Small‑business districts ask St. Petersburg council for larger allotments; motion to reallocate $80,000 withdrawn

Nicole Waters, president of the Edge District, told the City Council that Main Street districts coordinate programming, cleanups and events that support hundreds of local businesses and argued the city should raise its annual support from $55,000 to $75,000 per district.

"We're here today to respectfully and enthusiastically request an increase in the annual city support from $55,000 to $75,000 per district," Waters said, emphasizing districts’ role organizing events such as Halloween on Central and leveraging memberships, grants and volunteer time.

Council members debated whether city administration could make the change administratively or whether council action was required. City staff advised that no new spending was recommended in the cleanup ordinance before the council and that changing the ordinance would require a brief recess so staff could present a redline version showing precise edits.

Council Member Gina Driscoll moved to allocate $80,000 — $20,000 to each of the four Main Street districts — taken from the economic development budget; the motion was seconded by Council Member Gibbons. After staff said the ordinance language would need to be changed and displayed for precision, Driscoll withdrew the motion and said she would not ask the council to take a recess.

Council members agreed to continue the matter through the normal procedural paths: staff and councilors recommended either a separate resolution appropriating contingency funds, a new business item for council consideration, or referral to the Economic and Workforce Development Committee; Council members indicated they planned to bring a resolution or new business item for the December or January schedule and to consult district leaders on exact dollar amounts.

No formal funding change was adopted at the meeting.