good morning happy new year this is such a beautiful sight to see you and to be seen welcome to the city of st petersburg's 2025 swearing in ceremony welcome and before we get started being in a place of policy and in in protocol we do have some elected officials that are here today that i would like to acknowledge and if i miss anyone so i'm going to ask you to please stand and who i have listed is the honorable charlie girdus where are you honorable charlie girdus former city council member probably talking to somebody is he outside somewhere talking then we have representative lindsey cross pinellas county commissioner brian scott the honorable ed montaner couldn't stay away could he the honorable leslie waters and representative bernie jacques did i miss anyone i did good oh there's charlie girdus he was outside talking he's getting my mother-in-law so with that being said again i want to welcome you to today's swearing in and this is where we transition out with the old and in with the new when we're looking so excited for all of the new accomplishments that we have yet to get done for the beautiful city of st petersburg and we're going to go ahead and start and i'm going to ask the council members that we're going to go down one at a time and we're going to do council member uh copely girdus for district one first and joining us is judge pamela campbell who will be administrating the oath of office council member girdus i copely girdus do solemnly swear or affirm that i am a citizen of the city of st petersburg the state of florida and the united states of america that as an officer of the city of st petersburg and a recipient and a recipient of public funds i will support protect and defend the constitution and government of the united states and the state of florida that i am duly qualified to hold office under the charter of the city and the constitution of the state and that i will faithfully and that i will faithfully perform the duties of the duties of the office of city council member district of city council member district one of the city of st petersburg florida on which on which i am now about to enter it's three three next we will have district three mr mike harding do you solemnly swear and affirm that i am a citizen of the city of st petersburg that i am a citizen of the city of st petersburg state of florida and the united states of america and the united states of america that as an officer of the city of st petersburg and a recipient of public funds I will support, protect, and defend the Constitution and Government of the United States and the State of Florida that I am duly qualified to hold office under the Charter of the City and the Constitution of the State and that I will faithfully perform the duties of the Office of City Council Member District 3 and perform the duties of the Office of City Council Member District 3 of the City of St. Petersburg, Florida on which I am now about to enter. Congratulations. Thank you so much. There's three of them. Congratulations. Now I'm going to call myself to get sworn in, and I'm also going to take a point of privilege to ask not only my family, who I'm joined by my husband, my mommy, my granddaughter, and my son, but if you've played any role in my life, any role in getting here, any role to helping me get back to this position and supporting me, I need you to come up with me as well. Oh, come on. It's a little change. At some point, everybody in the town did something for everybody. Can you fire? Can you fire chief here? With this one, and then you spill into the... You have me to say, you come here? Oh, I come. You come. Thank you. Thank you. Nice shoes. Thank you. They were my Christmas presents. Yeah, my wife did good. Have everybody. Is it good? Stand up. Stand up on the top, on the dais there. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Yes. I went to Puerto Rico for a week. All right. Thank you. I, Debra Pig Sanders, do solemnly swear and affirm that I am a citizen of the city of St. Petersburg, the state of Florida, the state of Florida, and the United States of America, and the United States of America, that as an officer of the city of St. Petersburg, and recipient of public funds, and recipient of public funds, I will support, protect, and defend the Constitution of the government, the Constitution of the government, of the United States, of the United States, and the State of Florida, and the State of Florida, that I am duly qualified to hold office, that I am duly qualified to hold office, under the Charter of the City, under the Charter of the City, and the Constitution of the State, and the Constitution of the State, that I will faithfully perform the duties, that I will faithfully perform the duties, of the Office of City Councilmember, of the Office of City Councilmember, District 5, District 5, of Of the city of St. Petersburg, Florida. Of the city of St. Petersburg, Florida. On which I am now about to end. On which I am now about to end. Here you go. Three times. It was three times. You have to make sure the photographer gets the chop chop. And last but not least, District 7, Corey Givens. I, Corey Givens, Jr., do solemnly swear or affirm that I am a citizen of the city of St. Petersburg, the state of Florida, and the United States of America. As an officer of the city of St. Petersburg and a recipient of public funds, I will support, protect, and defend the Constitution and government of the United States and the state of Florida. That I am duly qualified to hold office under the Charter of the City and the Constitution of the State. That I will faithfully perform the duties of the Office of City Councilmember, District 7, and of the city of St. Petersburg, Florida, on which I am now about to enter. Thank you. Okay, well, we are going to say congratulations once again to our new and our re-elected councilmembers. And we would now like to call. I know we're still giving some hugs. We're still giving hugs. But we would now like to call to order the January 2, 2025 City Council meeting, beginning with a roll call, please. Curtis? Here. Gabbert? Here. Harding? Here. Anowitz? Here. Dick Sanders? Here. Griskell? Here. Gibbons? Here. Here. Thank you so much. We are joined by Bishop Emeritus Robert Lynch from the Diocese of St. Petersburg, who will provide the invocation. But our chair-elect, Copley Gerdes, would like to say a few words about your wait's after. Okay. So we're going to go ahead and thank you, Bishop, for being here. And after the invocation, I want you to join me in the Pledge of Allegiance following it. Would you please join me by standing? Let us pray. God, our Father, you guide everything in wisdom and in love. Accept the prayers we offer now for our city and for those who guide and lead it. In your goodness, watch over those in authority, so that people throughout this city may enjoy freedom, security, and peace. Finally, Father, shower this council with the rays of wisdom and patience. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. I might note that rays of wisdom and patience is a prayerful pun. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Chair-elect, go. Gerdes. Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to personally thank Bishop Lynch for coming out this morning. I have known Bishop since I was 11 years old, and his installation mass, welcoming him to the Diocese of St. Petersburg, was my first solo in front of a very large crowd. They weren't there for me. They were there for him. And my knees were knocking so hard, I'm pretty sure people thought they needed to answer the door that day. But I have had the privilege and the pleasure of singing at a lot of masses for Bishop Lynch and altar serving. And he has been a part of the Gerdes family for a really, really long time. And I'm just very blessed to have a great relationship with Bishop Lynch and even more blessed that you came this morning and shared it with us, Bishop. