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Newly elected St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch wants your input into shaping the city's future

St. Petersburg Mayoral candidate Ken Welch (D) greets Caitlyn Roland, 21, a USF student while having coffee with his wife Donna and daughter Kenya,18, at Kahwa Coffee Rasters in downtown St. Petersburg on Tues., Nov. 2, 2021.
Octavio Jones
/
WUSF Public Media
St. Petersburg mayor-elect Ken Welch greets Caitlyn Roland, 21, a USF student, while having coffee with his wife Donna and daughter Kenya, 18, at Kahwa Coffee Rasters in downtown St. Petersburg on Tues., Nov. 2, 2021.

St. Petersburg's newly elected mayor will hold three separate "community conversations" on topics including housing and the environment.

Newly elected St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch will hold a series of public meetings in December to seek the public’s input into shaping the city’s future.

According to a release, Welch will hold “community conversations” in which residents will be able to weigh in on five topics:

  • Education and Youth Opportunities
  • Equitable Development and Business Opportunities
  • Neighborhood Health and Safety
  • Environment, Infrastructure, and Resilience
  • Housing Opportunities for All

“Listening to our community is my top priority and one of the most important things we can do,” Welch said in the release. “This is a great opportunity for our residents to come together to share strategies and ideas to make our great city a better place to live for all.”

Two of the sessions will be held at the USF St. Petersburg Student Center, 200 6th Ave. S., and one will be virtual:

  • Fri., Dec. 10: 1-4 p.m.
  • Sat., December 11: 9 a.m.-noon
  • Mon., Dec. 13: 6-8 p.m. (virtual)

Up to 300 people will be permitted to attend each session, and those interested in participating are asked to apply online.

Welch, a former Pinellas County commissioner, was elected St. Petersburg’s first Black mayor in November, topping City Councilman Robert Blackmon with more than 60% of the vote.

He succeeds Rick Kriseman, St. Petersburg’s mayor since 2014, and will take office on Jan. 6.

I wasn't always a morning person. After spending years as a nighttime sports copy editor and page designer, I made the move to digital editing in 2000. Turns out, it was one of the best moves I've ever made.
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