Votes at a glance: Gulfport Council approves appointments, contracts and settlements; poll-manager ordinance fails

The Gulfport City Council on a regularly scheduled meeting approved a slate of routine appointments, contracts and budget adjustments and authorized settlements reached in executive session, while voting down an ordinance that would have increased the number of poll managers for the Democratic primary.

The council unanimously approved appointment ratifications including Jace Payne to the Coast Transit Authority Board of Commissioners and a ratified appointment to the Gulfport School District Board of Trustees. It accepted the city engineer’s recommendation to accept Hatton Manor Subdivision Phase 1 (water and sewer only). The council approved a reverse-auction award to Montrose Ford for six Ford Expeditions and a set of routine resolutions and budget amendments (items 8–21 and 11–17, 18–21, and budget amendments 49–53) as presented on the agenda.

The council adopted an ordinance allowing wildlife monitoring devices at Bert Jones Yacht Basin and another ordinance amending pay/grade language to accommodate a new timekeeping system (NeoGov) so staff pay is not interrupted during the software transition. The council also approved replacing Exhibit C attached to Ordinance No. 34 30 (as presented).

After closed-session strategy discussions, the council authorized two settlements: (1) payment of $49,450.50 to resolve a pending eminent-domain claim involving Summit Consultants of Arizona, Inc., related to right-of-way for the Bill Grant interconnecting Gulfport project (including a special check for $3,539 to cover amounts above funds previously deposited with the clerk); and (2) acceptance of $1,951.56 from Susan G. Collada to satisfy a city tax lien on identified real property. Those resolutions were made public after the meeting; the minutes record no further litigation action taken at that time.

The council also found that Councilmember Holmes Hines is indebted to the city in the amount of $6,168.59 for funds previously paid in excess of authorized compensation; council approved the determination with one member recorded as abstaining.

Votes summary (selected): - Approve agenda (with additions 7a, 7b, 10a, 22a, 23a): approved (voice vote). - Ratify appointment, Coast Transit Authority Board (Jace Payne): approved (unanimous). - Ratify appointment, Gulfport School District Board of Trustees: approved (unanimous). - Remand planning appeal back to Planning Commission (to create a transcript/record): approved (unanimous). - Accept Hatton Manor Subdivision Phase 1 (water and sewer only): approved (unanimous). - Ordinance allowing wildlife monitoring devices at Bert Jones Yacht Basin: approved (voice vote; two dissenting council members recorded on the roll call as noted in the meeting transcript). - Ordinance to increase the number of Democratic poll managers for the primary (late add-on, Item 7a): motion failed on council vote after extensive public comment and council discussion. - Ordinance replacing Exhibit C to Ordinance No. 34 30 (timekeeping/pay grade language adjusted to accommodate new system): approved (voice vote). - Resolution awarding reverse auction to Montrose Ford for six Ford Expeditions (Item 10a): approved (voice vote). - Budget amendments 49–53 (including audit fee adjustments covering two fiscal audits): approved (voice vote). - Executive-session settlements (Summit Consultants; Susan G. Collada): both authorized by council vote and announced publicly as final actions; no additional official action reported.

The meeting packet included a number of other routine resolutions, temporary closures and in‑kind donations that the council approved without substantive debate. Several items were discussed by councilmembers and staff during the meeting; where votes were summarized as unanimous in the transcript, this report records them as such.

The council recorded no additional formal actions resulting from closed-session items beyond the settlements and debt finding noted above.