"Our city deserves a government that is

accountable, transparent, and

dedicated to the well-being of every resident."

I am genuinely Grateful to the Mayor and Past Councilors for what has been done – I respect their efforts – many things have been done right, but not always.

There are many issues significant to us as a community that we must continue to work on to make life in our community better.

Now, a fresh perspective, an open mind and new approach is needed in order to move forward.

I will help build a council that reflects the heart of Gulfport.

I will help build on our strengths while fostering inclusivity and accessibility in decision-making

I will continue to strongly support the Human Rights Ordinance 

I will continue to strongly support and be passionate about equality, fairness and consistency 

We need to rethink how we engage with residents, ensuring every voice is heard

We need to champion the pulse of our town and support local entrepreneurs and artists

We need to be committed to bringing and being open to fresh solutions to address our unique challenges while preserving what makes Gulfport special

We need to find smarter, more sustainable approaches to enhance our neighborhood

I will work to protect the natural resources, shoreline, trees, public parks and help preserve our diverse community and caring spirit for young and old.

I will work to continue, maintain and keep improving the City's services to all Gulfport residents. 

Community Development Department (building and permitting)

The Community Development Department has been the number one complaint in resident feedback and surveys for years. Contractors have often reported dismay at dealing with Gulfport and anecdotal reports based on personal experiences confirm that it is a pain point for many residents and businesses. This was all true for years, prior to the storms, so it is not a surprise that this situation is made worse, and staff is working so hard to move things forward.

The first step in solving a problem is admitting you have one, and residents express that Council members often deny issues exist.

I will work to help overhaul the building and permitting department by implementing a digital tracking system and establishing clear timelines, making the process simpler and more efficient for residents and contractors. 

• We can study and learn from those who do it better.
• This issue merits an in-depth evaluation of operations to determine areas of strength and where changes or additional training may be valid.
• We can create a streamlined, user-friendly step by step procedure for all to follow.
• Implement a customer survey as is done in St Petersburg. We can establish which metrics best measures performance and customer service, then track them. We could publish results right on the city website so the public would know if we were having increased success.
• It is important to provide consistent information to every person. It is also important that enforcement be equal, fair and consistent.

Fiscal Responsibility

I will work for a zero-based budgeting and review all city contracts to maximize efficiency, ensure fiscal responsibility by all elected official and keep more money in taxpayers' pockets. 

I will work to investigate the accounts receivable collection concerns. 

Two-way Communication

Here is what I will bring more of to council. I understand that the role of a councilor is one of service and representation. I will listen to your ideas and promote them. When something affects the whole community, I believe the community should have a say and should be able to influence the outcome. At a time we are working on restoration and rebuilding, it is more important than ever. The decisions that will be made will impact the future of our community. Opportunities to hear innovative ideas, input and collaborative communication should include:

• #1 is to always listen
• Surveys
• Town Halls
• Workshops
• Reports
• Emails, texts or phone messages to convey important information

Transparency

I will work for full government transparency through regular town halls and a 48-hour response guarantee to all resident inquiries. 

Restoration/Hurricane Damage

We will be involved in restoration for an indefinite period of time. I will be proactive and immediately work to adopt the following measures:

• Regular public forums to disseminate information, including video to ensure the information is available to those not present
• Status updates via emails, texts and letters to update those that experienced damage, including advising of any new information or changes
• Weekly reports to the overall community to include project plans and status reports  

Climate Resilience

I will work to help develop a comprehensive resilience plan to protect our community's future while keeping Gulfport affordable for all residents.

Marina District

Council proceeded to move forward on a plan without consulting the neighborhood and the organizations that have been located there for decades.

• During the past decades, the community has repeatedly communicated that they want the marina area to be maintained as a marina, that they do not want commercialization of the marina area, and that they do not want changes made regarding the organizations that have been established there for many decades.
• The residents have expressed serious concern over noise, traffic, run-off, sewage and  environmental impact.
• They have also expressed their wishes to protect the Clam Bayou Preserve.
• Residents have expressed a need for more trailer parking and restrooms in the southern area of the marina area.
• Residents have expressed interest in floating docks, increased seawall maintenance and storm resiliency. 
• The hurricane damage should not be interpreted as the freedom or excuse to move forward on any previous council plans. I will strongly support measures to hear what the residents want prior to implementing any recovery plan following the hurricanes.  

Procurement/Bidding Process

The bidding process is an important aspect of financial responsibility and keeping as much of your money in your pocket as possible. As councilor, I will promote:

• Transparency in vetting of vendors/contractors.
• Adoption of transparency in the bidding process
• Obtaining multiple bids based upon specified Requests for Proposal to ensure the bids are comparable and competitive. For larger projects, a sealed bid process is appropriate.
• Full details provided to the public.
• Timelines and penalties when goals are not met.

Managed change

Change is inevitable, particularly following the hurricanes. We urgently need to manage change to maintain the uniqueness of our community, our culture and arts. We need solutions that include sustainability and protection of the environment.

Infrastructure

We must continue working on infrastructure. Continue working towards installation of solar panels on city buildings. I will stress the importance of stewardship and work for consistent routine inspections and preventative maintenance of our infrastructure. 

Reviews

I would promote needed reviews of:

• Our mission statement 
  The City of Gulfport is established for the benefit of its citizens and shall provide for the health, welfare and safety of those collective persons. Special attention shall be devoted to improving the City's appearance, maintaining public facilities and infrastructure, and ensuring citizen safety and quality of life via a fair and equitable system of citizen involvement and input. Moreover, the City shall provide a positive administration of laws and ordinances governing individual activities and requests. It is the intention of the City not to be an obstacle, but to be a vehicle for citizen's solutions to problems and individual needs. The City Council sets City policies....
• An In-depth charter review
• Update of rules and procedures for council, particularly in regards to transparency and accountability
• Comprehensive Plan

Parking/Transportation

We often hear that we do not have a parking problem, that it is only a convenience problem. Yet, we do not have actual statistics. Various suggestions have been presented regarding parking and transportation. Other Pinellas cities have pursued and utilize FreeBee or Breeze Transit, for example. Further review and discussion with the community is necessary.  Additionally, more people will also consider walking further if we have well-lit walkways that are safe from trip hazards, especially in the dark.

Affordable housing and ADUs

There seems to be an ease in determining reasons why we should not or cannot do something. Affordable housing and ADUs are an example. The community should be allowed to weigh in on housing options.  

I will work to create a housing trust fund to assist those who may be priced out of living in Gulfport. 

Human Rights Ordinance

Gulfport's human rights ordinance protects against discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on age, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, and physical characteristic. I will continue to strongly support the HRO. 

Inrmation that will continue to be added.

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