City of Gulfport/The Gabber
Gulfport City Council voted June 2 to pay C.A.P. Government, Inc. $32,858.94 for April plan review and inspection services.
Council approved Resolution No. 2026-35 in a 5-0 vote. C.A.P. Government, Inc., a Bureau Veritas company, handles contractor permitting services for the City under a managed services model.
The payment also included a budget amendment.
City Uses Outside Permitting Help
Gulfport began reviewing its permitting process after the new Council took office April 1, 2025.
At the time, Council members wanted the City to improve efficiency, responsiveness, and service delivery for residents and contractors. The City then explored third-party permitting services, online payment options, and other changes within the Community Development Department.
Under the current model, C.A.P. Government serves as the primary contact for contractors. The company handles contractor-related plan review, inspections, and building code compliance.
Meanwhile, City staff continues to handle intake, owner-builder permits, permit application processing, and resident-facing customer service.
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That’s not all that happened at the June 2 Gulfport City Council meeting. Read about ADUs, parking, property tax workshop, school resource officer, utility bills, volleyball, and what we overheard.
Staff Supports The Model
City staff praised the partnership in the agenda memo.
Staff said the model improved efficiency, increased responsiveness, and helped the City manage workload demands.
The memo also said the model lets the City access specialized expertise without staffing multiple specialized full-time positions.
In addition, staff said the City recovers contractor permitting and inspection costs through user fees. The memo said the model creates no negative impact on the City’s General Fund.
Permit Numbers Show Workload
The memo showed steady contractor permit activity since the City began using the third-party model.
From October 2025 through March 2026, the City issued 1,233 contractor permits. Monthly totals ranged from 178 permits in December to 220 permits in November.
The City also issued 32 owner-builder permits during that same period.
In April 2026, the City issued 183 contractor permits and 21 owner-builder permits.
Against the Payment
Gulfport resident and former Vice Mayor April Thanos spoke against the payment during public comment.
Thanos said the City hired the company because permit processing was taking too long. However, she said she repeatedly asked for information about the company’s turnaround times but has not received an answer.
“It seems to be imprudent to pay somebody to do it if they aren’t doing better than our department did beforehand,” Thanos said.
She asked how quickly C.A.P. Government now processes permits and whether the company meets the turnaround goals discussed when Council moved toward outside permitting help.
Council did not discuss her concern before voting. All five council members voted yes.
City Retains A Share
The April contractor permitting revenue totaled $41,073.67.
Under the approximate 80/20 split, C.A.P. Government received $32,858.94. The City retained $8,214.73.
The memo stated that Gulfport keeps 100% of owner-builder permit revenue.
The memo also stated that all permitting and inspection fees must support Florida Building Code enforcement activities. Those activities include plan review, inspections, and permitting functions.
Budget Amendment Approved
The resolution included a budget amendment.
The amendment increased General Other Contractual from $350,300 to $383,159. That change added $32,859 to the contractual services budget.
Additionally, the amendment changed General Appropriated Surplus from $1,303,636 to $1,349,352.
The resolution passed unanimously.
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The Gulfport City Council’s next meeting is June 16 at 6 p.m.
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