City officials approved money for the Martin Luther King, Jr. parades in St. Pete and approved more Tropicana Field repairs. Council Member Corey Givens Jr. (District 7) introduced an item to review the impact of the possibility of the Tampa Bay Rays leaving the city. The agreement for the Trop ends in 2027, according to a 1995 agreement, which binds the city to ensure the team can play in the hurricane-damaged stadium.
St. Petersburg Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade Funds Secured
Esther Sanni, president of the St. Pete NAACP, urged officials to pass the proposed $690,000 allocated for a three-year agreement with Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival Inc. to produce the next MLK Parades (inclusive of an HBCU band). This was approved at the council meeting 7-1.The agreement also includes a budget increase for future parades following the 2025 MLK Parade.
According to a presentation by George Smith, the city’s chief equity officer, the annual budget of the MLK Parade will be allocated.
The allocation of $690,000 for the Collard Green Festival agreement would represent roughly $230,000 each year from 2026-2028.
On average, the MLK parade has cost $165,652 year over year since 2019, with the least expensive year within that period costing $50,000 in 2021, and the most expensive in 2025, at $285,335.07, according to numbers presented during the meeting.
Council Member Gina Driscoll (District 6) voted against the measure, arguing that money is needed elsewhere and citing the increased parade costs.
Driscoll highlighted a lack of clarity in funding regarding the 2025 parade, as well as a tighter city budget, which is currently under review and discussion.
Other council members emphasized the historic, cultural, and economic importance of the MLK Parade, which attracts both local crowds and tourists.
St. Petersburg officials noted the parade has been running since 1986. According to Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, St. Pete’s MLK event is also the “nation’s longest-running parade honoring MLK.”
A Memo and A Letter for Florida Municipalities
Concerned about Florida Department of Government Efficiency’s actions, Trevor Mallory, an affordable housing advocate, took time out of his work day to go tell city officials on Aug. 7: “That scares me.”Mallory said that state-level efforts attempting to erase Black history in Florida and St. Pete are concerning. Moreover, he highlighted the Florida DOGE letter to the city of St. Petersburg.
Memos sent by the Florida DOGE and the Florida Department of Transportation were dangling over the meeting. From the public comment to discussions by council members, the topic kept coming up amidst ongoing city budget talks.
Florida DOGE
Regarding Florida DOGE, Council Member Brandi Gabbard (District 2) stated: “Pasco County and Manatee County are coming together. They’re trying to do some sort of resolution.”“If you hear things that are happening, there’s a coalition building, and I want to make sure we are part of that,” Gabbard said. “I really think that the only way that our municipalities are going to stay strong is if we band together.”
According to a copy of the Florida DOGE letter obtained by the San Pedro Gazette upon email request to city officials, the Aug. 1 document requests information, data, access to systems, and names of individuals relating to specific topics:
- Procurement and contracting
- Personnel Compensation
- Management Practices
- St. Petersburg Utilities
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Green New Deal
- Grants and Financial Management
FDOT
The meeting closed with remarks from council members about state issues. Driscoll noted how “upset” residents are after a Florida Department of Transportation memo is threatening public art in St. Pete, reiterating the need for smoother communication between officials.On July 2, FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue, published a memorandum on social media warning Florida municipalities that if they did not remove road art, the state would withhold state funds, due to the artwork qualifying as “non-compliant” according to state rules. The memorandum argues that asphalt art is a road hazard.
“Florida’s proactive efforts to ensure we keep our transportation facilities free & clear of political ideologies were cemented into law by @GovRonDeSantis on June 19 w/ the signing of Senate Bill 1662 & reemphasized in FDOT’s attached memo,” Purdue said in a written social media post. “Great to now have our federal partners also aligned behind this same common-sense policy.”
A 2022 Bloomberg Philanthropies study concluded that asphalt art can improve safety. “Results of both the historical crash analysis and observational behavior assessment, asphalt art had a strong positive correlation with improved safety benefits across aggregated and most individual study sites,” reads the report. “Road user behavior clearly improved across the observed study sites in the after analysis periods.”