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Let's learn something. I didn't know Chair-elect could sing. Okay. Well, we learned something else. Thank you. Joining us now is our Mayor, Mayor Kenneth T. Welch. Happy New Year, Mayor. Good morning, Madam Chair, members of City Council, our St. Pete team, and all of our St. Pete residents. It's great to see you. And I do count it a blessing, even though we had to leave, to see Bishop Lynch again. What a blessing to our community. As we celebrate a new year, I'd like to first thank Council for your collaboration, for your hard work during a challenging, if I can use that word, an impactful but very productive 2020, 2024. And our administrative team, and I look forward to continuing that important work with you this year. Congratulations to Chair Fick Sanders and Vice Chair Gerties on your re-election, and to Council Members Harding and Givens, thank you for committing yourselves to this very important public service. And thank you to your families as well. As we all know, even through a campaign, when you are in public service, your entire family is in public service with you. So thank you to our families as well. So, Madam Chair, I'd like to recognize two of our outgoing colleagues. The first didn't want the recognition, but I'm going to veto that. First time I exercised a veto ever. But, and I know you're going to recognize her, but Cindy Shepard, who as our City Council, you're way on the other side, so you can't stop me, Cindy. As our City Council Administrative Officer, it really has been vital to keeping the trains running on time. And I know Council has some words for her, but from the administration side, I want to thank you for your service, for making sure that the people of St. Pete remain the priority and keeping the council and the administration on the same page moving forward. So thank you so much, Cindy, for your service. I'd also like to recognize our outgoing District 7 Councilmember, Brother John Mohamed. Brother John, can you say? So, Councilmember Mohamed has served our community for many years. We're not going to say how old we are. I'm all right with that. I see some silver in there. I'm trying to keep having birthdays. Amen to that. And I want to thank you for stepping up to represent District 7 in a time of need, and we look forward to your continuing service in our community. I would like to present you from the Mayor's Office the Distinguished Service Award, and it reads, presented to the Honorable John Mohamed, Member of City Council, District 7, 2022 through 2025, in recognition of your leadership and advocacy, reflecting your commitment to our beloved city and District 7. Thank you for your service and dedication as a distinguished member of St. Petersburg City Council. Thank you so much. Thank you, Mayor Welch. And also, on behalf of City Council, City Council would also like to recognize the service of outgoing Councilmember, Brother John Mohamed, and doing so is Chair Fick Sanders. Uh-oh. But wait, there's more. But wait, there's more. So, this moment brings me quite an honor because it's personal. This is personal. During a time when we needed someone to stand up, come in, be willing to learn, be willing to make a difference, and to feel what was such an unwelcoming moment, you still brought it. You still handled it. When we put our support behind you, that was what we intended to do. It wasn't by chance. And we appreciate the fact that you have been here. You didn't just start when you sat on the dais. And we're looking for you to continue leaving the dais. We need so much more. Yes, ma'am. And as you see, it's completely different on that side than it is over here, isn't it? Of course. Of course. It's completely different on that side. But a lot of the things that we get done, we get done because of people like you that are out there on the ground, that have that lived experience. You know I'm here. You know I'm not afraid of a mic. And I want to make sure that we continue to get the things done for our constituents. You know, there's a right and there's a wrong way to do anything. And you've learned how to maneuver those pieces to get it done. So, when we asked you to step in and step up, you did. So, I know this is supposed to be from council, but for me, this is for me because I know what it took for you to join the group. I know what it meant for you to come in and want to play this role. And it's not for the weak of heart. And so, I want to thank you. And as chair, on behalf of city council, you got a nice little flag. I did. We want to thank you again for stepping up and continue to show those out there that we need them, that we shouldn't have to look for people to want to serve, because there's so much that we have yet to do. You were that example. You were that example. And we thank you for that. We thank you. Oh, man. I didn't prepare anything. It's the minute, y'all. Let me collect myself. It's been a lot of recommend. Chair, Madam Vice-Chair, members of council, Mayor Welch, city staff, residents, and stakeholders of the city of St. Pete, it is my sincere prayer that God's peace and blessings be with us all in this new year. As we've seen in years past, the year may start off happy. But in a moment's notice, everything can change. However, if God's peace is with us, we can rest assured and know that whatever trial, tribulation, or challenge comes our way, we will be all right. As I reflected on this moment, and I've done so many times, about January 2nd, I woke up this morning and the thought came was, today's the day. And I thought about what I would say and what I would want my last words as an outgoing council member to be. So here's where we landed. First, I wanted to try and keep it to three minutes. Because that's the time that we give to the public to speak. And I wanted to honor that. But I knew it was impossible to do that in this moment. So then I said, I'll try and do it in seven. Because that's the time that we give the council members to speak. But true to council fashion, sometimes when the buzzer go off, we just keep going. And continue until we get it over. But I won't belabor. So in the end, I just decided to let the chips fall where they may. And say what's really on my heart and mind in this moment. While also being considerate and knowing that we have many other platforms. And many other opportunities to address the public. So I won't try and say it all today. So with that in mind, I'll start with gratitude and appreciation. I want to thank my wife, who has been by my side for over 30 years now. And were it not for her support and her permission, I know I wouldn't have taken this route and would not be here. Her steadfast support, prayers, patience, perseverance, grace, mercy, silent power. Did I say patience? Perseverance. Have never wavered. And I'm truly grateful for that. I also would like to thank my colleagues on council. Specifically those who voted to appoint me to this body over 812 days ago. Not that I'm counting or anything like that. And those who didn't. Because we've built a bond as a council and as a team. That I think really has impacted the city in a positive way. I appreciate your vote of confidence. And I can only pray that you don't have too many regrets while I know that some second thoughts were