Loading...
05/31/2022 City Council Special Meeting May 31, 2022 City of Clearwater e tl e Meeting Minutes Tuesday, May 31, 2022 6:00 PM Clearwater Beach Recreation Center City Council Special Council Meeting — Strategic Visioning and ARPA Funding Community Meeting Page 1 of 8 City Council Special Meeting May 31, 2022 Roll Call Present: 4 - Mayor Frank Hibbard, Vice Mayor Kathleen Beckman, Councilmember Lina Teixeira, and Councilmember Mark Bunker. Not Present: 1 — Councilmember David Allbritton Also Present: Jon Jennings — City Manager, Michael Delk—Assistant City Manager, and Nicole Sprague — Deputy 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 6:00 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 rankings: 1 - Diversify the Economic Base (more jobs, US 19, expand non-residential tax base) 2— Improve Roadways and Traffic 3— Sustainability(decreasing fossil fuels, solar, planning for sea level rise, decreasing carbon footprint 4 — Quality of Life Services (parks, recreation, libraries, and trails) 5—Affordable Housing 6— Public Safety (police and Fire): 7— Financial Responsibility & Improving City Services 7— Improving City Services One individual expressed concern that there was no mention of improving services for lower income and senior residents, traffic was the most important priority. Page 2 of 8 City Council Special Meeting May 31, 2022 One individual said improved sidewalks are needed on Poinsettia Ave. and East Shore Dr. on Clearwater beach and money should be allocated to McKay Park improvements,- landscaping mprovements,landscaping and shrubs are needed until the new Fire Station is constructed. One individual said affordable housing was their top choice, sidewalks was their last choice and suggested money needed to be put toward mental health for youth who were affected by the pandemic. One individual said there was not much reference to seniors as it relates to services provided and that diversifying income was their first choice and sustainability was their last choice. One individual said affordable and workforce housing was their first priority and said those who have mental health issues and the homeless need more services. One individual said sustainability was the primary issue and is important for future generations. One individual said they would like to hear plans for the bridge traffic to Clearwater beach as it effects residents'day to day life and that beautification was the least important because we live in a beautiful place. The Mayor said the ferry will start up again full force once Coachman Park is done. He said the bridge was originally built to accommodate light rail but when the piers cracked during construction, engineering firms would not certify that the fix would support light rail. One individual expressed concerns regarding sidewalks only being repaired in disadvantaged neighborhoods and that it is time for communities to all look the same. The Mayor said the funding for sidewalks is being triaged and is used where it's needed, the City Manager has made sidewalk repairs a priority and the City is starting to catch up. The most severe sidewalk issues are being addressed first, no matter where in the city they are located. He said to make staff aware if anyone has a broken sidewalk in their neighborhood. One individual asked the City to consider laying more fiber optic in the ground and create a new phone company to offer more choices of service other than Spectrum. One individual said public safety is their first priority as there has been a lot of police activity on the beach recently. Page 3 of 8 City Council Special Meeting May 31, 2022 The Mayor said additional police officers are being requested for the new budget year and said the City is blessed with a good police force. 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. 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 Page 4 of 8 City Council Special Meeting May 31, 2022 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 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. Page 5 of 8 City Council Special Meeting May 31, 2022 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. The City Manager said he has spoken with the County Administrator regarding taking over the City's traffic signals but the fiber needs to be upgraded to make them work. The County has $80 million in transportation and signalization funds. One individual said there is no point in discussing transportation as there is no transportation system to speak of. The City Manager said the City is attempting to help residents navigate the community in a more effective and efficient way. He said the city does not have authority over PSTA. One individual said the funds should be used for the elderly, low income, and youth of Clearwater and provided by way of grants to invest in people and educational programs and not just infrastructure. One individual expressed concern regarding homeless activity in the library. The City Manager said progress has been made over the last couple weeks regarding service provider organizations with plans to bring a centralized facility that includes wrap around services to those who are seeking help. One individual said Safe Harbor is nothing more than a jail diversion center and staff provokes individuals to act in a way that will get them sent to jail. One individual said he was there to speak on behalf of the animal residents and requested additional support as Clearwater is one of the most important nesting places for Loggerhead turtles, the lighting on the beach disorients the new hatchlings that end up dying. One individual said the funds should be used for sustainability, specifically to subsidize residential roof top solar technology as well as provide free wi-fi to all homes in Clearwater. Page 6 of 8 City Council Special Meeting May 31, 2022 Page 7 of 8 City Council 4. Adjourn Attest Special Meeting May 31, 2022 The meeting adjourned at 7:07 p.m. __ / ayor City of Clearwater Page 8 of 8