03/18/2020 City Council Meeting Minutes March 18, 2020
City of Clearwater
Main Library- Council Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
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Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
5:00 PM
Emergency Council Meeting
Main Library - Council Chambers
City Council
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City of Clearwater
City Council Meeting Minutes March 18, 2020
Roll Call
Present: 5 - Mayor George N. Cretekos, Councilmember Jay Polglaze,
Councilmember Hoyt Hamilton, Vice Mayor Bob Cundiff and
Councilmember David Allbritton
Also Present: William B. Horne I I — City Manager, Michael Delk—Assistant City
Manager, Pamela K. Akin City Attorney, and Rosemarie Call — City
Clerk
To provide continuity for research, items are listed in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
1. Call to Order— Mayor Cretekos
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. in Council Chambers at the
Main Library.
2. City Manager Reports
2.1 Confirm a declaration of a state of emergency, establish COVID-19 emergency
measures and adopt Resolution 20-11.
The City Manager said for the past several weeks Emergency Manager
Jevon Graham and staff have been monitoring the federal, state and
county actions related to COVID-19, as well as participating on county
conference calls. Given the CDCs recommended measures, Governor
De Santis'declaration of emergency and emergency order, and Pinellas
County's declaration of emergency and emergency orders, the City of
Clearwater is compelled to issue its own declaration of emergency and
emergency resolution that will assist the city government in reducing the
spread of COVID-19 among its staff, visitors and guests. He said the
resolution before Council does not include a provision addressing a
beach closure, there was no support at today's county emergency
management meeting for a beach closure among the other beach
communities participating on the call. Mr. Graham reviewed Resolution
20-11 and the restrictions outlined in the resolution.
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City Council Meeting Minutes March 18, 2020
In response to questions, the City Manager said during today's call there
was an acknowledgment made that if Clearwater Beach closed other
beaches may close. The Pinellas County Board of Commissioners are
meeting on Friday.
Three individuals opposed closing Clearwater Beach.
In response to questions, Police Chief Daniel Slaughter said some of the
beaches in Miami-Dade were closed during certain hours but the
information changes daily. There are no curfews for Clearwater Beach, it is
open 24 hours a day. Both closing the beach and enforcing social
distancing present challenges, the density present at the beach today
was not significant but if the density gets busy as it was last weekend,
enforcing social distancing will be complicated and problematic. He said
if the beachgoer density is already high, he will not be able to change that
and will be forced to implement a social distancing strategy. As it relates
to established hours of operation, it would be difficult to clear out the
beach at 4:00 p.m., the beach typically thins out after sunset. The City
Attorney said the cities of Tampa, Palm Beach, South Miami Beach,
Miami Beach and Ft. Lauderdale have closed their beaches.
Discussion ensued with concerns expressed that closing Clearwater
Beach would only push beachgoers to other beaches in the area. It was
stated that the resolution before Council mirrors the county resolution
and that the beach can accommodate social distancing. A comment
made that Clearwater Beach should close since Spring Training has
been cancelled and city recreation centers are closing.
Councilmember Polglaze moved to amend Section 7 to close
Clearwater Beach. The motion was duly seconded.
The City Attorney said the amendment would include closing all public
bathing beaches, public beach access, Courtney Campbell recreation area,
Beachwalk, Sand Key, Bayside Park, and public beach parking lots in the
City of Clearwater as determined by the Emergency Manager Director.
She said closure of the parking lots are determined by the Emergency
Management Director and will be closed as he sees fit. The
motion was duly seconded.
In response to a suggestion the City Attorney said Council may review
the provisions listed in the resolution every two weeks, staff direction to
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City of Clearwater
City Council Meeting Minutes March 18, 2020
amend the resolution timeframe will be needed.
The motion was withdrawn.
Councilmember Polglaze moved to close Clearwater Beach for two
weeks. The motion was duly seconded.
One individual opposed the beach closure and suggested enacting the
closure on Monday.
One individual said that the beach will be closed in two weeks anyway
since many of the vacation rental reservations are being cancelled.
In response to a question, the City Attorney said Council may amend
the resolution to allow council meetings, as written, the council would
meet as needed. The new councilmembers elected at yesterday's
election would take office when the election results are certified. She said
the beach closure would not impact restaurants and businesses,just the
sand.
Councilmember Hamilton moved to amend the motion to make the
beach closure effective Monday, March 23, 2020 at 6:00 a.m. The
motion was duly seconded and carried with the following vote:
Ayes: 4 - Mayor Cretekos, Councilmember Polglaze, Councilmember Hamilton
and Vice Mayor Cundiff
Nays: 1 - Councilmember Allbritton
Councilmember Polglaze moved to amend Section 4 so that the
resolution takes effect on March 18, 2020 with the exception of Section
2.7 which takes effect on Monday, March 23 for 15 days. The motion
was duly seconded.
One individual spoke in opposition.
One individual questioned the action taken by Council.
It was stated that the closure impacts the public beach and not the
restaurants or businesses. The City Attorney said alcohol services at
restaurants will close at 10:00 p.m.
Upon the vote being taken, the motion carried as follows:
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City Council
Meeting Minutes March 18, 2020
Ayes: 4 - Mayor Cretekos, Councilmember Polglaze, Councilmember Hamilton
and Vice Mayor Cundiff
Nays: 1 - Councilmember Allbritton
Councilmember Polglaze moved to amend Section 2.1 by striking
"regular meetings of council." The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
Councilmember Hamilton moved to confirm a declaration of a
state of emergency and establish COVID-19 emergency
measures. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Resolution 20-11 was presented and read by title only.
Councilmember Polglaze moved to adopt Resolution 20-11 as
amended. The motion was duly seconded and upon roll call,
carried with the following vote:
Ayes: 4 - Mayor Cretekos, Councilmember Polglaze, Councilmember Hamilton
and Vice Mayor Cundiff
Nays: 1 - Councilmember Allbritton
3. City Attorney Reports — None.
4. Closing comments by Councilmembers (limited to 3 minutes) - None.
5. Closing Comments by Mayor - None.
6. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 6:08 p.m.
Attest o ayor
,° City of Clearwater
City Clerk
City of Clearwater
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