05/24/2022 City Council Special Meeting May 24, 2022
City of Clearwater
tl
e
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, May 24, 2022
6:00 PM
Morningside Recreation Center
City Council
Special Council Meeting — Strategic Visioning and ARPA Funding
Community Meeting
Page 1 of 7
City Council Special Meeting May 24, 2022
Roll Call
Present: 3 - Mayor Frank Hibbard, Vice Mayor Kathleen Beckman, and
Councilmember Mark Bunker.
Not Present: 2 — Councilmember David Allbritton and Councilmember Lina
Teixeira
Also Present: Jon Jennings — City Manager, Micah Maxwell —Assistant
City Manager, Michael Delk—Assistant City Manager, 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 Hibbard
The meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m.
2. Strategic Visioning — Mayor Hibbard
Mayor Hibbard welcomed those in attendance and said the first part of the meeting
would be dedicated to strategic planning. Community feedback will help guide City
Council in developing the City's budget, aligning the City's limited resources with
citizens'desires.
He asked attendees to rate the following categories, with 8 being the most important
and 1 the least important: Neighborhoods, Improving Roadways and Traffic,
Sustainability, Quality of Life (parks, rec centers, and libraries), Improving City Services,
Economic Base (diversify it), Public Safety (Police and Fire), and Infrastructure (pipes,
roadways, and city buildings). He said the budget is critically important as it reflects
council priorities.
The Mayor reported the following scores:
Affordable Housing: 228
Quality of Life Services (parks, recreation, libraries, and trails): 197
Neighborhoods: 194
Sustainability (decreasing fossil fuels, solar, planning for sea level rise, decreasing
carbon footprint): 168
Improve Infrastructure (streets, sidewalks, sewers and pies): 132
Page 2 of 7
City Council Special Meeting May 24, 2022
Diversify the Economic Base (more jobs, US 19, expand non-residential tax base): 130
Improve Roadways and Traffic: 115
Public Safety (police and Fire): 115
Financial Responsibility. 113
Improving City Services: 61
One individual supported affordable housing and commented that the City should not be
comfortable with people being homeless or families being split-up.
One individual supported infrastructure as their first priority because it is more than
roadways. More infrastructure is needed to facilitate the increased demand for
carpooling and bike lanes.
One individual said that "Diversify the Economic Base" was their last priority because
they were concerned with the 8-story building complex being constructed. More
consideration should be given to the surrounding homes.
One individual supported affordable housing and expressed concerns that prospective
homebuyers cannot find anything within their price range.
One individual supported Neighborhoods and expressed concerns with the lack of
sidewalk maintenance in the City 's older neighborhoods.
One individual said they placed all of their rating points in Sustainability; none of the
priorities matter if the community does not have a livable environment.
One individual supported affordable housing and expressed concerns that affordable
housing requirements in new developments are watered down during contract
negotiations. Support was expressed for city economic development initiatives that
assist local contractors and small businesses.
One individual supported infrastructure and public safety. A concern was expressed that
the City continues to annex properties into city limits but has not increased police
staffing.
One individual supported affordable hosing and said that there is not enough available
affordable housing units and the wait lists are long. The individual also supported
infrastructure, which are needed to address vehicular traffic at Clearwater beach and
lack of parking.
One individual supported Neighborhoods and expressed concerns that many residents
at Prospect Towers are being forced out due to rent increases.
One individual supported affordable housing. A concern was expressed that individuals
who have housing vouchers cannot find units within the City.
Page 3 of 7
City Council Special Meeting May 24, 2022
3. ARPA Funding
The City Manager said the City will receive $22,483,893 under the American Rescue
Plan Act (ARPA) program. Funds must be encumbered by 2024 and spent by 2026.
Due to the timeframes, projects and programs identified to use ARPA funds should be
close to shovel ready as possible. Staff has recommended the following proposed
projects:
1. Startup funding for North Greenwood Community Redevelopment Agency- $5
million.
These funds will help the North Greenwood Community Redevelopment Agency
start its redevelopment efforts. Because the Community Redevelopment
Agency's future funding is predicated on increasing the taxable value of the
properties within the area, staff believes an initial investment in the neighborhood
is appropriate to jumpstart these efforts. A centerpiece of the area is the North
Ward School which the City has acquired and is ready to redevelop. Many other
efforts are currently being planned in this area which is generally defined as a
roughly 1.31-square-mile area to the north and northeast of downtown.
2. Fiber Upgrades and Broadband Connectivity- $3.5 million
These funds will be used to upgrade the City's traffic management infrastructure,
which will allow for better traffic management by using an Intelligent Traffic
System that can be integrated with regional partner's systems. This will allow for
a better flow of traffic, which will have positive benefits in the areas of local job
creation, travel time to/from work, and sustainability. Additionally, the
infrastructure upgrades create a more secure network infrastructure for the City
to protect city assets and enhance provided services.
3. Affordable Housing - $3.3 million
Housing projects will include down payment assistance, rehabilitation and new
construction of single-family and multi-family homes, and energy efficiency
improvements such as installation of cool roofs and solar panels when
practicable. These funds will be used to assist households with incomes between
80 and 120 percent Area Median Income. While this income bracket will be the
primary target, worthwhile projects assisting households below 80 percent Area
Mean Income will also be considered.