inevitable. To our District 7 legislative aide. I didn't see him. We usually don't see him up here. J.C. Pritchett, who's under the leadership of Cindy Shepard, who's done an amazing job. I just want to let you know, J.C., that I appreciate you, my brother. And I'm looking forward to manifesting all the good that we see and we discussed so that I can look back and say I remember when. I also didn't hear her recognize and I don't see her in the room, but I want to thank Commissioner Renee Flowers. Y'all know Renee. She spent a lot of time in political capital and her advocacy to support my appointment to this body. And it may have strained some of her personal and professional relationships in doing so. And I'm truly grateful for all that she did to support me being here. There are many who supported me prior to and during my time on council. And I can spend just seven minutes naming them all, but I don't intend to do that. And every time I look, I think about you, Copley, because the first time I heard called a question was when I was making a speech, a presentation. You know what called a question meant? It means shut up and let's vote. Talk about lessons learned, right? So I'll say it like this. Most of the people who helped me and support me didn't do it in their own names or on their own accord. They did it in the name of a cause or a mission or an initiative that was bigger than themselves. And so in the name of God, and when I thank them and I thank God, I'm thanking him for them because I know that he either allowed it or caused you to join me and to contribute to our work together. How are we looking on time now? Lastly, to council member elect or council member now, Corey Givens Jr., I have with me a baton, and I'm going to give it to you. I talked to a few people about it, and some actually advised me to hold on to it. This one, y'all say, what? They said, hold on to it and wait for you to grow a little more. And I seriously thought about that. But then I realized that this baton does not belong to me, so I can't hold it. It's not a sign or a symbol of a personal endorsement or a support or any of those things, but I do support you in your journey. What this baton represents is the hopes, the dreams, the desires and aspirations, the confidence and the trust that our residents placed in me when I was appointed and now in you after being elected. So for me to hold on to this baton would be a grave injustice and would continue a perpetuation of some of my issues that I have with the status quo. We're given a community trust that we have to, when we reach the end of our term, being able to recognize that our time has passed and that the next generation is ready and willing to accept it. It is my prayer that you will honor this trust by making sure that your thoughts, deeds, and actions line up on the side of truth, fairness, equity, and positive impact. I pray we are leaving enough light on the torch, because that's another thing. Sometimes they'll pass the torch and there ain't no light on this thing, right? I pray that we're leaving enough light on this torch for you to be able to see your way through as you lead others and grow into this newfound role and responsibility. In conclusion, and I grew up in the Baptist church, so y'all notice this is really only the first conclusion. In conclusion, we have some big decisions to make ahead as a city, and I pray that you all will not only follow your heads, but follow your hearts, as I've come to see that you absolutely will do. If my time in office has shown us anything, I would like for it to be a demonstration that you don't have to compromise your convictions in order to show compassion. Our good morals are manifested in our good manners and in the way we treat one another. I'm looking forward to returning to life as a private citizen and continuing to work with you all that we've started in making a public impact. And in the words of the great Forrest Gump, that's all I got to say about it. All I got to say is real nice. Council Member Gabbard. Thank you, Madam Chair, for a few more moments. Just wanted to say to you, John, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you for being willing to step up, for being willing to serve. I have known you for many years, and I know the man you are, and that is why I supported you for the appointment, and I have never, ever for a moment regretted that decision. You carry yourself in a way through everything, through the good, through the bad, through controversy. You carry yourself true to who you are every single day, every single step. And that is a part of someone's character that you can't fake. It just is who you are. And, you know, when you serve in public service, people have a lot to say about you, right? And they think that they know who you are. They think that they have an idea of who you are. And then sometimes you read these things that people say about you, and they don't match up with who you know you really are, or who you know your colleague is, right? And many times I have heard people say things, and I've thought, that is not the man I know. That is not the man that stands before us every day and leads the city as part of this body. And you continue to move forward. You continue to do it with integrity, because at the end of the day, I know it was important to you to leave here the same person, if not better, than how you came. And you have done that. And I think what you just did with Council Member Givens now, passing that baton, that right there is just such a symbolism of who you are. You are a role model. You are a leader in this community. And I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, not only for your friendship, but for who you are and what you have brought to the table. Thankful for your family and the sacrifice. I know it's been hard on your wife watching you go through this experience, and so I just want to thank her for her sacrifice as well. The day you called me and told me that you were not going to seek re-election, I was broken hearted. But at the same time, I had to think, he's doing this because he knows that there is another path, and you will never stop serving this city. And so I just want to thank you. Thank you from my family. Thank you from me, for who you are, and what you have done for us. I love you. Council Member Flory. Thank you. I'm just going to tell a little story real quick. When I first moved to St. Petersburg, I was, I don't know how to say, like, eager to get involved. And I met some people around town and got, you know, active in the community, advocating for issues that, you know, you see me up here advocating for all the time. And I would say, like, to people that I met, you know, where should I go to learn about our city? Who should I meet? And a name that came up constantly in every single conversation was Brother John. And so I went to a, I feel like it was a New Deal for St. Pete meeting. I think it was at P-TECH. I don't know if this was the first time we had met or just one of the first times. Um, and just started learning about our city. Uh, and it was incredibly beneficial to me to hear from people who had been around the block and know exactly what's going on. And, uh, I don't think I'd be here today without being able to get connected to the right people. And, uh, you were definitely a key part of, uh, my, myself growing as an activist in the city. And so I'm really grateful for it. Uh, and because of that, I know that it ain't going to be very long before I see you out in the streets or in here again, honestly, please don't come to the next council meeting. I know you're