INTEGRITY
COMMON SENSE
TRANSPARENCY
For a City Council That Listens to You.
Greg Julian brings much-needed perspective to the council, focusing on:
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FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY – With the likely potential for the Governor to put elimination of the Homesteaded property taxes on the ballot this November, Punta Gorda urgently needs to identify new sources of revenue to replace the funds that will be eliminated. I propose to annex existing commercial properties that are already in our water service area but not within our city limits - so we receive no property taxes from them. Unfortunately, due to the repealed Land Development Regulations we cannot do any annexation right now because the developments don't know what rules they will be subject to. SO, MY IMMEDIATE PRIORITY IS GETTING THE LDRS RESOLVED.
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CONTINUED EMPHASIS ON INFRASTRUCTURE –
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Expansion of the revers osmosis plant and well fields is at the top of the list. During the dry season, our water demand sometimes our capacity to produce potable water and we must prioritize expansion of our capacity. We received State Rotating Fund Supplemental Appropriation for Hurricanes Helene and Milton funding for this project, but we need to continue to seek additional sources for the balance of the cost.
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Replacement of our failed water meters is another high priority - the vast majority of the meters have failed since Hurricane Ian in 2022. We have a temporary contract in place to physically read the meters each cycle. We made a request for a legislative appropriation for funds to ease the burden on our residents and we have recently learned it made it into this year's State Budget in the amount of $1 Million. I quickly drafted and sent a letter to Governor DeSantis and recruited Team Punta Gorda and the Chamber of Commerce to do the same. It remains to be seen if it will survive the budget process.
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Replacement of water service infrastructure - much of it is at the end of its lifecycle and we frequently have water main breaks and boil water orders. Upgrading master and booster wastewater pump stations, including pumps, motors, telemetry, communications, electrical equipment, and emergency generators are among the many things that need to be addressed.
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Historic District Infrastructure - Bethel St. Marks area. This neighborhood has been identified since 2019 as needing upgrades to sidewalks, drainage and lighting but has been unfunded. I will prioritize funding this project with funds from the 1% Sales Tax.
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There are numerous traffic safety hazards at pedestrian pathways around Punta Gorda that urgently need to be addressed.
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RESILIENCE
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Comprehensive Flood Study - We have commissioned a comprehensive flood study to determine possible mitigation measures. I have made connections with the Army Corps of Engineers who are eager to see the recommendations of the study to see if there are recommended projects that they can assist us with. This study is critical to being eligible to compete for the millions of Resilient Florida grant funds that will be necessary to implement any of the proposed recommendations.
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American Flood Coalition - I was recently invited to participate in the American Flood Coalition's Local Elected Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C.
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AFC's Funding Finder Tool - This free tool streamlines the complex process of searching through 900 funding sources across 26 agencies. AFC synthesized the most relevant flood-risk-related programs and built an interactive, user-friendly online tool.
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FEMA Act - AFC contributed significantly to the Commission appointed to make FEMA disaster recovery programs faster, simpler, and more effective for local communities.
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Overhaul FEMA Public Assistance program to provide upfront funding and imposing a 120-day shot clock on FEMA to review and release program dollars.
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Reduce complexity and cut red tape by creating a universal application to replace the different maze of federal agencies to navigate.
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Unlock innovation by expanding FEMA's use of innovative technologies, such as drones, to expedite damage assessments.
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Meetings with State Legislators - AFC organized a day on the Hill for us to meet with our respective Legislators/staff.
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City/FDOT Storm Drain Improvements - Public Works has purchased a Remotely Controlled Camera that can inspect the condition of our storm drains so we can prioritize repairs or replacement. 20 Storm Drains have been identified as needing repair or replacement - four have been repaired.
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COMPLETE THE LOOP - UNITE THE COMMUNITY
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This is my long-range plan to complete the Punta Gorda Pathways project by pursuing the funds and means to complete the loop.
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Cooper Street Complete Street - Completing a critical link between the existing Harborwalk and the proposed Cooper Street Pathway will provide access to various destination points and a safe route to commercial, medical, retail, historical, and downtown areas of Punta Gorda.
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Airport Road Complete Street - Will improve resident connectivity to the Tamiami Trail (US 41) business corridor for daily needs and connect to the existing Punta Gorda Pathways segments on US 41 and Shreve Street
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Serving the Community – Listening to the voices of Punta Gorda residents is essential to guiding the Council in making decisions for the community. I conduct monthly town halls to gather input from the community on matters the council will vote on. I also meet with individuals frequently and respond to emails promptly.
MEET GREG JULIAN
Dedicated to Public Service
Our Mission
Greg Julian's mission is to represent the people of Punta Gorda in ensuring, through responsible development, that the character and economic viability of this small-town community remains consistent with the beauty and peacefulness that attracted us here.
Greg will help realign budget priorities consistent with the community's desire to have reliable water service, safe evacuation routes and safe pedestrian pathways. He will fight to protect and restore our harbor estuary to attract boaters and fishing enthusiasts that contribute to the economic viability of our community.
Vision for the Future
• A City Council that makes decisions and set priorities that meet the needs and desires of the people of Punta Gorda.
• A city where all residents feel they have a voice in the direction and future of the community to maintain the waterfront charm that attracted us here.
• A city that promotes inclusion of the spectrum of members of our historic community as well as improving the beauty and activity to draw tourism and responsible growth for the economic viability of our community.
• A city that prioritizes infrastructure and safety investments within the budget.