4. Street and Sidewalk Improvements - $2 million
These funds will be used to expedite roadway, curb and sidewalk improvements
in low-income communities. Approximately$1.8 million will be spent on
milling/resurfacing roadways and approximately$320,000 will be spent on
sidewalk and curb improvements. This $2 million will be in addition to the $5.2 to
$5.7 million that is budgeted annually for street and sidewalk improvements.
Page 4 of 7
City Council Special Meeting May 24, 2022
5. Solar Panels for City Facilities - $2 million
These funds would be used to kick off the City's solar installation program on city
buildings. These investments will help reduce the costs related to energy use,
allowing for operational funds to be reallocated or tax rates reduced.
6. Pinellas Community Foundation - $1 million
Pinellas Community Foundation will solicit, evaluate and award up to $1,000,000
to a nonprofit organization that offers an innovative and impactful concept for
affordable and attainable housing in the City of Clearwater. Awardee must be
able to complete the project by September 30, 2026.
7. Nonprofit Cultural Affairs Funding - $1 million
These funds are proposed as a grant-based program. Nonprofit organizations in
Clearwater that provide services within Clearwater will have an opportunity to
request funding for programs that focus on cultural affairs. These could include
area markets, concert or theatre events, or other community social opportunities
that are trying to become financially feasible or who need financial assistance
getting back to pre-pandemic levels of effectiveness.
8. Education — Grants or Partnerships - $1 million
These funds will be used to provide a grant or partnership opportunity with a
nonprofit or government entity for programs that focus on educational
opportunities targeting students who have fallen behind academically due to the
pandemic.
9. State Street Park Improvements - $700,000
This project will provide for the development of State Street Park, located on the
southwest corner of State Street and North Betty Lane. This property was
purchased more than 30 years ago for the purpose of developing a neighborhood
park. The present homeowner association has been very active in promoting this
park and desires to have additional park improvements. Development of the park
would preserve the tree canopy and allow the park to remain in as much of its
natural state as possible. Development could include improved open field play
areas and the addition of a playground, nature/walking trails, fencing, water
fountain, parking, signage and other park amenities. Invasive plant species would
also be removed from the park.
10. Clearwater Main Library Info Hub - $625,000
This project would transform the first floor of the Main Library into a one-stop
destination that supports and enhances citizen use of the new Coachman Park
and downtown by relocating the library's most-used resources and services. To
support this one-stop model, part of the reference and circulation staff would join
to create an "information hub"on the first floor where patrons could get any
Page 5 of 7
City Council Special Meeting May 24, 2022
technical or library support or information about activities in Coachman Park.
11. Reimburse the City for COVID Expenses - $2,358,893
The City expended$1,379,498 of General Fund operating budget on the
Clearwater Back to Business Grant and Professional Services Program during
fiscal years 2020 and 2021. Additionally, the City expended$1,741,242 city-wide
on premium pay and vacation accruals for essential employees during the
pandemic, per the City's emergency deployment and compensation policy. These
two expenditure categories total $3,120,700 and staff is recommending
$2,358,893 of reimbursement.
The City Manager said staff will be collecting input regarding the use of ARPA funds on
the City's website and at the three upcoming strategic vision/ARPA meetings.
One individual supported using ARPA funds to address code enforcement issues found
in neighborhoods, instead of fining homeowners, provide assistance to reach
compliance.
One individual requested assurance that properties in the North Greenwood community
will not become unattainable as the area is redeveloped.
In response to questions, the City Manager said staff has met with PSTA regarding fiber
upgrades for smart signal systems, reducing the circulation time of buses equipped with
detectable transponders. He said he is working with PSTA and the Jolley Trolley for a
more robust transportation system in the area.
One individual suggested the funds be used for a light rail system and expressed
concerns with the number of homeless in the Mian Library.
The City Manager said Imagine Clearwater includes plans to open the ground floor of
the Main Library and make it more active. There is ample space in the Library to move
the collection to an upper floor.
One individual suggested using the ARPA funds to assist businesses impacted by
COVID.
The City Manager said there are grant programs for small businesses available via the
Economic Development & Housing Department and Community Redevelopment
Agency.
One individual suggested using funds to install child-friendly playground equipment at
Crest Lake Park and bringing back the small neighborhood parks.
One individual expressed concern with the lack of diversity among city staff.
One individual expressed concern with the City's website; it reflects the community's
welcoming sprit but lacks its diversity.
Page 6 of 7
City Council Special Meeting May 24, 2022
The City Manager said staff is in the process of updating the website, hopefully
addressing the concerns raised tonight.
One individual suggested using ARPA funds to assist residents obtaining solar panels,
making their home more energy efficient, and installing WiFi throughout the community.
One individual suggested using the ARPA funds for affordable housing projects, instead
of the Pinellas Community Foundation proposal.
One individual supported the community meetings and suggested that the City
approach the EPA for beach renourishment funds.
4. Adjourn
Attest
The meeting adjourned at 7:44 p.m.
ayor
City of Clearwater
Page 7 of 7