not going to, I know you probably want some time off, but like, yeah, I know you need a little bit of time to, uh, unwind from this, uh, cause it's a unique challenge. Uh, and I saw you, uh, struggle with that at times and thrive in it at times. Uh, and I know that your role in the community is like going to be almost as impactful, if not more impactful than you, you, uh, being up here with us. So I'm really grateful for it. I'm, uh, grateful for everything we went through up here, everything we went through before and everything we'll go through after. So thank you so much for your service. Remember Hanowitz. Well, no, vice chair Hanowitz. Thank you, chair, council member Muhammad. We met so many years ago and I still remember same thing as council member Floyd said, your work in the community, then through your time in city council. And I know that you're going to continue the same service to our community. The dedication that you have shown through your time here to me is remarkable. Your honesty, your integrity. And I will tell you, even when we disagreed, I always appreciated how I knew that what you were saying and how you felt was coming from the heart. Never had issue with that. And I know we had some spirited debates and we had some serious issues come through this dais in the last three years. And we had some tough votes, but you through it all were truly and honestly a great representative for your community. And I thank you for your service. And it's been a joy and an honor to serve with you. Thank you so much. Chair Gerdes. Thank you, chair. I'm sorry to see you leave, but I think, you know, there's been talk of the decisions that we've made over the last three years, but I really want to focus on two quick things that I think go under the radar more and more as those two grow up. Yeah. I try to look of the lens of kids, right? I mean, you hear me, kindergarten it for me, right? And so, but so two things that I think I hope my kids see one, the willingness to raise your hand, to put it on the line, whether it's an appointment, whether it's an election, it doesn't matter because you're going to get punched in the face and then you're going to get high fives, right? It's like this, it's like this total emotional garbage bag that's given to you once you do that. And so, but what I want my kids to see is you shouldn't be afraid to raise your hand. Yeah. That's the first one. The second one is at the end, that was the beginning of the spectrum. The end of the spectrum is you choosing not to rerun, knowing where is my happy place? Where do I serve best? That's important. You could have reran. And one. That wasn't, that wasn't the calling. That wasn't the calling. Listening to the call, that I want my kids to know, that just because you're in a lane doesn't mean you have to stay there. You're allowed to change course. And you should if it's not your call. You know, I was at an event on Monday and I got asked, actually my dad got asked, was Copley going to be a priest? And I was this far. I had the plane ticket and I didn't go. And it's a good thing I didn't because that wasn't my calling. Now that's easier to say without Bishop Lynch in here. But that was, that's my calling, right? It's okay to change lanes. And I think that's two things that go under the radar with your time here that I hope, I hope my kids see and I hope every kid in the city of St. Petersburg sees. And by the way, all the adults too, because it ain't, it ain't too late. You can always change lanes, right? So I appreciate the service, man. It's been a pleasure. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member Driscoll. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you to my colleagues who have spoken so far. I echo many of the sentiments. Like some of the others, we met long before you joined us on the dais here. And you really showed me a lot about the foundational issues that we needed to address in order to create a new deal for St. Pete. I have, I had seen you working in the community, working in, in with your neighborhood. I knew that you understood neighborhoods and what was going to help move us forward, especially in neighborhoods that had not received the attention that they deserve. So having that background, I had a real appreciation for the service that you showed once you were on city council and no matter how you voted, no matter what you stood for, we knew that it was with integrity. And I think that's something that everyone can learn from, no matter what you believe, no matter where you stand. If you do it with integrity, you'll always be respected. And I have the utmost respect for you for carrying out these duties in that way. I have enjoyed working with you. And I know that as you continue on or back to this path, you're going to do it with a stronger stride because of the experience that you gained from here, from being in city hall, from being on city council. And I hope that that experience is going to help to take you to, to newer heights with your work out in the community, because that's going to be good for St. Petersburg. So I look forward to seeing what you do next. And I look forward to finally going back to having conversations with you, um, about, um, about the issues and how we can work together to continue serving St. Pete. Thank you. And, um, just quickly to council member Givens, that baton means a lot and I have absolute confidence that you are going to be able to run with it. Um, and you've got some, some big shoes to fill, but I know you brought your own shoes too. So I look forward to working with you and continuing this work together for our city. All the best to you, sir. Council member Givens. Thank you so much. Um, brother John, this means the world to me. Um, I like council member Floyd, met you about 15 years ago. I was fresh out of college and I was looking for a way to get involved, a way to give back. And you and brother Jabbar, you gave me that opportunity. Um, I remember our meetings at the SCIU office in P tech, um, we went up to bat. You took a lot of heat when we went up to bat. We actually went up to bat for this seat. Um, both of us applied to be appointed to this seat. And I was happy to throw my support behind you at that dais. Um, you, sir, are a true statesman. You have shown us what integrity means. You have shown us what it means to be true to self, um, to collaborate, but not compromise. You've taught me that. You have been the Paul to my Timothy, and I thank you for that. I thank you for the mentorship, for the leadership, for the tutelage that you have given me. I know I'm taller than you, but you got bigger shoes than me. So you leave some huge shoes to fill, as council member Driscoll said. But I am, I'm quite confident that you have equipped me well enough to serve. So thank you so much. God bless you. Thank you. So seeing no further request to speak, I think I gave my own little mini sermon of how appreciative I am of you and your service. And, you know, and again, for those that didn't understand council member Driscoll's comment, when we're on the dais, we can't talk to each other when we're not on the dais. So we can't get that, that heart to heart, those one-on-one, have those conversations about things that we know our community needs. And when I hear your community, I always look at it as our community. Because everything we do, we do citywide, and we do for everyone that lives here, works here, plays here, who calls this place home. So thank you, Brother Muhammad, for all that you've done, and best wishes to you and your family. And we know we'll be seeing you around. Thank you, sir. Thank