Gulfport Council Tightens Purse Strings

By Laura Mulrooney

On Tuesday, July, 7 Gulfport City Council adjusted their initial views on several city beautification projects in an effort to keep money available for emergencies in 2021. The meeting, held via Zoom, allowed council to conduct business as usual. In light of current social distancing measures, the City of Gulfport made public meetings such as council available four different ways: Live stream on the city’s website, Gulfport TV 640 (Spectrum only); dial-in by phone; and the Zoom app, which is available for PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android devices.

Council reviewed suggested adjustments to the 2021 fiscal year budget. The city’s $125,000 proposed budget to renovate the Chase Park tennis courts at 27th Avenue and 54th Street has been suspended. City staff will look into less expensive options for repairs or resurfacing as opposed to replacement. Council decided that additional Gulfport city limit signage for 49th Street South will be the blue and white wooden signs. According to City Manager Jim O’Reilly, the blue and white design is more cost effective to install and to repair as opposed to the other option, the ceramic signs that mark Gulfport’s Waterfront District. “Are you talking about the signs on 49th street?” asked Vice Mayor Michael Fridovich. “Oh yeah, blue and white for sure, you never know who’s going to run into something there.”

Fridovich, backed by Councilmember April Thanos, also asked the council to consider holding off on adding two K-9 units to the Gulfport Police Department until next year. Council decided to keep the suggested $32,000 allotted to the GPD for the K-9 units.

City of Gulfport Director of Finance Cheryl Hannafin explained the city’s intent for returning money previously estimated for projects. In short, the city chose to go with a less expensive bid for $376,137.50 to reline four storm culvert pipes that run underneath the Pasadena Yacht and Country Club Golf Course.

The PYCC pipe relining will be funded with a $300,000 state appropriation, $100,000 from Penny for Pinellas (Capital Projects Fund), and the remaining from the utility fund. The original FY20 budget included a transfer of $135,000 from the capital projects fund, and therefore a budget amendment to return $35,000 back to the capital projects fund.