL ALSO DEVELOP NAMING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ALLOW US TO CELEBRATE AND GET PEOPLE EXCITED. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CELEBRATE. WE'VE GOT TWO OF THE ROOMS NAMED ALREADY, ONE BY THE FOUNDATION BOARD AND THE OTHER WAS A DONOR THAT WE LOOKED AT THAT HAS NAMED THE FOOD PANTRY AND WE ARE CELEBRATING THAT GIFT, AS WELL. >> FANTASTIC. >> THAT'S OUR REPORT, UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER. >> THE CONTRACT WAS ORIGINALLY FOR THREE YEARS WE BE ASKING FOR? WILL WHAT , WILL WE BE ASKING ABOUT WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH AND PRESERVE OUR CITY RESOURCES? >> SURE. ONE THING THAT MAY BE HELPFUL IS THE GIFTS CHART THAT WE HAVE FOR THIS CAMPAIGN , AT THE TOP, IT WILL BE 85% OF OUR GOAL WITH UNDER 20 GIFTS. BETWEEN US AND THE CAMPAIGN LEADERSHIP AND THE TEAM, WE ARE WORKING ON SECURING THOSE. INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS, AND CORPORATIONS , BUT THAT IS OUR MAIN FOCUS. I THINK THAT QUESTION TO US WOULD BE, HAVE YOU MET YOUR BENCHMARK GOAL OF $2.5 MILLION AT THE END OF AUGUST? >> THAT'S 2.5 YEARS INTO YOUR CONTRACT. THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TOLD. >> YES, WE ARE ABOUT 1.5 YEARS IN. I THINK YOU WILL SEE THAT IF WE STAY ON THE BENCHMARK GOALS THAT'S A QUESTION FOR YOU AND THAT SHOULD BE A YES OR NO ANSWER FROM US. HAVE YOU MET OR EXCEEDED YOUR BENCHMARK? >> SO DO YOU PLAN ON HAVING THAT RAISED BY THE END OF THREE YEARS? >> YES. >> ANYTHING THAT OUR SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR WOULD LIKE TO ADD? THANKS FOR THE REPORT. ALL RIGHT. OUR SECOND PRESENTATION THIS EVENING, INGRID GREENBERG IS HERE. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL , CITY MANAGER. BRINGING UP TWO OF OUR PRODUCTION TEAM MEMBERS, MARK JOHNSON. I JUST WANT TO TO SHARE WHAT WE DID FOR GOLF POINT ON THE EDGE. WE HAD THREE EVENTS. CAN YOU HELP ME OUT? OKAY. GREAT. SO, BASICALLY, THIS IS SORT OF AN EXECUTIVE SURVEY, TELLING YOU WHAT HAPPENED , WHERE IT MIGHT GO, AND WHAT IS NEXT. WE HAD A WONDERFUL PRODUCTION TEAM. WE WILL BE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS OF WHAT, WHERE, WHO, HOW, AND WHY THAT HAPPENED WITH GULFPORT ON THE EDGE. LET'S START WITH WHY WE ARE MAKING THIS PRESENTATION. SO, AS YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2021, WE CAME TO YOU SUGGESTING REALLY GOOD THING . WE WOULD HAVE TWO YEARS OF THE PANDEMIC, LOTS OF CHANGES GOING ON, A LOT OF DISRUPTION, AND THIS WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD TIME TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO REALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING NOT ONLY IN GULFPORT, BUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN . AFTER MONTHS OF PLANNING , RECRUITING, AND COORDINATE AND, WITH THIS TEAM, AND OTHERS WATCHING FROM AFAR, BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS ARE SNOWBIRDS, WE PRODUCED THREE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION EVENTS RESULTING IN THE EXCHANGE OF USEFUL INFORMATION THROUGH CONNECTIONS, NEW ENERGY, LOTS OF CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL IDEAS. SO WHY GULFPORT ON THE EDGE? THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD NEWS, HERE. MUCH OF THIS THAT I WILL BE TELLING YOU , BECAUSE YOU ARE CITY COUNSELORS, CITY LEADERS, IT WON'T BE NEW TO YOU. THERE MAY BE SOME SURPRISES AND SOME OPPORTUNITIES I WOULD ASK THE CITY CLERK TO PASS OUT LITTLE FEEDBACK FORMS, SO IF YOU WANT TO PUT SOME COMMENTS DOWN, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT IT IS THAT STRIKES YOU IS SOMETHING YOU LIKED OR ANY SURPRISES OR ANYTHING THAT COMES OF THAT. THAT WOULD BE GREAT, OR WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU AT THE END. SO, WHAT DID WE DO? WELL, WE BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER AND WE HAD INCLUSIVE , INTERESTING, SAFE CONVERSATIONS AND WE DOCUMENTED THIS INFORMATION AND WE COLLECTED SOME DATA AND PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THAT WAS ALSO GATHERING STRATEGIC QUESTIONS PEOPLE HAD. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO MEET NEIGHBORS AND KINDRED SPIRITS . ABOUT 100 PEOPLE SHOWED UP TO EACH EVENT AND THEY ALSO GOT TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH COMMUNITY AND SERVICE CLUBS BECAUSE WE INVITED THEM TO PARTICIPATE AS WELL. IN THE COURSE OF ALL OF THIS, THEY ALSO IDENTIFIED A LOT OF RESOURCES FOR RESILIENCY. WE HAD THREE EVENTS, THE FIRST IN NOVEMBER , THE SECOND IN JANUARY, AND THE THIRD IN APRIL. THE PURPOSE OF THESE CONVERSATIONS WAS TO , IT REALLY GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE COMMUNITY AND BUILD ON EACH OTHER WITH EACH EVENT , WITH THIS STRATEGIC FOCUS AND THEY FOLLOW, AS YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR, WITH THE FORMAT OF EARLY STAGES. SO WHO WAS INVOLVED? WE HAD AN AMAZING GROUP OF 30 VOLUNTEERS AND MOST OF THEM CAME FROM SAINT PETE'S, SOME FROM MASSACHUSETTS, AND NORTH CAROLINA TO HELP OUT. AS YOU KNOW, THE COUNSELOR SPONSORED THIS AND THROUGH THAT WE GOT THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY, WHICH WAS AMAZING, TREMENDOUS HELP FROM CITY STAFF. WE DID HAVE THE COMMUNITY AND SERVICE GROUPS AND IT WAS ATTENDED BY BUSINESS OWNERS AND CIVIC LEADERS, LOTS OF RESIDENCE . SO WHAT DID WE DO? THE FIRST THING TO DO WAS TO FIND COMMON GROUND AND OF COURSE, WHEN YOU ARE ON A JOURNEY, IT ALWAYS HELPS TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE AT THE BEGINNING. THAT IS WHAT WE DID. WE FOCUSED , THE FORMAT WAS BASIC , BASIC SPOT ANALYSIS WHERE DIFFERENT TABLES FOCUS ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF CURRENT STRENGTHS AND CURRENT PROBLEMS. IT'S FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS. WHAT WAS REALLY REMARKABLE ABOUT THAT WAS THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER AND WE FOUND SO MUCH COMMONALITY . THERE IS A LOT OF ENERGY THAT CAME OUT OF THIS. THE SECOND EVENT , WE LOOKED AT TRENDS AND FORCES THAT ARE IMPACTING THE REGION AND SPECIFICALLY, OUR TOWN. FOR THIS CONVERSATION IT WAS REALLY , A LOT OF US ARE SAILORS, IT HELPS TO KNOW WHAT THE WEATHER IS GOING TO BE LIKE WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO GO OUT. JUST AS A SAILOR WOULD WANT TO KNOW THE WEATHER BEFORE LEAVING PORT, IT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE WINDS OF CHANGE AND WHAT IS GOING TO IMPACT THE JOURNEY TO THE FUTURE. SO, THE CONVERSATION WAS VERY INTERESTING AND IT TOOK PEOPLE UP 30,000 FEET TO LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE AND COLLECTIVELY, WE REALLY GATHERED A LOT OF INFORMATION. PEOPLE WERE FULL OF INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH EACH OTHER ABOUT WHAT THEY KNEW ABOUT DIFFERENT SECTORS. TO CHOOSE THE SECTOR THEY HAD SOME INTEREST AND INFORMATION ON. AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE VERY ENGAGED AND AS YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING TRENDS UP TO ANTICIPATE, PREPARE, AND NAVIGATE THIS LANDSCAPE. THESE COME FROM HELPING PEOPLE RECOGNIZE HOW INTERTWINED ALL THE SECTORS ARE AND THIS BECAME APPARENT WHEN PEOPLE WERE REPORTING OUT JUST HOW INTERTWINED AND CONNECTED ALL OF THE WORK WAS. THE FINAL EVENT, TO THE YEAR 2030, WHICH IS JUST SEVEN YEARS AWAY. TO LOOK AT REALLY WHAT ARE SOME OF THE POSSIBILITIES FOR GULFPORT. WHAT THEY DID WAS AFTER GOING OUT TO 2030, CAME BACK AND SHARED STORIES FROM THE FUTURE, WHICH WERE REALLY ENGAGING AND FROM THERE, WE GATHERED A LOT OF INFORMATION. I WILL ASK MARK TO SHARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT. YOU WILL SEE SOME OF THE VISION BOARDS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS, AS WELL, AS WE WORKED TOGETHER IN THIS. >> DO I JUST HIT THIS? OKAY. I AM MARK JOHNSON AND I PARTICIPATE IN ALL THE SECTIONS AND I AM GOING TO VERY BRIEFLY SUMMARIZE THE KEY THINGS FOR OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES AND THE FIRST SLIDE IS ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT RESILIENCY. PEOPLE SHARED THAT GULFPORT HAS A UNIQUE SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND IT'S A PLACE WHERE NEIGHBORS GREET EACH OTHER. IT'S A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE APPRECIATE THE DIVERSE COLLECTION OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, AND THAT RUNS TO THE COMMUNITY. IT'S WHERE YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT AND BE INSPIRED BY THE MANY ACTIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE. PEOPLE FORESEE WHERE NEWCOMERS COULD QUICKLY LEARN ABOUT THAT GULFPORT HAS AND FORESEE WHERE PEOPLE COULD EASILY LEARN ABOUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET PERSONALLY INVOLVED. THEY SEE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND EFFORTS TO COMMUNICATE POWERFULLY ABOUT CURRENT ISSUES AND THE PROGRESS WE ARE MAKING. BRIEFLY, SOME OF THE THOUGHTS AROUND LEADERSHIP , WHICH ARE KEY IN TERMS OF FULFILLING THE LEADER VISION. THERE'S THE AGREEMENT THAT RESIDENCE AND CITY CLERKS ALL PLAY A ROLE IN OUR FUTURE . THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY WITH STRONG UNDERSTANDING ABOUT ISSUES OF THE CITY, AND HOW CITIZENS CAN HELP. IT'S ALSO A PLACE WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN COLLABORATE TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC CHALLENGES. IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE RESIDENTS CAN BUILD ON THE COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND LASTLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE CONVENIENT ACCESS TO REGISTERING. THREE MORE SPECIFIC AREAS, IN REGARDS TO CLIMATE AND NATURE. VERY STRONG SENTIMENTS ABOUT RESIDENTS LOVING THE TROPICAL, NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND OUR WATERFRONT, PROTECTING AND ENHANCING IT. THERE'S AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF AND THE VULNERABILITIES WE FACE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND RISING SEA LEVELS, AND FEELINGS OF URGENCY AROUND TAKING ACTION. THERE'S A DESIRE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS RELATED TO FLOODING , AND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT ALL RESIDENTS KNOW ABOUT THE VULNERABILITIES THAT LIE AHEAD TO TAKE ACTION AND BE ABLE TO HELP WHEN EMERGENCIES ARISE. OUR FOURTH AREA IS ABOUT HOUSING AND SPECIFICALLY, CHARACTER, ACCESSIBILITY, AND DIVERSITY OF HOUSING . IT'S A VERY DIVERSE COLLECTION OF STUDIES . PEOPLE SEE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THINGS , LIKE INVESTIGATING , MAKING AXIS FOR HOUSING EASIER , TO ALLOW MULTI FAMILY BUILDINGS, INCLUDING LOWRISE, MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENTS, CLEANING UP RUNDOWN PROPERTIES, TO EXPLORE ENCOURAGING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PROVIDING ASSISTANCE AND LASTLY, ENCOURAGING REGULATED SHORT-TERM RENTALS WILL ALSO ASSURING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THERE'S A LOT OF PASSION ON THESE ISSUES THAT WE EXPRESSED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS. THEN, NOT SURPRISINGLY, ARTS AND CULTURE. THERE'S A STRONG SENTIMENT ABOUT THE UNIQUE ARTS AND CULTURES IN GULFPORT. THIS IDENTITY IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT SETS GULFPORT ASIDE FROM ANY SMALLER AND LARGER COMMUNITIES. SO IN THE SPIRITS OF ARTS AND CULTURE, WE HAVE A POEM THAT EVOKES SOME OF THE UNIQUE ARTISTIC CHARACTER AND GOES , " BANDSTAND'S POETRY SLAMS, THE MULTIPLICITY OF MUSIC, FESTIVALS OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, IN GULFPORT. A UNIQUE FUSION. MURALS THAT PLEASE THE HEART AND MIND AS THE CITY SINGS , AND PETER IN THE PARK FOR DANCING INTO THE DARK. SOME OF THE UNIQUE CULTURAL ASPECTS OF THE TOWN." I WILL TURN IT OVER TO KELLY WHO WILL BE SHARING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. >> THANK YOU. >> OKAY. >> YOU CAN COUNT ON DAVE. >> HELLO, EVERYONE, NICE TO SEE YOU. SO FAR, WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD SOME OF THE IDEAS BROUGHT TO LIFE BY OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ON OUR SCREEN, WE WILL SEE SNAPSHOTS OF OUR FELLOW GULF PORTIONS WHO BUILT THIS VISION. WHILE THEY CONTINUE TO BUILD, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO EXPERIENCE IT. LET'S GO ON A GUIDED JOURNEY TO IMMERSE OURSELVES IN THE YEAR 2030, BEFORE WE BEGIN, LET ME SAY THAT A FULL GUIDED MEDITATION THROUGH OUR TOWN WOULD TAKE HOURS. THIS WILL JUST BE A FEW SHORT MINUTES , LEAVING A LOT OF ROOM FOR POSSIBILITY. IF YOU HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A GUIDED JOURNEY, NO WORRIES. JUST INTEND TO LISTEN, IF YOU CAN, AND IF YOUR MIND WANDERS, THAT'S OKAY, TOO. IF IT'S COMFORTABLE, I INVITE YOU TO MAYBE CLOSE YOUR EYES AND TAKE A DEEP BREATH. WELCOME TO THE YEAR 2030. IMAGINE YOURSELF PREPARING TO MEANDER THROUGH GULFPORT. YOU CAN BE ON IN E-BIKE OR GOLF CART OR HOVER CARD HOVER BOARD FOR THIS JOURNEY. LET'S BEGIN ON 49th STREET. THE TRAIL. YOU FEEL SAFE AND COMFORTABLE WRITING HERE BECAUSE THERE IS A DEDICATED LANE WITH PLANTERS BETWEEN YOU AND CAR TRAFFIC. THE BRIGHTLY COLORED BUSINESSES AND LARGE TREES CREATE A BEAUTIFUL BACKDROP FOR YOUR RIDE. AS YOU NEAR TANGERINE PARK , YOU HEAR THE FAMILIAR SOUND OF WATER SPLASHING. YOU ROUND THE CORNER TO SEE THE SPLASH PLAID IN ITS GLORY WITH CHILDREN IT'S A BREEZY DAY . YOU KILL A LIGHT MIST ACROSS YOUR FACE AS YOU CRUISE BY, CONTINUING YOUR JOURNEY PAST TOMLINSON, DOWN 58th. FEEL THE SLIGHT VIBRATION UNDER YOUR TIRES FROM THE RECYCLED WOOD PARK CONNECTOR TRAIL. YOU KNOW IT WAS CHOSEN FOR AN ECO-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE SO YOU DON'T MIND A FEW BUMPS. YOU ARRIVE ON GULFPORT BOULEVARD AND NOTICE THE VIBRANT PERFORMANCE ARTS MURAL AT GATEWAY PLAZA. YOU TURN ON TO CLIMBER TRAIL AND KEEP GOING. CLIMBER PARK WELCOMES YOU WITH THE EARTHY AROMA OF THE EXPANDED FOOD FOREST. VOLUNTEERS TEND TO THE PLANS AND TAKE A MOMENT TO WAIVE AS YOU PASS BY. THE SCENT OF FRESHLY COMPOSTED SOIL REMINDS YOU TO BRING YOUR COMPOST BACK LATER TODAY FOR THE CITY PROGRAM. YOU CONTINUE DOWN THE PATH PAST THE TOOL LIBRARY, MUSIC , AND ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND. AS HE PASSED THE SENIOR MULTIPURPOSE COMPLEX AND STORYTIME HAS JUST ENDED AND THERE ARE DOZENS OF FAMILIES WITH SMALL CHILDREN MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE PARK. ONE HALF OF THE ROAD IS FULL OF PEDESTRIANS, BIKES, AND SCOOTERS, AND YOU CAN BARELY REMEMBER A TIME WHEN PARKING AND CAR TRAFFIC WAS AN ISSUE. DOWNTOWN GULFPORT HAS BECOME A BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY DESTINATION WITH CHARGING STATIONS AND ACCESSIBLE TRAILS. YOU SMILE TO YOURSELF AS YOU PASS THE CORNER STORE AND MAKE A NOTE OF THE FRESH PARTIES THEY HAVE TODAY. PAUSING FOR A BREAK AT A DOWNTOWN RESTAURANT YOU SETTLE IN THE SHADE AND FEEL THE TEXTURE OF THE CHAIR BENEATH YOU AND THE COOLNESS OF THE TABLE SURFACE. THE AIR IS FILLED WITH SOUNDS OF LIVE MUSIC, CLINKING GLASSES AND THE RUSTLING OF PAGES AS PEOPLE READ "THE GATHER." YOU FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING AND CONNECTION TO THE COMMUNITY AROUND YOU. YOU ARE HAPPY TO SEE TABLES FULL OF DIVERSE, MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILIES AND FRIENDS ALL FEELING AT HOME, HERE. YOU OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION BETWEEN TWO LOCALS. "IT'S SO ODD TO THINK THERE WAS A TIME WE DIDN'T HAVE SOLAR PANELS, TRAILS, AND CHARGING STATIONS." THE OTHER SAYS "YEAH, I THINK IT STARTED AFTER THE GULFPORT ON THE EDGE EVENT. WITH THE STRUCTURE IN PLACE PEOPLE CONTINUE TO STEP UP EVEN MORE THAN THEY HAD AND NOW WE ARE HERE." YOU LEAVE THE RESTAURANT AND WALKED DOWN THE BEACH, PASSED A LOCAL WORKSHOP LED BY ONE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS ABOUT LIVING. THEY SHOWCASE MARINE LIFE, SHOREBIRDS, OCEAN DOMES. THE KIDS ARE INTERRUPTING WITH QUESTIONS AND YOU CONTINUE WALKING , FEELING THE SAND BENEATH YOUR FEET. YOU PASS THE BUZZING PLAYGROUND AND ARE STRUCK BY HOW MUCH FUN EVERYONE IS HAVING. IT IS STARTING TO GET DARK AND NO ONE SEEMS TO NOTICE. MAYBE IT'S THE SMART STREETLIGHTS, THE PROACTIVE COMMUNITY PROGRAM, OR THE COLLABORATION WE HAVE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WHATEVER IT AND PEACE , MAKING YOUR WAY UP 58th STREET, YOU WALK PAST THE CO-WORKING SPACE YOU BEEN WANTING TO TRY. GULFPORT HAS ADAPTED TO THE NEEDS OF ITS WORKFORCE AND YOU APPRECIATE THE PROGRESS IT HAS MADE TO SUPPORT BOTH SERVICE JOBS AND REMOTE WORKERS. AS YOU RETURN HOME, NOTICE FEELING A DEEP SENSE OF GRATITUDE FOR GULFPORT'S REMARKABLE PROGRESS. YOU ARE PROBABLY BECOME A MODEL FOR MANY OTHER CITIES IN FLORIDA AND ALTHOUGH WE'VE COME SO FAR, IT FEELS VERY FAMILIAR IN MANY WAYS, THE CHARM, THE FRIENDLINESS, AND FUNKINESS, HAVE NOT BEEN LOST. AS OUR JOURNEY COMES TO AN END, CARRY THIS EXPERIENCE WITH YOU. IF YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES, OPEN THEM AND RETURN AND REALLY JUST ALLOW THIS VISION TO INSPIRE YOUR ACTIONS, CULTIVATE MINDFULNESS, AND APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY WE HAVE ALL AROUND. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN. >> SINCE YOU COULDN'T ACTUALLY BE THERE WITH US, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS WAS A TOWNHALL, WE REALLY DID WANT TO GIVE YOU THE EXPERIENCE . THANK YOU. A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS FELT AND WE GOT A GOOD SENSE OF WHO WAS THERE AND THE RANGE OF AGES , FROM YOUNGEST TO OTHER FOLKS. ULTIMATELY, WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES? THE MOST IMMEDIATE WERE THAT WE GOT TO DOCUMENT A LOT OF WHAT PEOPLE WERE THINKING AND SAYING AND WHAT THEY APPRECIATED ABOUT GULFPORT, WHICH AGAIN, THIS WAS WONDERFUL, PARTICULARLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE RELATIVELY NEW TO GULFPORT TO HAVE A CHANCE TO HEAR STORIES FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME. YES, WE HAD CONCERNS BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE PEOPLE A LOT OF INFORMATION THEY DID NOT HAVE AND WE LEARNED FROM OTHER CITIES BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE COME FROM OTHER PLACES. BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE SURFACING A LOT OF CONCERNS OR IDEAS , THIS GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THEY CAN ACCESS INFORMATION , THE SERVICES THEY NEEDED , AND TAKE IT FROM THERE. WE ALSO IDENTIFIED A LOT OF INNOVATIVE IDEAS, RECURRING THEMES AND LINKAGES FROM THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS , GOING FORWARD. I THINK THE MOST MEANINGFUL THING WAS THAT PEOPLE GOT TO MEET THEIR NEIGHBORS AND LEARN ABOUT EACH OTHER. THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND PEOPLE THAT SHARED THEIR CONCERNS AND INTERESTS. SO, WHAT'S THE IMPACT? IT'S JUST A FEW MONTHS OUT BUT ALREADY, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE RAISED, AND ALSO ABLE TO CORRECT MISINFORMATION THAT SOME PEOPLE WERE OPERATING UNDER. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE AND IT'S REALLY GOOD TO DIRECT THEM TO ACCURATE INFORMATION. WE PROTOTYPED AN INTERACTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE KIND OF FORMAT THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM MOST TOWN HALLS , SOMETHING TO CONSIDER IN THE FUTURE AS A WAY TO CROWD SOURCE INFORMATION FROM RESIDENTS AND TO GET THEM MORE ENGAGED IN THE CITY, BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY HAD A LOT THAT WAS COMING OUT OF THAT AND A LOT OF DESIRE FOR PEOPLE TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN SERVICE GROUPS OR IN THE CITY ITSELF. IT WAS GREAT HAVING AS MANY CIVIC AND SERVICE GROUPS PARTICIPATE IN THIS AND IN OUR FINAL LAST EVENT, WE HAD 17 DIFFERENT GROUPS TO LEARN ABOUT AND HOPEFULLY GET INVOLVED WITH. ALREADY, WE HAVE REVIVED THE WELCOME TO GULFPORT EVENT AND A FEW OF THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY ORGANIZED A BLOCK PARTY AND GOT THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY, THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL EVENT AND GOT A LOT OF FOLKS INVOLVED. I JUST RECENTLY HEARD FROM ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS AND THE PRODUCTION TEAM MEMBERS THAT THEY ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY , THEY HAVE ADOPTED THE TANGERINE GREENWAY AND ARE CLEANING THAT UP AND REALLY ARE MONITORING THAT . I HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE PARTNERSHIPS THEY CAN DO WITH THE CITY. THE NEXT ACTIONS REALLY, WE HAVE PROJECTS PLANNING AND LEADERSHIP RESOURCES THAT WE CAN MAKE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO THINGS. WE HAVE THE SUMMARIES AND STATS AVAILABLE AND YOU WILL BE GETTING THAT PACKET WITH MORE DETAILS OF THIS HIGH-LEVEL REPORT . WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, WITH WHATEVER REACTIONS YOU HAVE IN WRITING OR IN COMMENTS AT THE END OF THIS, WHAT YOU LIKED, WHAT YOU ARE CURIOUS ABOUT, WHAT SURPRISE YOU, I THINK THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL AS THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE ROOM THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ANY REACTIONS YOU HAVE. ULTIMATELY, THE MESSAGE TO OUR CITIZENS IS THAT THIS IS REALLY UP TO YOU. WE HAVE A BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE, SO HOW DO WE DO THIS TOGETHER? IT'S REALLY ABOUT TAKING THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED AND ASK WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AND HOPEFULLY, THEY WILL BE CONTACTING YOU WITH REPRESENTATIVES AND AS THE LIAISON TO THE CITY TO BRING THEIR IDEAS TO YOU. THIS IS TO EVERYONE . THE FUTURE IS IN OUR HANDS. I'M LEAVING YOU WITH A QUESTION, WHAT'S NEXT? >> I DO HAVE A QUESTION , WAS THERE CONSENSUS ON ANY SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION? >> WE WERE NOT DOING THAT. WE WERE REALLY CROWDSOURCING INFORMATION SO IT WASN'T, THERE WASN'T ANYTHING THAT WAS LIKE OH, WE SHOULD ALL DO THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF DIVERSITY OF IDEAS . >> OKAY. >> WHAT WAS SO GREAT WAS THAT PEOPLE COULD HAVE A SAFE CONVERSATION AND WE WERE NOT ABOUT BRINGING SOMETHING TO THE CITY, SAYING YOU SHOULD DO THAT, YOU GET ENOUGH OF THAT. THIS IS REALLY ABOUT ENGAGING PEOPLE SO THAT THEY FELT, OKAY, IF I WANT TO DO SOMETHING, WHERE DO I GO, HOW DO I APPROACH THE CITY? >> OKAY. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> I SEE THE AREA CODES UP THERE, RIGHT THERE. I WAS WONDERING, MR. JOHNSON, HOW DID YOU BECOME INVOLVED? >> YOU CAN COME UP. THAT'S OKAY. >> I AM A FRIEND OF INGRID'S AND I'VE LIVED IN GULFPORT FOR ABOUT A YEAR , AND I APPRECIATED HOW UNIQUE GULFPORT IS AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THE POTENTIAL THAT IS HERE. I COFOUNDED THE SATURDAY MARKET AND I SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BRING COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN A POWERFUL WAY. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL. >> YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. >> THAT IS VERY AFFIRMING . >> YOU CLEARLY PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO IT. >> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. >> WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR. >> PUBLIC COMMENT, FOR ANYTHING THAT IS NOT OTHERWISE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT. LET'S GO WITH JoANNE . YOU CAN GIVE THE ADDRESS SO THAT WE CAN ANSWER AND THEN COME ON UP. GO RIGHT AHEAD. >> I LIVE AT 5143 27th AVENUE. MY WIFE, EMMA, AND I, WERE DELIGHTED TO BE PART OF THAT EVENT AND WE DID MAKE THE BLOCK PARTY HAPPEN. THANK YOU TO THE CITY . WE BROUGHT THE PETITION AND THEY SAID WELL, YOU WANT TO BLOCK OFF STREETS? WE SAID YES, WE WANTED TO BE SAFE. IT WAS SUCCESSFUL AND MY FAVORITE MEMORY IS THE CHILDREN WHO WERE PLAYING IN THE STREETS AND RIDING BIKES . SOME PEOPLE POLLED A SPLASH POOL OUT, SOME NEIGHBORS PLAYED MUSIC . ONE BAND, CALLED THE WANDERING HOURS, WERE DANCING AND IT WAS A GOOD TIME. THAT WAS REALLY ENCOURAGING AND IT WAS REALLY BECAUSE WE FELT SAFE TO BRING OUT THIS IDEA AND YOU MADE IT HAPPEN, SO IT WAS A GREAT SYNERGY. THANK YOU BID >> FANTASTIC. >> YES? >> THAT EVENING. 5213 WRIGHT AVENUE SOUTH. I AM ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION FOR THE FLORIDA RIGHT TO CLEAN WATER AND SEND SOME INFORMATION. I WOULD LIKE TO PLEASE READ THIS BRIEFLY , WHEREAS GULFPORT IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAD A COMPELLING INTEREST SAFE DRINKING WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICES, TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND WELFARE OF ITS RESIDENTS, WHERE AS INDIVIDUALS, WE HAVE BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE ALSO HAVE SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST IN THE HEALTH AND VITALITY OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS IN GULFPORT , INCLUDING WATERS SAFE FOR FISHING, SWIMMING , AND FOR NATIVE FISH AND WILDLIFE , WHEREAS A RIGHT TO CLEAN WATER CREATES ACTION THAT ALLOWS PERSONS AND STATE EXECUTIVE AGENCIES TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY HARM TO FLORIDA WATERS , WITH GOVERNMENT ACTION OR INACTION. AN ENFORCEABLE RIGHT TO CLEAN WATER TO PROMOTE A HEALTHY SEPARATION OF POWERS , TO GUARD RIGHTS, LIBERTIES, INTERESTS, AND IMPORTANT LINES OF CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY , IMPLEMENTING PRINCIPLES OF GOOD STEWARDSHIP IN OUR LEGAL SYSTEM AND CREATE A PUBLIC TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN THE STATE MANAGEMENT OF OUR WATERS. THEREFORE RESOLVING THAT GULFPORT, FLORIDA SUPPORTS GREATER GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AND PROTECTION FOR THE CREATION, IMPLEMENTATION, AND ENFORCEMENT OF CLEAN AND HEALTHY WATERS. AGAIN, FURTHER RESOLVED THAT GULFPORT WILL CONSIDER THE ENACTMENT OF SUCH MEASURES SUCH AS THAT FOR THE RIGHT TO CLEAN AND HEALTHY WATERS AND THE RESOLVE THAT GULFPORT URGES GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AT ALL LEVELS TO SUPPORT THE RIGHT TO CLEAN WATER AND INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE WE SERVE. I WOULD LIKE TO PASS THIS TO YOU AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CONSIDER THIS AT YOUR NEXT MEETING. THIS TIES IN DIRECTLY WITH THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE WE HEARD FROM IN OUR LAST PRESENTATION . THANK YOU BID >> THANK YOU. >> I WAS GOING TO BRING THAT UP UNDER NEW BUSINESS. THANK YOU. WHO IS NEXT? IN THE BACK? HOW ARE YOU? WELCOME BACK. >> SORRY, IT'S BEEN A MINUTE. I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE GULFPORT CHAMBER AT 11th AVENUE SOUTH . I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING. IN MAY, WE HAD OUR SECOND MORNING MEETING FOR MEMBERS AND FOCUSED ON HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A SECOND TO THANK MR. O'REILLY , JUSTIN SHAY, TOM NICHOLS, CHI FERNANDEZ, AND JIM WRIGHT WHO ATTENDED AND GAVE OUT INFORMATION WITH NEW BUSINESS OWNERS, PEOPLE NEED TO GULFPORT WHO MIGHT NOT KNOW THE DRILL SO WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE OUT A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION AND PASS IT ON TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS. WE ALSO HOSTED THE VERY FIRST SUPER MINGLE IN JUNE WHICH BROUGHT SIX LOCAL CHAMBERS TOGETHER AND 325 PEOPLE CAME TO THE CASINO THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE FROM ALL OVER . THERE'S THE WOMAN'S CHAMBER, TREASURE ISLAND MADEIRA BEACH, FROM ALL OVER, HOPING TO MAKE THAT AN ANNUAL EVENT EVERY YEAR. IT WAS NICE TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND AMP UP A LITTLE BIT. SOME UPCOMING EVENTS WE HAVE, TO REMIND EVERYONE, TICKETS FOR THE GECKO BALL AND GOT GO BAR CRAWL GO ON SALE JULY 4th EMMA KEEPING THAT TRADITION STRONG. IT LOOKS PHENOMENAL AND WE ARE REALLY EXCITED WITH OUR NEW EVENT COORDINATOR, EVERYTHING IS WORKING SMOOTHLY , WHICH IS FUN, AND THE FIRST ART WALK IN JULY ON THE SEVENTH IS THE BODY BEAUTIFUL ART WALK. WE WANT TO CELEBRATE EVERYBODY SO IT'S REALLY EXCITING. WE DO FUNKY THINGS. WE HAVE AN AUCTION AND YEAH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. YES? HOW ARE YOU? >> I'M ON NINTH AVENUE SOUTH AND IN MY 2030 VISION OF GULFPORT, THAT IS THE GULFPORT DISTRICT ON THE NORTH SIDE AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL THERE FOR THE VISION AS WELL AND I JUST WANT TO START BY THANKING AND ACKNOWLEDGING APRIL AND INGRID FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK THAT THEY DID TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. IT WAS SUCH A GIFT TO GULFPORT AND TO THE COMMUNITY TO CREATE THAT SPACE FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. I APPROACH THIS HAVING LIVED FIRST IN SAINT PETE AND ALSO IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WHERE I HAD THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS, OTHER WAYS TO GATHER BEYOND JUST SITTING AND LISTENING TO PEOPLE SPEAK FROM THE DAIS. CREATING THE SPACES FOR RESIDENTS TO CONNECT AND MEET EACH OTHER AND FURTHER THEIR SENSE OF CIVIC PRIDE AND CIVIC INVOLVEMENT WAS AGAIN, A GIFT. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY THAT I WANT TO MAKE KNOWN IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY STRUCK ME , THAT I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO KNOW, AND THAT I WOULD WANT TO KNOW, IS THERE WAS A WIDE ARRAY OF CONVERSATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS AND THINGS THAT WERE COMMENTED ON THAT LAST NIGHT IN THE 2030 VISION ON ENVISIONING, WHEN EACH GROUP GOT UP TO PRESENT, WHETHER THEY WERE THE TOPIC OF TRANSPORTATION, RESILIENCE, ENVIRONMENT, OR HEALTH, EVERY SINGLE PRESENTATION, INCLUDED THE GULFPORT FOOD FOREST AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THEIR VISION AND THEIR CONNECTION AND THEIR IDENTITY FOR THIS CITY. I HOPE I NEVER SEE IT ON THE AGENDA . WE HAVE A STEWARD TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH POTENTIAL THERE AND THAT IS THE THING THAT CONSISTENTLY THAT WE IDENTIFY WITH. >> THAT'S GREAT. THAT'S ACTUALLY WHY WE HIRED A HORTICULTURIST. THAT'S WHY JENNIFER DOES THAT SHE DOES. YES. THANKS TO ALL OF THE OTHER FOLKS WHO VOLUNTEER. >> HELLO, LAUREN STERN. THAT IS MY DAUGHTER, SHE IS ASLEEP, THAT'S WHY I WAS LATE. IT WAS COOL TO SEE HER UP THERE, AND I WANTED TO SAY YES, WE WENT TO THE THIRD ONE, IT WAS FANTASTIC. I'M SO GRATEFUL WE GOT TO GO AND I AM JUST REALLY EXCITED ABOUT FUTURE EVENTS LIKE THAT FOR CITIES AND STAFF TOGETHER TO DISCUSS THESE IDEAS AND MEET EACH OTHER. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT I USED THE BATHROOM TODAY AT CHASE PARK AND THAT WAS THE SOFTEST TOILET PAPER I'VE EVER USED IN A PUBLIC FACILITY. SERIOUSLY. I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHOEVER BUDGETED AND SHOWS THAT BECAUSE USUALLY WHEN YOU ARE IN A PUBLIC LOCATION, IT'S NOT LIKE THAT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. YES? >> 2701 56 STREET . I CAN'T BELIEVE THE UNBELIEVABLE WORK IN THE PRESENTATION . I MOVED TO GULFPORT FOUR YEARS AGO AND IN MY WILDEST DREAMS, IF I HAD THOUGHT A HUMAN BEING WOULD HAVE AS MUCH FUN AS I'M HAVING AN GULFPORT NOW, I CAN'T IMAGINE IT. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. >> [ MUSIC ] >> [ APPLAUSE ] >> VERY NICE. >> I LIVE ON TOWN SHORES. THIS IS A PBS SPECIAL. ABOUT SMALL TOWNS, IN FLORIDA, FLORIDA MAN, ALL THE STORIES. I WOULD LOVE TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL, THE MAYOR, AND ALL OF YOU WHO MAKE GULFPORT PRIDE SUCH A SUCCESS. THANK YOU. THE OTHER THING IS, IF YOU CAN'T SMILE AFTER THAT SONG, CHECK YOUR PULSE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? >> I LIVE IN TOWN SHORES, ALSO. I VIEWED YOU ONLINE IN VIRGINIA AND I APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN GIVING ME THE POSITION AND ZONING. I TRY TO DO MY BEST. MY REAL PURPOSE IN COMING IS TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW, THAT THERE, AND THE PRESENTATION WAS REMARKABLE , I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU TOP THAT LAST GUY, BUT I'M GOING TO INVITE HIM TO THIS EVENT THURSDAY NIGHT , AT THE LIONS CLUB . OUR INITIATIVE , A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE DON'T HAVE FOOD, THERE IS NO PREREQUISITE TO GIVE FOOD SO IF YOU KNOW SOMEBODY WHO NEEDS FOOD, GET IN LINE. I SEE MERCEDES, I SEE NICE CARS IN LINE, BUT THEY ARE GETTING IT. CAR FOR THREE FAMILIES. IF YOU WANT TO COME HELP, BE THERE AT 3:30. WE WILL HAVE CRATES FROM STORES. WE'VE GOT A BIG REFRIGERATED TRUCK , IF YOU WANT TO HELP THE LIONS CLUB AND HELP PEOPLE, HELP YOUR NEIGHBORS, 30 AND THE LINE OPENS UP 4:30 AND GOES UNTIL 6:00. IF YOU LIKE DOING IT, YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO IT AT THE LIONS CLUB TWO. WE DO A LOT OF THINGS. THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE INITIATIVES. WE'VE GOT THAT ON OUR CALENDAR FOR NEXT YEAR, AS WELL. WE HOPE YOU CAN COME OUT AND JOIN US AND ADD SOME JOY TO THAT EVENT. THAT WAS GREAT. >> CAN KIDS VOLUNTEER? >> FOR VOLUNTEERS? THIS IS WHERE WE TAKING AND UNLOAD CANNED GOODS, WE'VE GOT BIG CRATES OF BANANAS , THEY CAN COME ALONG IF YOU WANT TO BRING THEM, BUT I WOULD SAY 18 THE VOLUNTEER IS PROBABLY BETTER. >> THANKS. >> THEY WILL LINE UP . PEOPLE GET THROUGH. HOPE YOU CAN COME OUT HELP US OUT. >> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? YES? >> HELLO. I HATE TO BRING YOU ALL BACK DOWN TO THE GROUND, ITEM NINE ON THE AGENDA , I ASSUME SINCE PUBLIC COMMENT? I'M GOING TO MAKE MY PUBLIC COMMENT NOW. >> CAN I COMMENT NOW? IT TIES IN. >> I'LL DO IT NOW SINCE WE HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE. WE HAD GREAT CROWDSOURCING AND INFORMATION AND COMMUNITY INPUT. I SEE IN THE BUDGET YOU HAVE $80,000. FOR A MARINA PLAN. I'M HOPING THAT'S NOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MONEY SPENT ON THE MARINA PLAN SOMETIME BEFORE AND WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO IS THROW A BIG COMMUNITY SOURCE