you so much. You're like the Grammys, right? Yeah. Thank you. So next, this is the moment we've all been waiting for. Next, we will declare the election of the city council chair and vice chair. And I entertain a motion that cannot come from our chair, our chair elect, and our vice chair elects, or the current chair. So I'll entertain a motion to declare the election of our city council chair and our vice chair. Move approval. Having it been properly motioned and seconded, can you please open the machine for voting? Now that our present council members have voted, can you please tally and announce the votes? Madam Chair, the motion passes unanimously. So now we're going to ask our new chair to go and be sworn in. I do solemnly swear and affirm that I am a citizen of the city of St. Petersburg, the state of Florida, and the United States of America. That as an officer of the city of St. Petersburg and recipient of public funds, I will support, protect, and defend the constitution and government of the United States and the state of Florida. That I am duly qualified to hold office under the charter of the city and the constitution of the state. That I will faithfully perform the duties of the office of chair of city council of the city of St. Petersburg, Florida, on which I am now about to enter. Look, this one. I got nervous. Congratulations. All right. I will set Hanowitz. You solemnly swear and affirm that I am a citizen of the city of St. Petersburg. The state of Florida. The state of Florida. And the United States of America. And the officer. That is an officer of the city of St. Petersburg. And the recipient of public funds. I will support, protect, and defend the constitution and government of the United States and the state of Florida. That I am duly qualified to hold office. That I am duly qualified to hold office under the charter of the city and the constitution of the state. That I will faithfully perform the duties. And that I will faithfully perform the duties. Of the office of by chair of city council. Of the city of St. Petersburg, Florida. Of the city of St. Petersburg, Florida. Which I am now. Of which I am about now to enter. Thank you. So you get elected chair and then I got to come immediately to the podium. So Lissette's already in charge. So I just quickly wanted to bring down Chair Fick Sanders. And, you know, it's been said throughout the entire morning so far about all the things that have happened this year. And you've led us through them. And I don't think any of us are going to forget some of those moments. You know, I think you always have trying times, right? During year. It doesn't matter. I mean, you could go back to every year and find them. But we certainly had some defining ones this year. Two big girls that came through and messed with our city. It just, it's an amazing thing. And then some of the bigger decisions, I mean, obviously historic gas plant and all of the things surrounding that. And all of the small ones, too. You know, when I first ran, one of the best pieces of advice I got was make sure you read the consent agenda. And because it's where all the little minutiae is, right? And so all the small things that add up to all the big things. And I'm just so appreciative, not only for your leadership, but for your friendship. I think one of the things that I looked forward to most was I know I was going to get a ray of sunshine from Chair Fig Sanders during a meeting. And sometimes on those trying days, man, that makes all the difference. Just the ability to smile and to smile at somebody else. And I'm just thankful that I get those smiles. And so on behalf of all of City Council, we had some gavel issues this year, too. Oh, yeah. You know, those are some of the probably the small stuff that people don't see. But we had some gavel issues. But on behalf of City Council, I want to present for your leadership and dedication this year as Chair. And a big heartfelt thank you from me. So, again, I want to thank my colleagues because we did all of this together. There is not just one vote. There is eight of us. And, yes, 2020. Y'all keep forgetting about Debbie. Debbie came in and reached havoc, too. We keep forgetting. And I can't forget Debbie because I'm Deborah, right? So I never forget about that. But even throughout the year, as Chair, you all notice we can't make motions. There's so much that we can and we cannot do. But the one thing that I was always consistent about, always grateful for, is my faith. And knowing that that true walk and for whom I belong, that that smile came. It was easy to smile knowing who all of my accountability was for and why I was there. One of my four heartbeats, Braylon, stand-up girl, shows us that the world that we're living in is real. And when we leave that dais, council members, we leave that there. Because at the drop of a dime, our worlds can change. When we leave that dais, we're still human. We're still people. We still have to share that same love and that forgiveness that we are bestowed each and every day. So for that, I'm grateful that I was unanimously voted as chair because that was a strong sign of confidence for my colleagues. To the mayor's office, who Jesus? I thank the administration for working with me. And as City Administrator Gerda said, giving me grace and getting things done for the city of St. Petersburg. Because I don't think I ever called and asked once for myself. Everything we've always done has been for the city. And for the city of St. Petersburg, thank you. Keep doing what you're doing. Keep sharing your comments, your recommendations, your foundations. Some of y'all can be kind of nasty, but we need that, too. But we need that, too. But we thank you. We're here because we want to be. And it has been a journey. And I do appreciate each and every one of you. And Copley Gerdes, our new chair, I knew it was going to be you. And he comes from a long line, a council member and city royalty. Don't print that. And I am just so excited for what he is going to do for our city. I am so excited for you. You know, your calmness. You know I tease you all the time. But you are going to do great things. Congratulations, Vice Chair Hanowitz. Together you guys are going to be the team. And I appreciate it. Thank you. You have to wait right there. I think some people will have some things to say. First, Mayor Welch. Thank you, Madam Vice Chair. I just wanted to, again, I can't call you chair anymore. Thank Council Member Deborah Fick Sanders. You can't call me honorable. Honorable. I think it was without saying. I'm joking. But, you know, I've thanked her several times for her leadership during a year we'll never forget as public servants. But I just want the public to know how tenacious you are as chair when there's an issue impacting the public. And Council as well. But always done with respect. But always with the vision of what's best for the city of St. Petersburg. She's on my favorites list on my iPhone, so you know what that means. Even if you put on. Yeah, do not disturb. She still comes through. And I just wanted to thank you for having the heart for public service in the midst of the storms, in the midst of, you know, Milton and Helene back-to-back, 13 days apart, devastation like we've never seen. You were focused on what's best for this city and through a political campaign as well. But I think the results of that show that the people recognize and respect your service to our community. I just wanted to thank you and your family for hanging in there during a difficult time. But iron sharpens iron. And I'm blessed to have served with you. So thank you so much. Thank you. Council Member Gabbard. Thank you, Madam Vice Chair. And Immediate Past Chair, Vic Sanders. