As you can imagine, it’s been a very busy first 30 days in office.
April 1st marked both our swearing-in ceremony and our first Council meeting. After the ceremony and accolades, the new Council jumped right into business.
We began by discussing changes to the policies and procedures for Council meetings, several of which have already been implemented. Council comments and reports have been moved up on the agenda to allow members the opportunity to address issues raised during public comment—especially if staff did not cover them in their reports. We’ve also established a requirement for Councilmembers to report on any meetings, seminars, or intergovernmental activities attended using taxpayer funds. Additionally, we extended individual speaking time from 5 to 10 minutes for Council to encourage more meaningful and informative exchanges.
We also extended the waiver of permit fees for residents with Substantial Damage (SD) letters until May 6th, but eliminated the waiver for those without SD letters.
During our second meeting, we discussed the structure and performance of our Community Development Department. I asked the City Manager to present alternative models for how the department could function. After further Council discussion, we requested a presentation exploring two options: a system that would support a 5–10 day permit turnaround time, and the possibility of outsourcing all permitting to the County while retaining planning, zoning, and code enforcement responsibilities in-house. A follow-up meeting on this topic is scheduled for May 20th.
As many of you know, I campaigned on the issues of transparency, permitting, resiliency, and ensuring that boaters are welcomed while also being compliant. I’m proud to report that all of these areas are currently being addressed.
Over the past month, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with several other mayors and represented Gulfport at the State of Our Beaches seminar. I’ve also joined in community and beach cleanups. In addition, I’ve helped initiate a resident-led project called Gulfport Recovers — a survivor’s guide written by residents to help others navigate the months following a devastating storm. This resource will be available in July in print, online, and via QR code.
My office hours are Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Please email me at klove@mygulfport.us if you’d like to schedule an appointment or need to speak with me. You can also leave a message at 727-826-7208.
I’ve begun posting regular updates on the City of Gulfport Facebook page and through the weekly City newsletter, which is both emailed and shared on Facebook.
Stay Connected
- Email: klove@mygulfport.us
- Facebook: I post updates at least twice a week on the City’s page:
- Newsletter: Sign up for the weekly City newsletter at
- Council Meetings: All meetings are recorded and available online to watch anytime.
Thank you for staying engaged and helping us build a stronger Gulfport!
Mayor Karen Love