06/28/2006 - Town Meeting
CITY COUNCIL TOWN HALL MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
June 28, 2006
Present: Frank Hibbard Mayor
Carlen Petersen Vice-Mayor
Hoyt P. Hamilton Councilmember
William C. Jonson Councilmember
John Doran Councilmember
Also present: William B. Horne II City Manager
Garry Brumback Assistant City Manager
Rod Irwin Assistant City Manager
Pamela K. Akin City Attorney
Cynthia E. Goudeau City Clerk
Brenda Moses Board Reporter
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. at the Main Library.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
A 30-minute discussion was held among citizens and staff regarding proposed Penny 3
(Penny for Pinellas) projects.
The Mayor requested input. He noted that tourist dollars help fund Penny for Pinellas
projects. After review of original proposals, the City Council reduced projected funding for
Downtown Streetscaping, increased funding for neighborhood traffic calming and Ruth Eckerd
Hall, and added a senior citizens center. All recommended projects support the City Council’s
Vision.
Proposed projects: 1) Police Equipment Shelter - $2,833,250; 2) Police Homicide
Vehicle - $150,000; 3) Clearwater Beach Station Fire Renovation - $4,147,910; 4) Lakeview Fire
Station Renovation - $4,755,560; 5) Countryside Fire Station Renovation - $4,648,460; 6)
Downtown Streetscaping - $12,500,000; 7) Highland Ave Widening - Union Street to Sunset
Point Road - $2,500,000; 8) Bayshore Boulevard Realignment North of Drew Street -
$2,500,000; 9) Downtown Parking - $6,250,000; 10) Coachman Park Redevelopment -
$5,000,000; 11) Youth Sports Fields Renovations & Improvements - $7,000,000; 12)
Neighborhood Parks Renovations & Improvements - $5,000,000; 13) Recreation Trails -
$3,000,000; 14) Countryside Family Aquatics Center Development - $2,500,000; 15) Municipal
Marina Parking Garage - $12,500,000; 16) City-wide Seawall Replacement - $1,250,000; 17)
Countryside Branch Library Expansion & Renovation - $6,250,000; 18) East Branch Library
Expansion & Renovation - $6,250,000; 19) Library Technology - $1,250,000; 20) New City Hall
& Parking Garage - $25,000,000; 21) City-wide Wireless Mesh - $3,125,000, 22) Ruth Eckerd
Hall - $4,000,000; and 23) Senior Citizen facility - $3.5 million.
Public Communications Director Doug Matthews estimated the City will receive $138
million in Penny funds during 2010-19.
Public comments/questions:
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Senior Center: 1) East Library and St. Petersburg College should partner and establish it
and 2) Encourage interaction between age groups by establishing senior activities at all City
recreation centers.
Downtown: 1) Add skatepark in or nearby; 2) How funding the promenade relates to boat
slips; 3) Significant Penny funds are being allocated for downtown projects; 4) Concern with $25
million allocation for parking garage and City Hall to be used by 50 people; 5) Downtown has
nothing but the Harborview Center to draw people and funding projects there is wasteful; 6) The
City should be realistic about spending money in Downtown; 7) Businesses may benefit If
condos are built; 8) Downtown is not the heart of the City: and 9) Support expressed for
continued downtown development.
Penny for Pinellas: 1) Request for information on previous projects planned and process
to add/delete projects; 2) If Penny does not pass, which projects would be retained; 3) What are
Councilmember’s top and bottom Penny priorities; 4) Recommendation that staff collect each
attendees’ top and bottom choices; 5) That Council not give away City assets to private
concerns; 6) That police and fire protection remain a top priority; and 7) That the City should be
congratulated for encouraging citizen input.
Traffic Calming: 1) Which neighborhoods have been identified, and 2) Project needed
south of Sunset Point Road.
North and South Greenwood: 1) Appreciation expressed for completed projects and 2)
The Panthers use Jack Russell Stadium fields.
Countryside: 1) Penny 1 and 2 included only $500,000 for Countryside; 2) Concern
expressed it is treated as a bedroom community; 3) Countryside Library’s overcrowding needs
priority attention; and 4) Appreciation for Countryside Aquatic Center and recommendation that
it be prioritized.
Clearwater beach: 1) Taxpayers should be able to use beach parking they will be paying
for; 2) Parking garages are needed at the north and south beaches, not at the Marina; 3) The
City should ensure that taxpayers have parking; 4) Increasing public parking should be a
priority; 5) Construct parking garage with viewing dock at Rockaway Beach; 6) Use a vessel for
beach parking until parking garage is built; 7) People prefer parking at the beach instead of at a
railway station; 8) Add lifeguards to beach at Kendall Street; 9) Status of Jolley Trolley and
public transit questioned; and 10) Increase police patrols for tourist protection.
Marina: 1) Marina could be large profit center and 2) Private management of public
marinas has been unsuccessful elsewhere.
Miscellaneous: 1) Upgrade recreation centers, especially Morningside, and keep
providing children programs, and 2) Businesses are driven by the needs of the people.
Council and staff responded to citizen comments.
Penny for Pinellas: If the Penny does not pass, most listed projects will be eliminated
unless taxes are increased or other services are eliminated. Severe cuts Countywide could
occur. As Penny funds must to be used for infrastructure, the City is able to fund other projects
that otherwise may not happen. Few previously proposed projects were not completed. The
City carefully monitors costs. Public safety issues always take precedence. Facility
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construction creates ongoing operating costs. Staff is optimistic that proposed projects will not
increase staff significantly. The Council feels that funds are spread judiciously throughout the
City and does not want to prioritize projects until after receiving public input.
Traffic calming: Neighborhoods have been identified and intermediate solutions for traffic
calming solutions have been developed. Traffic calming does not always solve problems and
can cause difficulties for emergency vehicles.
Senior Center: Staff is discussing a potential partnership with St. Petersburg College for
a senior center. The East Library is too small.
Jack Russell Stadium: The site is being considered for redevelopment to benefit the
community, possibly with affordable housing, mixed uses, and youth recreation fields.
Countryside: More than $13 million in Penny funds is slated for Countryside. Plans are
to expand the Countryside library.
Downtown: City Hall was slated for replacement years ago. Downtown parking is
necessary to attract people. Parking garage construction costs depend on land costs. People
will go where services are located. The Downtown is the heart of the City, as it is historic.
Clearwater needs to take advantage of the opportunity to revitalize it.
Neighborhoods make a community. Recreational fields are located wherever possible.
A second skatepark most likely would be built in another part of the City. Clearwater is fortunate
to have a beach and a waterfront. Some Penny 3 projects were identified by residents who
participated in a City-sponsored charette several years ago. It was hoped that the Pinellas
Mobility Initiative will fund a transit study.
Mr. Matthews encouraged citizens to register for City e-mail updates and press releases.
The meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
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