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your service. The other day I was scrolling through memories on social media. People were posting end-of-year stuff. And someone had posted the Tampa Bay Times, you know, people to watch of 2024. And you were listed. And it kind of talked about, you know, what they thought then, a year ago at this time, your year would look like as chair of this council. And they only got it a little right. Because through everything we've talked about, everything that happened in our city, you add on top of that, you're a council member, you're a chair of city council, you're running a reelection campaign, and you're still taking time for your family and those you love. The support that you have from our community, not only was it exhibited in a landslide victory to get you back here for four more years, but it was shown by all the people who stood behind you as you were sworn in again today. And I just, I admire you so much. I always have, but this year has really shown what you are made out of. And I look forward to continuing to serve with you. Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for just being who you are. I appreciate you. Councilmember Floyd. Thank you, former chair. I just wanted to say real quick, you know, whenever I first got here, I really enjoyed, how do I describe this, I don't know, rabble rousing with you a little bit, you know, causing people some headaches. And I've always really appreciated your willingness to, you know, stand up for what's right and not really care how people think about it. And you did that while you were chair, you know, in the ways that you saw fit, but I can say you were a very tempered chair, slightly more tempered than you were before. But I just wanted to say publicly that you have told me that you're ready to go back to causing trouble. And so I am looking forward, I wanted to say it out here for everybody so that we all knew what to look forward to. And I'm looking forward to you coming, sitting a little bit closer over here and really getting into it with us all. So I'm grateful for your year of service and I look forward to everything that is to come. Thank you. We got this, Councilmember. And I failed to recognize, and how could I please blame the head and not the heart, I guess because I'm looking in her beautiful face. Y'all, I have to recognize my mommy, who God has given and she celebrated a recent year of being cancer free. And two of my men, my husband, Daniel Lenard Sanders, raise your hands, and my baby boy, Daniel Edward Sanders. Thank you, everybody. Thank you. Let's go. Thank you again, Councilmember Fig Sanders. Okay, so all the ceremony is done for the morning. Closing remarks. Councilmember Gabbard. Well, I did not get the chance yet to congratulate everyone that was sworn in today. Councilmember Harding and Councilmember Givens, welcome to the dais. Thank you for your willingness to serve. I've known you, Corey, for years and always seen your commitment to our community. And I want to thank you for continuing to be willing to serve. I think you know how difficult it can be, yet you're still willing to step up, and I appreciate that. So thank you for your willingness to serve. And Councilmember Harding, we don't know each other quite as well, but we're going to be sitting here next to each other, so we're going to get to know each other pretty well. And I also want to thank you not only for your commitment to serve, but your commitment to the business community that has been shown for years and years and years. I think that that is a very important perspective to bring to this dais, and I'm looking forward to your leadership and looking forward to working together on the dais. And new chair, Gerdes, thank you. You had a fantastic year as vice chair. You were a great, you know, right hand to Council Chair Fig Sanders, and you did a phenomenal job in that role. And I know that your role here as our chair, you will lead us in a way that will take us forward into what I hope is hopefully a calmer and prosperous 2025. And Vice Chair Hanowitz, thank you for the role model that you serve for this community as well, and thank you for your willingness to always stand up, stand on what you believe, and never falter on that. And I look forward to your leadership as well. Thank you all. Vice Chair Hanowitz. Thank you, Chair. Well, first of all, congratulations, Chair. I am so excited that we're going to work together. I want to thank everyone that's here, all the family and friends that are here today doing something that is really important. Elections matter, and being involved in your community matters, and this is where it starts. Believe it or not, a lot happens at City Council. And so I see a lot of children here, and it's important that you get them engaged and get them involved early so they understand, get them involved in the community, because you never know where they end up. And the future really is theirs. So I really appreciate everyone's support that's here, the family. I know that this is hard. Because guess what? We all serve here, and then we get to go home after a long day of votes, exhausted. And our children are waiting for us sometimes past bedtime, and we appreciate that, and our family and friends. But it's important. It's important for our community and the work that we do and the support that you give us is really important. Thank you, Councilmember Harding and Councilmember Gibbons, for throwing your hats in the ring. I'm looking forward to serving with both of you. You're going to find that there are days that are going to be challenging, just like when you were running for office. But a lot of days, you're going to find it extremely rewarding what you do here and serving your community and the challenges that come along with it. And I think seeing what happened, for instance, with the hurricanes and all the decisions that we have to make to make sure that our community recovers and we have the resources in the future for the next storm that happens, the next year, whenever that happens, it's critical that we are engaged and involved and plan accordingly. And you're going to be part of that. And so everything we do here is going to be in that vein to make sure that we have a great city in the future for many generations to come. So thank you all and my colleagues for your support and for just being you. I really appreciate each and every one of you. And administration, thank you. Thank you for everything you do. It's been a very challenging year. I know that. But you have been involved with us every step of the way and engaged with us and let us know what's happening. And we really appreciate that. So thank you. Thank you. Councilmember Driscoll. Thank you. First, I want to congratulate all who were sworn in as city council members, both those who were reelected and those who have been elected for the first. I look around this, this dais and I see that we have such a, such a variety of backgrounds that we, and variety of experiences that we're bringing to the table. And I feel like we, we really have a city council that represents the community that we, that we serve. And I can't wait to see what we do this year. To our new chair and vice chair, congratulations and thank you. So, um, because of the leadership that you have shown in the years that you've been on city council already, I have, um, just great admiration for you both and a great deal of confidence that you are going to lead us with dignity and integrity