![‘One erasure leads to the next’: St. Petersburg residents urge city council to save street murals [PHOTOS]](https://i0.wp.com/www.cltampa.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/st_pete_city_hall-29.webp.webp?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1)
Tropicana Field and the Tampa Bay Rays
City Council approved a proposal by Council Member Corey Givens, Jr. (District 7) to discuss how the city will patch any revenue loss if the Tampa Bay Rays choose to leave St. Pete at a Committee of the Whole session.“The Rays-Hines agreement has been cancelled. And so what we want to do is let them know that we’re ready to play ball,” Givens said during an impromptu press conference outside the main hall, while the council was still in session. “Whether you stay or go, we need to make sure that we support the businesses that are located, not only along Central Avenue, but across St. Petersburg’s Downtown and South St. Pete area.”
Givens noted that businesses told him that they want a revenue generator in the city.
Moreover, officials (once again) approved measures to address damages at Tropicana Field, including the purchase and installation of “turf field and infield materials,” costing the city $1.3 million, as well as “architectural, mechanical, electrical, [and] plumbing” repairs, which will cost the city $14.4 million.
“It’s frustrating,” Council Member Lisset Hanewicz (District 4) said. “We are operating under a 1995 agreement.”
Officials reiterated that due to a 1995 agreement between the baseball team and St. Pete, the city is bound to continue with these repair efforts until 2027. Additionally, the Tampa Bay Rays must play “home games” until the end of the agreement, too.
Givens cast a “no” vote for the Trop repair items.
Other Affairs
Utilities
Claude Tankersley, the city’s public works administrator, presented a utility rates adjustment report to council members for feedback. According to the presentation, “a customer’s overall monthly utility bill will increase 8.6% on average,” depending on consumption. This is still under review by officials.In addition, officials scheduled a first reading with an opportunity for public comment on Aug. 14 at 3 p.m. They will also have a public hearing on ordinances related to rates and charges.
The presentation also discussed funding options for the St. Pete Agile Resilience Plan.
‘No Peddlers or Solicitors’
Council members also approved ordinance 612-H. This applies to commercial efforts, and has exceptions for charitable and religious organizations, Council Member Lisset Hanewicz (District 4) clarified.With this measure, commercial solicitors won’t be able to ring a bell or knock on doors with “No Peddlers or Solicitors” (or similar language) signs. If a solicitor shows up, they won’t be able to place papers on these residences, and will need to identify themselves or the product, upon request. Solicitors will be required to leave the premises if requested by a resident.
This ordinance restricts solicitors and peddlers from knocking on doors and ringing door bells between “the hours of 7 p.m. or sunset, whichever is earlier, and 8 a.m. the following day,” according to the meeting agenda.
Florida Holocaust Museum
Eric B. Stillman was introduced to the council as the new president and CEO of the Florida Holocaust Museum. Stillman shared updates about the museum and announced a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 9 at 10 a.m.In addition, the museum leader announced that Duke Energy will be sponsoring a free day on Sept. 10, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Boley Centers
Kevin Marrone, CEO of the Boley Centers Safe Havens operating in St. Pete, shared a report with council members, noting that over the last 55 years, they have been working to help people experiencing homelessness while struggling with mental health. Marrone shared that 82% of residents over the previous five years have transitioned to permanent housing or a higher level of care.Marrone said that the Boley Centers present an alternative to jail and emergency rooms. Providing 24/7 care costs $20,856 per bed or unit per year, according to the licensed mental health counselor.
Events at Deuces and Azalea Park
Council members also approved alcohol dispensing licenses for vendors at two specific events. One will be on Nov. 1, 2025, at the Deuces Corner Park, and the other will be on Mar. 8, 2026, at Azalea Park.Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church Historic Designation Hearing
A public hearing was set for Aug. 21 for a quasi-judicial hearing about designating The Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, located at 467 4th Ave N, as a historic landmark.
FY2025/26 Annual Action Plan
Council also approved the FY 2025/26 Annual Action Plan, addressing Affordable Housing, Public Service Operations, and more.Download the(E-2) 2025-08-04 Annual Action Plan Public Hearing PPT.
Takamatsu Student Ambassadors
Did you know that St. Petersburg has a sister city in Japan? Takamatsu ambassador students made a presentation about the Japanese city, and talked about food and culture projects in their town.This post first appeared at donation-driven San Pedro Gazette and appears as part of the Tampa Bay Journalism Project.
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This article appears in Aug 14-20, 2025.