ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – During the July 24 City Council meeting, residents talked about utility costs and the Clean and Safe program. The city also presented a report on lessons learned and preparedness for this year’s hurricane season.
The $1.3 billion Historic Gas Plant Redevelopment Project, or the Rays-Hines deal, was also officially terminated. Officials also voted on additional actions for remediation at Tropicana Field.
While the council was in session, the Dream Defenders held a press conference outside City Hall.
Energy and Water Utilities
St. Pete city residents showed up to express frustration over high utility costs.The City of St. Petersburg’s contract with Duke Energy comes to an end in 2026.
Speakers urged the city to conduct a feasibility study on the costs of establishing a municipally owned energy utility as it negotiates a new agreement.
“My base fee has more than tripled,” resident Leslie Bouwman said, adding that she expects that costs will be higher if a contract with Duke Energy is renewed. She noted she lives on a fixed income. “It’s important to me that I’m paying into a system that benefits our community.”
Environmental and tree advocate Cathy Harrelson added that the city needs to address the high electric utility costs for Duke Energy customers.
“They are making money for their investors. Not for us,” Harrelson said.
James Clark talked about his experience with Orlando’s municipal electric utility, Orlando Utilities Commission. “Things would get done,” Clark said.
Clark noted that the mayor sits on the commission that runs OUC, and that employees of the municipally-owned company were responsive because they were neighbors or part of the community.
The average monthly cost in 2024 for a Duke Energy customer in Florida was $161.48 for every 1,000 kWh, while monthly Orlando area resident bills averaged $125 per 1,000kWh, according to a “Comparative Rate Statistics” report from the Florida Public Service Commission.
A Duke Energy spokesperson told the San Pedro Gazette via email that in January 2025, “a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours saw a decrease in their January 2025 bill of $9.77, or about 6%, when compared to December 2024.” Residential customers saw an increase of $22.61 per 1,000 kWh on a typical Mar. 2025 bill, when compared to Feb. of the same year.
The Duke spokesperson added that the “impact to residential customer rates will be 48 cents per 1,000 kWh beginning in August 2025” following the completion of the Sundance Renewable Energy Center in Madison County. The center is expected to generate “74.9 megawatts of clean energy to the electric grid,” according to Duke Energy.
Chris Steinocher, president and CEO of the St. Pete Chamber of Commerce, noted during public comment that Duke Energy is one of the largest employers in the municipality.
“We have approximately 4,000 employees who work throughout Florida, about 500 in St. Petersburg,” the spokesperson from Duke Energy noted, adding that they also work with contractors. “Our commitment to our customers remains stronger than ever.”
Local activist and “Dump Duke” organizer, Marley Price, said investor-owned utility companies do not keep the public in mind.
Price also urged the city to take action to address ongoing issues in the city with water utilities – managed by the City of St. Petersburg.
Tina Yakel moved to St. Pete three years ago. During public comment, she said she recently lost everything during a flood, leaving her practically unhoused. Yakel said that she got a $1,000 water utility bill, noting “no one was living here.”
Another resident said their water bill said they were using 30,000 gallons of water, while their average use would range between 2,500 and 3,000 gallons.
Local lawyer Matthew Weidner demanded an explanation for why residents have been getting charged for inexplainable amounts of water, stating that this has been a public concern for months.
“Where’s that big lesson?” Weidner asked.
Rays-Hines Ends; Tropicana Field Repairs Continue
While the Tampa Bay Rays backed away from the Historic Gas Plant Redevelopment District back in March, council members formally terminated the program during the meeting.The termination agreement that the council voted for approved two license agreements.
The first agreement is between the city and the Rays, and it grants a license for exclusive use of four parcels controlled by the city.
The use of these parcels will be for “parking, storage, operation of an exterior marquee and certain special events” through the end of their stadium lease on 2028, according to the meeting agenda. The Rays will pay a $400,000 license fee, each year.
The second agreement cleared the way for future developments under a new plan.
Beyond the termination of the Rays-Hines deal, council members also approved another $5.2 million to address lighting and electrical repairs at Tropicana Field.
“To date, that’s at least $43.8 million approved to fix the Trop. The total price tag was estimated to be $56 million back in November,” Tampa Bay Times reported.
“No comment,” said a spokesperson of the Rays to the San Pedro Gazette, via email.
2024 Hurricane-Season Report
Emergency Management Specialist Amber Boulding presented a report regarding last year’s hurricane season.Boulding’s report noted that the efforts by the city covered 57 days of emergency operations during Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. The city completed over 15,000 home assessments, 430 water rescues, and cleared more than 2.1 million cubic yards of debris.
Officials praised swift response actions, real-time communication, and supported programs like the We Are St. Pete fund.
Boulding highlighted key areas for improvement, including permitting processes, residential damage assessment procedures, and infrastructure resilience.
Council Member Corey Givens, Jr. (District 7) highlighted that at one point during the storms, there were 12,000 people in shelters. “That’s a staggering number.”
Council Member Gina Driscoll (District 4) expressed frustration with communication gaps in her district.
Officials committed to improving training, formalizing reports, and updating the Disaster Operations Plan to prepare for 2025.
Since the hurricanes, the city of St. Petersburg has taken multiple measures to address emergency management concerns. Most notably, mobile barriers, waterproof coating for city-owned facilities, and high-water vehicles.
Other Affairs
Residents again spoke in favor of the Clean and Safe program, which was approved for a discussion at a Committee of the Whole session – date is still pending. “Why would anyone not want to do this?” Ronicca Whaley, Shiso Crispy’s owner, asked during public comment. Since the meeting, Whaley sued the city, “alleging that the city wasn’t enforcing a state law banning public sleeping and camping,” according to a Tampa Bay Times report.
City officials scheduled a public hearing to address an ordinance “restricting the hours during which soliciting, canvassing and peddling is permitted on residential property,” according to the agenda. The hearing was set for Aug. 7, 2025.
The iconic Ruel B. Gilbert House, located in the Allendale Terrace neighborhood, was also approved as a historic landmark.