and a whole lot of fun along the way. So congratulations to all and let's make it a great 2025. Councilmember Fitzsanders. Thank you. Thank you. I, I know, um, that we're going to have a great year and again, I want to congratulate chair Gerdes and there's nothing wrong with being surrounded by a phenomenal family. Um, I, I, I, I, I count that a blessing. Vice chair Hanowitz, this is going to be interesting, um, for all of us to ensure that we support you and what the mission that we have as a council to get done. Um, but I'm like the mayor, um, you know, I, I've had the opportunity to speak and council member Floyd, we ready? We ready. Um, because there are some things that we want to get done and, and I'm like the mayor, I'm going to veto my, my, my heart. Sheppard says, whenever you have the opportunity to share, whenever you have the opportunity to give someone their flowers, you do so. Cindy did not want us to acknowledge her, but without her, there would be no us. Without Cindy, who thought of it before we even had a chance to call her and say, what do you think about this? It was already done. Cindy Shepard has been my guy the entire time I've been here and Cindy, you're retiring today. It's the last day that we have. And we have to say, I have to say, thank you. Cindy, you might as well just stay there and we'll let us some council members give some thanks. I'm oral support council members. Council member Gabbard. I'm not quite sure how I'm going to do this one. The Kleenex box is too far away. Um, Cindy, from the second I was elected and came to city hall, like a week later, just to check things out, right? Like you're brand new. You don't know what, you know, you don't know how you're going to get through it. And there you were like a light. I immediately took to you because I knew if I can figure out how to get close to Cindy, I will know how this place works. And not only did you teach me how this place works, but there have been many, many, many times when the days were long and maybe the heart wasn't quite in it those days. But you were here to say, this is important. This is for our city. Keep doing what you know is right. Keep being who you are. And that encouragement that you have given me over these years, there's no one else that could replace that in my life. Thank you for everything you have done. I love you so much. I am so glad that when I look back on this time at city council, your friendship will be one of the things that I take away. I'm super jealous that you're retiring. You're going to go and live a fabulous life with your amazing family, your amazing husband who love you so much. And I'm just hoping to see a little bit of that along the way. So thank you for your service to this city. It has been remarkable. And I just appreciate you and want to thank you. I love you. Councilmember Floyd. Thank you. You know, I am not going to wax poetically about how much I enjoyed working with you because, you know, and really all I put myself on the queue to say was congratulations. I mean, you're getting to, you know, get out of the zoo really is the truth. So, you know, for I think the general public is not aware, like we have legislative aides. You might you probably know that because if you've ever bothered us, you will I say bothered if you've ever. Freudian slip there. No, but if you've ever reached out to us, you've probably heard back from the legislative aides. And Cindy is, I guess, in charge of all of them, but really in charge of the whole city council office. And so as meetings get late, you know, we're here from 8 a.m. sometimes till the wee hours of the morning, really. The legislative aides, you know, sometimes they're here late. A lot of them trickle out. I like to tell them it's 5 o'clock, go home. But Cindy is always here every time, struggling with everybody that's here. We're we're leaning on her through late nights. And so we really couldn't function without her. And so that is why I put myself on here literally to say congratulations. You get to go home. You get to rest. I hope you don't watch the meetings. I hope you forget. Yeah, and I look forward to continuing to hear from you, continuing to be friends with you and you getting some rest. I mean, it's every, you know, working person's dream to not have to go anymore. So I'm I'm I'm a little jealous, but I love my job. So we'll leave it there and congrats. And I'll I'll see you very soon. I share. Thank you, Chair. So the reason I had not mentioned Cindy before was because there were explicit instructions that were given to us that Cindy did not want this. But it's happening anyhow. There was a reason why she wasn't on the agenda. And there's no way you can avoid it now, Cindy. So we are talking about you and you're here. And we just want to thank you for everything you have done for us and for the city. So that's the machine that keeps us going. There is a lot of pieces that make a city council run. And it's not just us. It's it's Cindy Shepard in the office and the legislative aides that make sure that we have the materials that make sure that the communication is happening between the mayor's office and city council. And we're getting the right things on the agenda. You do it all and you do it 24 seven. And we get text messages at all times on holidays. That's what the work entails. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you, Cindy, not just for being you and for everything you've done for us, but what you've given to the city for many, many years. You have deserved this retirement. Thank you for preparing. I hate losing Janie, but thank you for preparing Janie to fill in your shoes, which are going to be big shoes to fill. But you've done such a great job for the next generation and for the future of city council by ensuring that everyone's learned from you. And thank you for that. Before we go to Council Member Givens, a big thank you. A big thank you. If you know nothing else about Cindy Shepard, her aides love her. If you don't need to know anything else, her aides love her. That tells you everything. It tells you everything about you. They're all in here. Cindy, it's it's incredible. I wouldn't need to know another thing about you. And that would tell me everything. Cindy is the den mother. And I was I was a Boy Scout. And so that that term has meaning to me, you know, as a kid, being a Boy Scout, having a den mother, the guidance, the keeping the keeping the Icon, the bumper lanes around me. So, you know, this machine isn't broken. By the way, if this were a car, Cindy is the mechanic, except she fixes the car while it's running. 