CROWDSOURCING, OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT LAST PLAN, NOBODY I TALKED TO IN THE MARINA DISTRICT IS IN THE LEAST BIT INTERESTED. LET'S DO A GULFPORT ON THE EDGE STYLE COMMUNITY PLAN OF WHAT THEY WANT IN THE MARINA AND WHILE WE ARE ABOUT IT, MAYBE WE CAN THROW IN THE 30,000 THAT SOMEHOW YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING WITH , AND THE ONLY STUFF I'VE HEARD IS THAT SOMEBODY WANTS TO TAKE OUT ALL THE TREES AND PUT IN GRASS AND THERE'S NO WAY ANY OF US WANT GRASS, ANYMORE GRASS AND WE DON'T WANT TO GET RID OF TREES AND WE DON'T WANT TO GET RID OF THE HILL. LET'S THROW ALL THAT TOGETHER. HUNDRED AND 10,000 AND WE CAN HAVE A GREAT COMMUNITY EVENT, CROWDSOURCING, YOU COULD EVEN CATER IT FOR US. I'M SURE YOU'LL GET THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, THE MARINA DISTRICT AND THE REST OF THE CITY OUT TO JOIN IN AND TELL YOU PIT >> I AM SURE THEY WILL ALL AGREE ON THAT ONE SOLUTION. THANK YOU. YES? >> THE MOST ENTERTAINING CITY COUNCIL MEETING I'VE EVER BEEN TO. THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO DO WAS ADDRESS MEMORIAL DAY . I AM JUST SO AMAZED THAT LIVING IN SUCH A SMALL, PATRIOTIC CITY , WITH THE DEDICATED VETERANS PARK , THAT WE HAVE NO FORMAL CEREMONY FOR MEMORIAL DAY. I HOPE THAT THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN , NOT ANOTHER SINGLE YEAR, IF IT'S A MATTER THAT NEEDS TO BE LED BY THE RESIDENCE, PLEASE TELL US THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A SHAME FOR ALL OF OUR VETERANS WHO GAVE THEIR LIFE FOR US TO HAVE OUR FREEDOM THAT WE DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THEM IN THE CITY. THAT'S NUMBER ONE. TWO, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS. I'M GLAD THIS WAS FINALLY SIGNED AND I HOPE IT NEVER TAKES YEARS AGAIN. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS COMPLICATED AND I ALSO WANTED TO SAY TO MAYOR SAM THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING THE SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT . I WAS VIEWING AND LISTENING TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS AND TURNED OFF BY THE SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT I HAVE ALSO HEARD BY SOME, NOT BY ALL. THE NEXT THING I WANTED TO MAKE MENTION OF IS THAT I FEEL LIKE GULFPORT IS A VERY SMALL, GIVING, CARING COMMUNITY , AS EVIDENCED BY MANY OF THE FUNDRAISERS WE'VE HAD RECENTLY . I ALSO AM AWARE THAT MANY, MANY PEOPLE IN GULFPORT ARE IN GREAT NEED MOSTLY DUE TO HEALTH REASONS. I FEEL LIKE THE CITY , AND I WILL RUN OUT OF TIME FOR SAYING THIS, BUT I THINK THE CITY OPENED A CAN OF WORMS BY AGREEING TO CLOSE THE DOWNTOWN CITY STREETS FOR A FUNDRAISER FOR ONE PERSON WHEN WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN NEED AND I JUST FEEL LIKE IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DO IT FOR ALL, IS IT FAIR TO DO IT FOR ONE? I QUESTION NOT AND I FEEL LIKE I SENSE SOME ENTITLEMENT IN THAT TO THAT WE WOULD DO THAT FOR ONE EVENT. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT EVEN WHEN WE HAD THE FINE ARTS FESTIVAL WHICH BRINGS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE OVER TWO DAYS THAT CITY STREETS DON'T CLOSE, SO I QUESTION THAT RECONSIDER IN THE FUTURE AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, SHORT-TERM RENTALS , I TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME AND I WON'T REITERATE WHY I'M SO OPPOSED TO THE LEAGUE ILLEGAL ONES. I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A YEAR TO PLEASE TELL ME HOW WE ARE SUPPOSED TO, HOW WE REPORT ILLEGAL SHORT-TERM RENTALS. I STILL DON'T FEEL LIKE I'VE EVER BEEN TOLD THAT AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE TOLD THAT. I THINK ALL OF THESE FOLKS THAT HAVE COME UP HERE RECENTLY COMPLAINING AND ANGRY THAT YOU WOULD EVEN DARE TO CONSIDER ENFORCING ORDINANCES ON THE BOOKS NEED TO BE REMINDED THAT ANY BUSINESS PLAN THAT INCLUDES INTENTIONALLY DISOBEYING AND NOT FOLLOWING AN ORDINANCE IS A POOR BUSINESS PLAN AND SAYING THEY DIDN'T KNOW IS MERELY AN EXCUSE. >> ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? YES? >> OTHER ISSUES, BUT ONE THING THAT STRUCK ME ABOUT TODAY IS THIS IS OUR HOMETOWN AND WE DO ALL CARE ABOUT OUR HOMETOWN. WE HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS , A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS. I'M REMINDED OF WHAT SOME OF YOU WHO ARE STILL ON THE DAIS DID MAYBE EIGHT, 10 YEARS AGO, I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHEN IT HAPPENED , THE VISION ABOUT THE WATERFRONT AND YOU DID THAT TRANSFORMATION ON THE WATERFRONT. THAT WAS THE KIND OF EXCITEMENT THAT DROVE GULFPORT AND LIFTED IT UP TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL AND WHAT HAPPENED AT GULFPORT ON THE EDGE HAS A POTENTIAL TO DO THAT SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO LOOK AT THE INFORMATION , THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE DETAIL , AND THERE ARE SOME REALLY GREAT IDEAS THAT WE CAN LOOK TO THE FUTURE WITH CHANGES THAT ARE COMING AND CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE, BUT WE WILL RISE AND MEET THOSE CHALLENGES WITH A SENSE OF LOVE IN OUR HEART FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO KEEP GULFPORT WEIRD, TO KEEP GULFPORT LOVING , TO KEEP GULFPORT FULL OF MUSIC , FULL OF HAPPY PEOPLE, TO CONTINUE TO TRANSFORM OUR CITY IN WAYS THAT ARE MAKING US A MODEL , AND INSPIRATIONAL MODEL. I'VE HEARD IT SAID THAT DOWNTOWN SAINT PETE IS THE NEW MIAMI. WITH ALL OF THE SKYSCRAPERS GOING UP, IT'S A NEW MIAMI. IT'S A NEW MIAMI. SO, IT MIGHT BECOME A NEW MIAMI. THERE'S A HUGE BUNCH OF CONDOS RISING ON OUR HORIZON, DAY, MORE SPECIAL, MORE SET APART. SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, YOU HAVE MIAMI AND THEN YOU HAVE COCONUT GROVE. COCONUT GROVE HAS THAT VIBE, THAT COOL AREA , THAT SPECIALNESS. IT COMES FROM THE LOVE THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE IN THAT AREA, THE LOCATION. WHEN I LOOK OUT ON THE BAY AND SEE THE SAILBOATS ANCHORED OUT THERE , LATE IN THE EVENING , I AM INSPIRED. TO KEEP GULFPORT THAT UNIQUE, SPECIAL PLACE, IN CONTRAST TO WHAT MAY BE COMING IN SAINT PETE. LET'S JOIN TOGETHER WITH OUR DIFFERENT VIEWS AND STAND TOGETHER IN LOVE. THANK YOU. >> ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? ANY OTHER HANDS? OKAY. SEEING NINE, CITY MANAGER REPORT? >> YES, I WOULD LIKE TO BRIEF YOU ON THE STATUS OF OUR SHORT-TERM RENTAL ENFORCEMENT GRANT . WE'VE BEEN UTILIZING THIS SOFTWARE AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND THEN TURNED TO STAFF. >> WE ARE HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. THANK YOU BID >> GOOD EVENING. WE ARE BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND . WE HAVE YET ANOTHER DISCUSSION, SO I AM SURE YOU ARE ALL JUST RIVETED ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEATS TO HEAR WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY. WHAT WE ARE NOT SAYING, THIS SHORT PRESENTATION , WE WILL KEEP IT AS SHORT AS WE CAN TO FOCUS ON PROCEDURES THAT WE USE , AND TRYING TO IMPLEMENT THE POLICY WITH GIVEN STAFF ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS. THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE ARE DOING. WHAT WE ARE NOT DOING IS FOCUSING ON HOW THIS ACTUALLY WORKS . YOU WILL SEE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, BUT WE DON'T HONESTLY KNOW HOW IT WORKS, BUT THE MANAGER DOES. WE WILL KEEP IT AT THAT AND I AM NOT GOING TO STEAL STAFF THUNDER. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF. WE HAVE OUR CHIEF INSPECTOR AND OUR NEWEST MEMBER OF THE TEAM. WITH THAT, I WILL GIVE IT OVER TO THEM AND THEY CAN TELL YOU. >> HOW ARE YOU? >> HOPEFULLY TONIGHT WE WILL DISPEL SOME RUMORS WE'VE BEEN HEARING. THIS IS OUR SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE. WE WANT TO SAY PUBLICLY RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE NEVER BEEN INSTRUCTED NOT TO ENFORCE AN ORDINANCE, NEVER. OKAY? WHAT WE'VE HAD IS A DIFFICULT TIME DOING IT IN THE PAST. THANKS TO THE NEW SOFTWARE PATCH YOU'VE AUTHORIZED, IT'S MADE IT MUCH EASIER, OKAY? WE ARE OPERATING WITH A COMPLAINT DRIVEN SYSTEM AS WE BEEN INSTRUCTED BY CITY COUNCIL. HERE IS OUR ZONING MAP FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS , WITH THE HASHMARKS, PERMITTED USE PROCESS AND THESE ARE CONDITIONAL USE AREAS. IT'S A VERY SMALL AREA WHERE THEY ARE PERMITTED IN THE CITY AND EVERYWHERE ELSE, THEY ARE ILLEGAL. OUR PROCESS , AGAIN, IS COMPLETE. IF SOMEONE CALLS AND COMPLAINS, NAME AND THEIR ADDRESS AND WHAT THE NATURE OF THE COMPLAINT IS. AT THAT POINT, WHAT WE DO, LIKE ANY OTHER WORK CENTER, WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE OUR WORKLOAD. WE CAN'T GIVE EVERYTHING A PRIORITY. WE ARE GETTING ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT CALLS. WE GET CALLS FOR PEOPLE OUT OF STATE COMPLAINING ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN GULFPORT, WE GET PEOPLE IN GULFPORT THAT ARE JUST RIPPING DOWN THE AIRBNB WEBSITE AND TRYING TO MAKE 12 COMPLAINTS AT ONCE WHEN THEY DON'T LIVE ANYWHERE NEAR THEM. WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE OUR WORKLOAD. PRIORITY ONE IS A GULFPORT RESIDENT COMPLAINING ABOUT A SHORT-TERM RENTAL THAT IS CAUSING THEM SOME KIND OF INTERFERENCE AT HOME, A NUISANCE . THEY ALWAYS GET PRIORITY. AS WE GO TO INVESTIGATE OUR PRIORITY ONES , WE LOOK AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS A WHOLE, LIKE WE DO WITH ANY OTHER CODE ENFORCEMENT. IF WE GET ONE, WE LOOK AT THEM ALL. WE WRITE THEM ALL, TO BE FAIR. THOSE GET PRIORITY. EVERYTHING ELSE IS PRIORITY THREE. PEOPLE FROM OUT OF STATE, SOUR APPLES REPORTING 10 OR 15 , THEY ARE PRIORITY THREE. WE WILL TAKE THEIR COMPLAINT , BUT WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE WORKLOAD AND WE ARE GETTING THE MOST JUICE. WE FEEL WE ARE OPERATING WITHIN THE SPIRIT OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TO DO BY COUNCIL. AS WE GO TO OUR MAGISTRATE HEARINGS, WE WILL SEND SOMEONE A NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND GIVE THEM A COMPLAINT. AT THAT COMPLIANCE DATE, IF THEY WANT THAT FOR A SHORT-TERM ONE MORE TIME , THEY WILL GET MAGISTRATE. THEY WILL GO TO A MAGISTRATE HEARING. WHEN WE GO TO THE MAGISTRATE HEARING, HE WILL FIND THEM IN VIOLATION OR NOT BASED ON THE EVIDENCE WE PRESENT. HE WILL GIVE THEM A COMPLIANCE IS THAT IT WILL BE IMMEDIATE AS THEY COME IN WITH OVERWHELMING PROOF OF WHAT'S GOING ON BUT IT'S UP TO THE MAGISTRATE. HE COULD SAY ONE WEEK FROM NOW, TWO, WHATEVER. IF IT GETS RENTED ONE MORE TIME AFTER THE MAGISTRATE GIVES HIS COMPLIANCE, FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, THEY ARE IN VIOLATION WITH THE MAGISTRATE'S ORDER. AT THAT POINT, THEY WILL DRAW A $250 A DAY FINE UNTIL THEY ARE BACK IN COMPLIANCE. OKAY? >> FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN 30 DAYS? >> ABSOLUTELY. AGAIN, THIS STARTS JANUARY 1st THAT WE ARE GOING TO MONITOR IT AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, MAKE SURE THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY SAY. HEATHER WILL HIT YOU WITH SOME REAL STATISTICS OF WHAT HAS COME WITH THE PROGRAM SO FAR AND IT'S REALLY ENCOURAGING , WHAT WE ARE SEEING SO FAR, OKAY? THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AT. I WILL TURN IT OVER TO HEATHER. >> GOOD EVENING. ALL RIGHT. I WILL JUST GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE RESOURCES WE HAVE WHENEVER WE RECEIVE A COMPLAINT , SO BEFORE I START , I WILL GIVE YOU THE STATUS OF WHERE WE ARE AT WITH COMPLAINTS. AS OF TODAY, WE DO HAVE 17 , SIX HAVE RECEIVED THEIR VIOLATIONS, AND I CAN SAY THAT ALL X HAVE COMPLIED. VERY ENCOURAGING. WE DO HAVE FOUR THAT ARE AWAITING COMPLIANCE DATES AND SEVEN IN THE PROCESS. THIS IS THE OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE USE AND I JUST WANT TO GO AHEAD AND KNOCK OUT THESE BOTTOM NUMBERS IN THE BOTTOM LEFT-HAND CORNER . THEY LOOK REALLY HIGH, BUT LET ME EXPLAIN NOT REALLY QUICKLY BEFORE I GO ON. THOSE NUMBERS ARE COMBINED. IF I HAVE A PROPERTY THAT LISTS ON 10 WEBSITES , IT'S INCLUDED . THEY COULD LIST ON HUNDREDS OF WEBSITES OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS. >> IT CAN SHOW UP SEVEN TIMES? >> ABSOLUTELY. THERE ARE HUNDREDS , OVER 100 WEBSITES IT CAN PULL THROUGH. THAT BEING SAID, THE SOURCES WE USE , THIS IS THE MAP FOR GULFPORT AS WELL AS THIS ADDRESS DASHBOARD. ONCE WE GO INTO THE ADDRESS DASHBOARD WE RECEIVE THE COMPLAINT DRIVEN SHORT-TERM AND WE WILL PUT THE PROPERTY ADDRESS IN THERE. IF IT COMES UP AS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL, IT WILL GIVE US THE INFORMATION WE NEED AND IF IT DOESN'T, IT'S NOT THERE. IS NOT CONSIDERED A SHORT-TERM RENTAL. LET ME GO OVER HERE. THIS IS THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVE . BASICALLY THIS IS THE OVERVIEW . THIS GIVES US THE PROPERTY ADDRESS, THE OWNERS, AND SO FORTH. LET ME GO DOWN TO THIS NEXT ONE. THAT GIVES YOU THE FULL VIEW. WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS THAT TIMELINE OF ACTIVITY. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO SEE HOW MANY TIMES THEY HAVE BOOKED THIS PROPERTY. OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS A FAIR EXAMPLE , JUST FOR THE PRIVACY OF THE HOMEOWNER. YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS PROPERTY IS IN VIOLATION OF SHORT-TERM RENTAL . KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU ARE ONLY ALLOWED THREE AND LESS THAN 30 DAYS , ALL RIGHT? >> IF YOU ARE OUT OF THE GENERAL AREA. >> RIGHT. WE DO HAVE THAT, THE PERMANENT ZONED AREAS. THAT'S NOT INCLUDED. ONCE YOU ARE FOUND IN VIOLATION OF SHORT-TERM RENTAL, WE SEND OUT THE VIOLATION NOTICE COMPLIANCE DATE AND A COPY OF THE CITY ORDINANCE AND THE ZONING MAP SO THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THEY STAND. FROM THAT POINT, ONCE IT REACHES COMPLIANCE DATE, WE WILL SEE IF THEY HAVE COMPLIED , MAY BE REACHED OUT TO US, EVEN, AND SO FORTH. GOING FORWARD , ANY OPEN , LET'S GO WITH THE ONES THAT HAVE COMPLIED, THEY WILL BE MONITORED FOR THE REST OF THAT TIME ALL THE WAY TO THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVEN'T RENTED IT LESS THAN 30 DAYS. OVERALL, IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL . >> THIS TOOL HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL FOR US. IT'S DOING WHAT WE COULDN'T BEFORE WHERE WE HAD TO RELY ON CITIZENS TO DO THIS FOR US AND UNDERSTANDABLY, THEY WERE HESITANT ABOUT BEING THE WITNESS AND HAVING TO GATHER THE INFORMATION BECAUSE WE JUST SIMPLY COULD NOT DO IT. THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN TRIED , IF LEGALLY DEFENDABLE. THEY WILL PROMISE THEY WILL DEFEND IT. WE ARE NOT HESITANT IN THIS AT ALL, IT HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD. ALL OF OUR INFORMATION IS RIGHT ON, WHEN HEATHER STARTS TALKING, THEY ADMIT OVER THE PHONE. THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. THEY KNOW THAT THEY ARE WRONG. IF ANYBODY HAS ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS, WE CAN ANSWER THEM, FIRE AWAY. >> I GUESS THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST BASIC QUESTIONS THAT WE HEAR , SO IF IT IS A NUISANCE ISSUE , IF YOU ARE CALLING THE POLICE, THAT'S NOT AUTOMATICALLY WHO THEY SHOULD BE CALLING, IT'S CODE ENFORCEMENT? IF IT'S NUISANCE, IT WILL BE POLICE, CORRECT? >> I'M SURE THE CHIEF DIES, TOO. IF IT'S 10:00, 11:00 AT NIGHT, THAT THE POLICE ISSUE AND THE NEED TO CALL THE POLICE OFFICERS AND THEN CALL US. FOLLOW-UP WITH A PHONE CALL TO US, LEAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, AND WE WILL PURSUE. >> IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT THE IF THEY HAVE A SITUATION AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING, WHATEVER, CAN THEY ANNOUNCE TO THE PD , THAT THIS IS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL ? >> THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR THE POLICE. WE ARE SET TO ALL OF THAT. ANYTHING WE GET AN INVESTIGATION IS HELPFUL INFORMATION BUT WE WOULD NEVER KNOW UNLESS IT WAS GIVEN TO US. >> UNDER THAT SCENARIO, IF THEY THE POLICE, CAN THE POLICE COMPLAIN? >> IF THE POLICE CALL US , ABSOLUTELY. WE ALWAYS STAND BY, READY TO ASSIST. >> AND WHAT'S THE TIME LIMIT? YOU WRITE TO THEM, WHAT IS YOUR COMPLIANCE DATE , HOW LONG DO YOU GIVE PEOPLE? >> I ASSUME PEOPLE CAN COMPLAIN EVEN IF IT HASN'T BEEN A NUISANCE. >> OF COURSE. IT WILL DEPEND ON THE PRIORITY LEVEL , YOU KNOW? >> I GUESS THIS IS THE EASIEST QUESTION I HAVE , HAS THIS MADE THIS EASIER, >> ABSOLUTELY, WITHOUT A DOUBT. IT TAKES A LOT OF THE LABOR OUT OF IT AND IT TAKES THE WORK . AS A 26 YEAR POLICE OFFICER, I HATED TELLING A CITIZEN THAT YOU NEED TO GIVE ME ALL THIS BEFORE I COULD TAKE IT TO A MAGISTRATE, IT IRKED ME. IT WAS JUST IMPOSSIBLE, IT REALLY WAS. UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE. THIS ALLOWS US TO DO IT. TECHNOLOGY HAS GOT TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS PRETTY AMAZING. >> AND THAT'S THE END OF THE STORY. >> THAT'S THE END OF IT. ULTIMATELY THAT'S OUR GOAL, COMPLIANCE. NOT HAMMERING PEOPLE, NOT FINDING THEM, OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS COMPLIANCE. IF YOU HAVE TO GIVE THEM A FINE, OKAY, BUT IF THEY COMPLY ON THEIR OWN, THAT'S GREAT. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> A LOT OF THE ONES THAT HEATHER HAS MARKED IN COMPLIANCE HAVE GOT YEAR-LONG. >> LET ME JUST CLARIFY, SO ALL SOMEONE HAS TO DO IS CALL AND EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT THERE, LEAVE A MESSAGE AND SAY THEY ARE JANE DOE AND LIVE HERE, AND THEY ARE CALLING ABOUT WHATEVER THE ADDRESSES, AND THEN DO YOU GET BACK TO THEM? >> THEY HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR NAME AND ADDRESS AND IF THEY LEAVE THEIR PHONE NUMBER AND SAY, COULD YOU GIVE ME A CALL, WE WILL CALL THEM BACK, ABSOLUTELY. >> AND YOU EVER CALL THEM TO LET YOU KNOW THAT DAVE --OKAY SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO CALL YOU BACK. >> RIGHT, BUT THEY WILL KNOW. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, IT'S GOING TO STOP. >> I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION BECAUSE WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME GOING OVER THIS, WAS IT EASY TO USE? >> YES. >> I AM OLD SCHOOL . I KNEW HEATHER WOULD CATCH IT RIGHT AWAY. IT WAS EASY FOR ME. IF IT WAS EASY FOR ME, IT'S GOOD. VERY USER-FRIENDLY. >> COULD REITERATE, THAT WAS THE DIRECTION COUNCIL GAVE US TO GET COMPLIANCE, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I HEARD , WHICH WE HAVE CONVEYED TO STAFF. THE IDEA IS HAVING THESE THINGS MOVE IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS SO THEY ARE NOW GOING OUT IN MORE THAN THE GOAL WAS COMPLIANCE , TO GET COMPLIANCE. >> IF WE CAN RESTORE PEACE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD , MAYBE THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS IN BEFORE, AND RELEASE CALLS, IT'S ALL GOOD AND IT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> ANYTHING ELSE FOR YOUR REPORT? >> NO, SIR, THANK YOU BID >> CITY CLICK? >> I HAVE TWO QUICK ITEMS. FIRST IS A REMINDER THAT OUR NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING FALLS ON THE HOLIDAY, JULY 4th AND I WANTED TO CONFIRM FOR THE RECORD THAT WE ARE CANCELING THAT MEETING. THE SECOND ITEM IS THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES ANNUAL CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD IN ORLANDO, AUGUST 10th THROUGH THE 12th THIS YEAR. COUNCIL IS BEING ASKED TO DELEGATE THE OFFICIALS ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE AS A VOTING DELEGATE FOR THE ANNUAL BUSINESS SECTION HELD SATURDAY AUGUST 12th . IF YOU COULD GIVE ME A DELEGATE THIS EVENING. >> IT'S THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL. >> I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT. >> MAYBE INCLUDING THE VICE MAYOR, FIRST. >> IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO -- >> I WILL JUST BE COMING BACK. >> YOU CAN WORK THAT OUT AMONG YOURSELVES. >> OKAY, GREAT. >> THANK YOU. >> WAS NOT ALL? >> YES. >> GREAT. THAT BRINGS US TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> CONSENT AGENDA 5A, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MEANING MEETING MINUTES APRIL 1823 THREE M.A. SECOND 2023. >> SECONDED. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR ? CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND BRINGS US TO ORDINANCES WHERE WE WILL TAKE A 10 MINUTE RECESS AND BE BACK FOR THE RESOLUTION AND TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET. [ THE EVENT IS ON A RECESS. CAPTIONER ON STANDBY. ] >> [ CAPTIONER STANDING BY ] >> WE WILL JUMP BACK IN. AGENDA ITEMS SIX, WITH ORDINANCE 23-05. >> A SECOND READING WITH THE CITY OF GULFPORT FLORIDA AMENDING CHAPTER 15 PENSIONS , ARTICLE FIVE, POLICE OFFICERS TRUST FUND DIVISION I, OF THE COURT OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF GULFPORT AMENDING SECTION 15 DASH 55 CONTRIBUTIONS, 15 DASH 56 BENEFIT AMOUNT INELIGIBILITY, 15-58 DISABILITY PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION, SEVERABILITY OF PROVISIONS, REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HERE WITH AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> CAN WE GET EMOTION? >> MOTION TO ACCEPT ? >> SECOND. >> SECOND READING? >> IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? >> NO. >> I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THE MEMORANDUM . >> THIS IS THEIR CONTRIBUTION. COUNCIL, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WE WILL CALL A VOTE. >> CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. THAT WILL BRING US TO 2023-06. >> THE SECOND READING, AND ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GULFPORT AMENDING CHAPTER 15 PENSIONS AND ARTICLE FOUR, FIREFIGHTERS RETIREMENT PENSION FUND OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES WITH THE CITY OF GULFPORT AMENDING 15-36 BENEFIT AMOUNT INELIGIBILITY PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION, SEVERABILITY , REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HERE WITH. >> WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> WE HAVE FIRST AND SECOND. ANYTHING TO ADD? PUBLIC COMMENT? SECOND READING. COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, LET'S CALL A VOTE. >> CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. DO WE HAVE A SEPARATE RESOLUTION WITH 2023? >> A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF GULFPORT, FLORIDA AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT FOR A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE SOLUTION PROVIDING FOR AN ASSOCIATED BUDGET AMENDMENT AND PROVIDING FOR EFFECTIVE DATE. >> WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> SECOND. >> CITY MANAGER? >> I WILL DEFER IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. >> ALL RIGHT. >> IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS LET ME KNOW. BASICALLY, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH INTERGRAPH FOR A WHILE AND IT WILL BE COST PROHIBITIVE PRETTY SOON TO USE IT AND WE DID HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH TYLER ABOUT IT AND THEY ARE PRETTY MUCH FITTING THIS TO LARGER MUNICIPALITIES, AND ALSO, WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS HOUSED INTERNALLY ON OUR NETWORK AND IF WE WERE TO MOVE INTO THE CLOUD , IT WOULD BE EVEN MORE COST PROHIBITIVE. IT'S EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE , AND BSN A DOES HAVE PACKAGE SOFTWARE WHERE IF WE WANTED TO MOVE ANY OTHER PIECE , WITH PAYROLL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT OVER TO ANOTHER SOFTWARE, WE COULD, BUT IT IS MORE OF A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE FROM THE GET-GO AND I BELIEVE , AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IT IS A SOFTWARE THAT WAS BUILT ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND BUILT EVERYTHING ELSE AROUND IT SO THEY KNOW THEIR BUSINESS AND WE DID LOOK AT OTHER SOFTWARE PACKAGES BUT THIS ONE SEEMS TO BE THE MOST COMFORTABLE FOR STAFF . DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? >> PRETTY MUCH WHAT HE SAID. IT IS THE PROGRAM WE HAVE NOW THAT HAS GOTTEN THROUGH THESE DIFFICULTIES WITH SERVICE AND IT'S GETTING MORE COSTLY. IT WAS DIET DESIGNED INITIALLY AS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE SO THAT IS WHAT THEY FOCUSED ON MOSTLY MOST FOCUSED ON PUTTING TOGETHER THE FINANCE COMPONENT AND ADDING EVERYTHING ELSE. THIS ONE DOES THE BUILDING OFFICIAL , SO HE IS FAMILIAR WITH IT . >> IT WILL GIVE US THE PORTAL AND IT WILL GIVE IT TO US QUICKER THAN IF WE GOT INTO THE VENDOR WE ARE USING. >> FANTASTIC. >> I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE , AND THE FORM APPLICATION. THESE WILL BE ATTACHMENTS AND THAT IS A BIG PLUS. >> THAT IS DUE TO THE PLANNED REVIEWS AND WE ARE WORKING ON IT, RIGHT NOW WITH SOFTWARE FOR SIGNATURES BUT THE STATES , MOVING THIS DIRECTION , WE ARE MEETING IT WITH A BAND-AID APPROACH. >> WHAT'S THE TURNAROUND? >> THEY SAID NINE MONTHS. WE ARE PRETTY GOOD. THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD TIME FRAME . IT MAY EVEN BE LESS THAN THAT BECAUSE WE ARE ONLY GOING WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AT FIRST, AND THEY GAVE US NINE MONTHS TO 12 MONTHS FOR MOVING EVERYTHING. THE GOOD NEWS IS , I GUESS IT'S BAD NEWS FOR INTER-GOVERNMENT THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF MIGRATIONS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. THEY ARE NO STRANGER TO THAT MIGRATION AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, LIKE WITH THE LAST SOFTWARE PACKAGE, JUST GETTING AN ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE AND A MANAGER TO MANAGE THAT. BASED ON WHAT WE ARE GOING FOR, I DID ASK FOR A TIMELINE OF DELIVERABLES TO RECEIVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT AS WELL SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THINGS SHOULD BE. >> WILL THEY BE ABLE TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON THIS? >> YES. >> AND THAT WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE FINANCE PEOPLE? >> IT DOESN'T COMMUNICATE IN THAT WAY. THERE IS NO API THAT MOVES IT OVER, BUT THEY WILL COMMUNICATE LIKE THEY DO NOW BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FULLY INTEGRATE WITH THE SAME SOFTWARE COMPANY. >> BUT THIS COMPANY, DO THEY HAVE FINANCE? SO WE COULD, AT SOME POINT, HAVE IT ALL INTEGRATED IF WE DECIDE TO REFINANCE. >> IF OTHER DEPARTMENTS DECIDE. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? ANY OTHER COUNCIL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? >> I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE ARE MOVING INTO THE MODERN ERA. >> ANYTHING THAT WILL MAKE IT FASTER . >> ALL RIGHT. LET'S CALL A VOTE. >> CARRIES TO PASSAGE UNANIMOUSLY BRINGING US TO RESOLUTION 2023-43, >> A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO PURCHASE ANGERS TECHNOLOGY UK JEEP BASED TIME AND ATTENDANCE THEIR SH I INTERNATIONAL DIVIDING FOR AN ASSOCIATED BUDGET AMENDMENT AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> EXCEPT, 2023. >> FIRST AND SECOND >> CITY MANAGER? MAC I WILL DEFER. >> ALL RIGHT. >> ONE THING I WILL SAY ABOUT THIS PACKAGE IS WE DID , WE ARE GOING THROUGH SH I BECAUSE WE GET THE BEST PRICING POSSIBLE. ANGERS TECHNOLOGY IS THE COMPANY THAT WILL BE PERFORMING ALL OF THE WORK . THE PACKAGE IS ACTUALLY CROW KNOWS . IT'S NOT JUST THE INDUSTRY STANDARD, IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE GOLD STANDARD FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN. SHANNON CAN TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH SHE HAS DONE RESEARCH ON THESE BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THE SOFTWARE COMPANIES SHE'S LOOKED AT, SHE'S PRETTY MUCH CROSSED ALL THE TEES AND DOTTED ALL OF THE EYES ON WHAT SHE NEEDS , BUT DID YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING , BECAUSE WE WILL BE GETTING NEW TIME . RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO DO AN ACTUAL PUNCH. YOU WILL HAVE IT ALL DILIGENCE DIGITAL. THE GREAT THING IS IT DOES INTEGRATE WITH ENCODE NOW AND IT DOES INTEGRATE DS AND A AND ANY SOFTWARE PACKAGE AND THEY'VE ARTIE SAID AND WE MOVED TO SOMETHING LATER, THEY WILL MIGRATE THAT FOR FREE AND IT'S IN THE CONTRACT. THEY HAVE A MUCH FASTER PROCESS AND TIME AND I THINK THEY SAID SOMETHING LIKE SIX OR SOMETHING AND THAT'S REALLY FAST. FIVE OR SIX MONTHS IS A FAST TURNAROUND AND THEY DONE SO MUCH OF THIS THAT IT'S NO PROBLEM. I KNOW YOU WERE REALLY ANTICIPATING THIS. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> I ASSUME THIS WILL SAVE A LOT OF TIME . >> WE SCAN AND PUT THEM ON AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET. >> GREAT. >> SO IT'S LIKE A COMPUTER, OUTSIDE , HAVING TO CHECK IN. IS THAT HOW THEY DO IT? >> WE CAN DO THAT NUMBER AND THEY CAN REQUEST TIME OFF, VACATION TIME READ TO PAY AND YOU WILL WORK THAT ALL OUT. >> IT'S A GAME CHANGER FOR WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING. >> WHAT TOOK SO LONG? >> IT'S EXPENSIVE. >> CHANGE IS HARD. >> I KNOW. >> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE, ANY OTHER COUNCIL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WE WILL CALL A VOTE. >> THIS BRINGS US 2023-44. >> A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF GULFPORT, FLORIDA AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR THE MULTIPURPOSE SENIOR CENTER GRANT AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. MOTION? >> I WILL MAKE A MOTION. >> SECOND. >> CITY MANAGER? >> THIS IS THE ACTUAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE FUNDING THAT WAS PLACED IN THE FEDERAL APPROPRIATION WHEN THE CONGRESSMAN WAS IN OFFICE. IT LAYS OUT SOME VERY BROAD BUDGET AND THIS IS WHAT HAS BEEN ENTERED INTO THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD . RACHEL AND TOM ARE HERE IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS . THIS IS A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE CITY , TOWARD THE PROJECT. >> ABSOLUTELY. PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? >> THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR, THIS IS FOR PLEA PLANNING? IT'S NOT FOR ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION? >> THIS IS ALL THE SOFT COST TO THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES , IDEALLY , YOU WILL HAVE A SET OF PLANS. >> ALL RIGHT. >> MAY THAT MONEY BE USED FOR THE CONTRACT VENDOR ? FOR THE FUNDING? >> NO , IT CAN'T. THIS IS STRICTLY FOR YOUR PROJECT. >> GOT YOU. >> SO THE MONEY THAT THEY ARE COLLECTING IS FOR THIS PROJECT. >> THIS IS EARMARKED FOR THIS , THE SOFT COST SECEDED WITH IT AND THE IDEA TO USE THEIR FUND FOR IT. >> ALL RIGHT. CALL TO VOTE. CARRIES TO PASS, BRINGING US TO 23 3-45. >> A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF GULFPORT, FLORIDA AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A SCOPE OF SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH HARVARD JOLLY PD K FOR ENGINEERING, DESIGN, PERMITTING, AND CONSTRUCTION MONITORING SERVICES FOR THE MULTIPURPOSE SENIOR CENTER PROJECT, PROVIDING FOR AN ASSOCIATED BUDGET AMENDMENT AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> WE ACCEPT. 2023-45. >> FIRST IN A SECOND. >> I AM GOING TO ASK TOM AND RACHEL AND DAVID TO COME UP AND THEY CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS A FEDERAL APPROPRIATION AND A VERY STRICT PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND YOU ALSO SEE THE ASSOCIATED BUDGET AMENDMENT IS RECOGNIZING THE FUNDING WITH APPROVED ACCEPTANCE ON THE PREVIOUS RESOLUTION. >> OKAY. >> GOOD EVENING. AS JIM POINTED OUT, WE COULD NOT USE OUR EXISTING CONSULTANTS THAT BECAUSE OF THE COST OF THE PROJECT, SO WE DID PUT OUT FOR QUALIFICATIONS IN APRIL AND RECEIVED TWO PROPOSALS, DAVID, MYSELF, AND FRED METCALF AS REVIEW BOARD RANKED TO THOSE PROPOSALS. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO INTERPRET , NOT TO EXCEED THE AMOUNT SET WITH HIM TO NEGOTIATE THE DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS IN THAT CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATION. >> ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS ? >> ARE THERE OTHER THINGS BESIDES THE 16 THINGS THEY LISTED WHEN THEY GOT THE MONEY? THESE COULD BE COVERED BY WHAT WAS MENTIONED BEFORE. >> THERE COULD BE SOFT COST . NO CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS ARE ANYTHING THAT COULD BE UNDONE , AND OFF WITH IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, WE CAN'T SPEND ANYTHING UNTIL WE GET THE ASSESSMENT AND GET IT APPROVED. THERE'S A LOT OF HOOPS TO GO THROUGH. >> IF THESE THINGS THE COST IS MUCH AS WE EXPECTED, RIGHT? >> TO DO ANYTHING THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THE INITIAL SCOPE. >> OKAY. >> THAT WAS FUN. WE HAVE $1.5 MILLION AND IN FIVE MINUTES WE LOST IT. >> WELL, THEY'VE BEEN AROUND A WHILE. >> THEY DID THE INITIAL SCOPE AND STUFF AND WE BASICALLY STARTED FROM SCRATCH TO INPUT SESSIONS AND PRESENTATIONS TO COUNCIL TO TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS. >> DO THEY HAVE A WORKSHOP FOR THE SENIOR CENTER ? BE MULTIPLE. >> IT'S REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN. >> YES. WE WILL HAVE A SET PLAN. >> FANTASTIC. >> EXCELLENT. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. >> PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE, WE WILL CALL A VOTE. CARRIES TO PASS, TO 2023-46. >> A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF GULFPORT, FLORIDA AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH STAN TECH CONSULTANT SERVICES INCORPORATED FOR THE ENGINEERING SERVICES FRED WILLIAMS PEER REHABILITATION PROJECT PROVIDING FOR AN ASSOCIATED BUDGET AMENDMENT AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> WILL BE ENTERTAIN A MOTION? >> EXCEPT RESOLUTION 2023-46. >> CITY MANAGER? >> AS OUTLINED, THIS IS ENGINEERING , AND PART OF THE ISSUE WHEN WE START PUTTING MONEY ASIDE.