24-7. This is Le Mans. It's incredible. There's one job in this city I would absolutely never do. It's yours. It's the way, the grace, the love. I think Council Member Gabbard hit it on the head. There are days I tell people all the time, this job is awesome. Nine days out of ten, this job is awesome. And the tenth day is exactly what you think it is on a bad day. But on the tenth day, you need somebody with confidence. And Cindy has always been that person in our office. And she's been that for me. And I just, I can't say thank you enough, Cindy. I love you very much. Thank you for everything. And I think if Ed Montaneri and Charlie Gerdes had three minutes, they'd get it too. They'd take their three minutes. But I know they would, Cindy. And so thank you for everything. Do you want to say anything? We won't put the pressure on you. It's up to you. First of all, I do. Good. I want to thank some amazing people here that never get thanked. And that starts right here with Janine and Jackie. These two have always, we've had many chats. And these women are the best. They never get recognized. But they're the best attorneys in the city of St. Petersburg. I worked with law firms for 30 plus years. These, Jackie and Janine and their whole team is amazing. The other one I want to thank is right there, Rob Gerdes. Rob, you walked me off the ledge so many times I did not want to be here. Yes, he did. You and this one. Because you'd hear me and then I'd go home and he'd have the mistake and ask me how my day was at work. But it really has been a pleasure to work with everyone here. I am looking forward to retirement. I think Jack will start baking a whole lot more cookies when I'm home full time. But I will miss you guys. The experiences and the friendships I have gained here have been amazing. And I look forward personally to coming back here as a citizen and speaking right here. And let you guys really know what I think. We're going together. That's right, Brother John. You and me. There's one. But anyway, thank you for everything. I'm really looking forward to being able to spend time with my kids and my grandkids. Do some traveling. My first trip is going to be to Guam to visit my son and his wife who can't be here. Charlie, thank you. We go way back. And I love you. And I actually knew Ed through my brother who never lived in the city of St. Petersburg. Ed and my brother piloted it together with American Airlines. And thank you to all my aides. And Loretta, I love you guys. You've made the last couple of years actually fun to be here. Always something going on. But thank you, everybody. I'm done. Council Member Fitzsanders, thank you for making sure we did that. Council Member Givens. No surprise, Cindy. You're not done. You're just getting started. Happy retirement to you. We will miss you. But to God be the glory for the great things that he has done. I come before you today as a proud American, as a son of St. Pete. My roots are planted deeply in St. Pete's soil. A product of Pinellas County Public Schools. The oldest of four children. A proud graduate of Lakewood High School and the University of South Florida. Go Spartans and go Bulls. A drum major for justice for all. A teacher, a preacher, a family advocate, and a public servant. A descendant of slaves in the historic gas plant district. Son of a single teenage mother who sacrificed it all to give my siblings and I everything. Happy birthday, Mom. What a gift to witness your oldest. What a gift to witness your oldest child take the oath of office. The nephew of a Korean War veteran who, growing up in segregated St. Petersburg, could not sit on the city's infamous green benches. But today, because this is America, the 90-year-old hands that used to pick somebody else's cotton went to the polls and he picked his great-nephew to become St. Petersburg's youngest city council member. Today, he gets to witness me assume my seat on the city's highest bench. So I come before you today as a man who knows that the improbable journey that led me to this place and this historic moment in America could only happen here. We were told that we could not and would not win this election. But today, it's a brand new day. Today, we prove that with faith, hope, hard work, and determination in the people by your side, anything is possible. And I promise you this today that I come to City Hall prepared and equipped to work for all of St. Petersburg, no matter who you cast your vote for in this election. In this moment in American history, Washington has a choice to make. Florida has a choice to make. St. Pete has a choice to make. In fact, we all have a choice to make. Will we continue to divide, distract, and tear down one another rather than build each other up? Will we love our neighbors as we love ourselves? In this moment, I remember when I was a child. My mother used to wake my siblings and I up every morning at dawn. It was morning, but it was still dark. It's dark right now, but morning is coming. The scripture tells us that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Together, we can do the necessary work. Together, we can get in good trouble and win the future for our children. Thank you. May God bless St. Pete, and may God bless America. Council Member Harding. Write myself a note. Don't ever speak after Corey. I tried to wait, but you didn't press your button. Extremely well done. I thank you for the opportunity. I'd like to thank my family and neighbors who came today. It means an awful lot for you all to be here. I, as Councilman Gibbons will tell you, it doesn't really set in until you sit down here. It really doesn't, the election, difficult. Everything that comes after the election is awesome. But sitting here, you start to feel the responsibility of what these eight chairs, along with the mayor and the administration, do for 300,000 people. And it's pretty awesome. So I appreciate the opportunity. I fully understand what's expected of this seat. And I look forward to getting started. So thank you very much. Well, I want to welcome Council Member Harding and Council Member Gibbons to the dais. You know, I think a lot of times there gets thrown out these things about, well, city council is only a part-time job. But if we weren't on the dais, I'd say I'm going to throw the BS flag on that one because it's not. And I know you both know that. And I'm looking forward to 2025 and beyond and watching you serve this great city of ours. And congratulations to both of you. Just quickly, you know, it's very interesting. I'm very blessed. I'm going unopposed. Because it kind of flies under the radar a little bit. And I'm just so thankful to continue to serve the city of St. Petersburg. Very, very thankful and blessed and privileged to serve as your chair for 2025. Looking forward to that privilege and responsibility. But I do just want to say a couple of quick thank yous. I want to say thank you to my wife, my wife, Cecily. Cecily watches every meeting. I don't know why. But, you know, one of the things, and I think my colleagues and, you know, those who are here with us on Thursdays know, like, I struggle with rehashing things. Like, I don't want to double dip. Like, we don't need to do it twice. That's why CES watches the meetings. So I don't have to come home and rehash it. You know, it's an amazing gift. She is my best friend and could not do this without her and puts up with me and puts up with this, too. And she's serving just as much as I am. So thank you. My kids are somewhere. Yeah, that's probably better. I'm less likely to cry. You could see my son running around with his hat on. Again, you know, we talk about being authentic. Sorry, Ed, I don't have socks on. You know, I just, I'm very thankful that my kids get to see me up here being authentic. I think that's the most important, the important thing. And I want to thank my brothers. And there you saw some of my nieces and nephews earlier. Thank you for being here. And then my mom and dad, I get it from them. It's their fault. I love you very much. And then my mother-in-law, Celeste, is also here. Thank you for all the support, both at home, here. I've got the best in-laws on the face of the planet. There's not many people that get to say that. Mine are awesome. Mine are awesome. So anyway, very thankful for 2025. Looking forward to serving with all of you. This next year is your chair. Again, thank you for that vote of confidence. And if there's nothing else, January 2nd, 2025, City Council is adjourned. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, everybody. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, everybody. Thank you, everybody.