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08/18/2025 Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes August 18, 2025 City of Clearwater Main Library - Council Chambers 100 N. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33755 Meeting Minutes Monday, August 18, 2025 1 :00 PM Main Library - Council Chambers Community Redevelopment Agency Page 1 City of Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes August 18, 2025 Roll Call Present 5 - Chair Bruce Rector, Trustee Ryan Cotton, Trustee Michael Mannino, Trustee David Allbritton, and Trustee Lina Teixeira Also Present: Jennifer Poirrier— City Manager, Daniel Slaughter—Assistant City Manager, Alfred Battle —Assistant City Manager, David Margolis — City Attorney, Nicole Sprague — Deputy City Clerk, and Jesus Nino — CRA Executive Director To provide continuity for research, items are listed in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. Unapproved 1. Call to Order — Chair Rector The meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m. 2. Approval of Minutes 2.1 Approve the minutes of the June 2, 2025 CRA meeting as submitted in written summation by the City Clerk. Trustee Teixeira moved to approve the minutes of the June 2, 2025 CRA meeting as submitted in written summation by the City Clerk. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda Kathy Flaherty said she was happy to see that Parks and Recreation posted the Mercado on social media but questioned why the facility is not promoted as a venue one may rent. Bill Jonson shared pictures of The Pier in St. Petersburg and suggested that CRA provide adequate funding for enhanced landscaping at Coachman Park. 4. New Business Items 4.1 Present August Business Spotlight: Consumer Energy Solutions Consumer Energy Solutions is the eighth recipient of the Business Spotlight Program. Located at 1255 Cleveland Street, this energy brokerage firm has operated in Page 2 City of Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes August 18, 2025 Downtown Clearwater for over 25 years. Since 1999, the team has helped more than 1.3 million homes and businesses lower their electricity and natural gas costs through fixed-rate plans. Founded by Patrick Clouden, the company is known for its strong workplace culture and long-standing community involvement. It has been recognized as a Tampa Bay Top Workplace for eight consecutive years and received the Tampa Bay Business Journal's Corporate Philanthropy Award in 2016. Their outreach includes youth drug prevention efforts, support for local events and toy drives, and over two decades of partnership with a tutoring center that serves more than 70 students. Through these efforts, the business continues to make a meaningful impact in Downtown Clearwater while leading with purpose and service. STRATEGIC PRIORITY: 2.1 Strengthen public-private initiatives that attract, develop, and retain diversified business sector. 3.1 Support neighborhood identity through services and programs that empower community pride and belonging. CRA Specialist Tasha Hadley provided PowerPoint presentation. 4.2 Approve the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Business Spotlight Program 2025 that will provide exposure to businesses within the Downtown Clearwater and North Greenwood Community Redevelopment Areas and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) recommends approving Business Spotlight Program 2025 to support its continued goals of attracting residents, visitors, businesses, and employees to Downtown Clearwater and North Greenwood. Over the past year, CRA staff has worked in partnership with business owners and community stakeholders to shape a program that strengthens local connections and recognizes economic and cultural contributions throughout both redevelopment areas. The purpose of the CRA Business Spotlight Program 2025 is to recognize and promote outstanding local businesses that drive economic vitality, reflect community values, and enhance neighborhood pride. Through targeted marketing campaigns, public outreach, and formal recognition, the program will offer meaningful exposure to both longstanding and emerging businesses in the community. Page 3 City of Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes August 18, 2025 This expanded version of the program directly supports the goals of both the 2018 Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan and the 2023 North Greenwood Community Redevelopment Area Plan, specifically: 2018 Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan • People Goals: Downtown shall be a place that attracts residents, visitors, businesses, and their employees and enables the development of community. The City shall encourage a vibrant and active public realm, recreation and entertainment opportunities, and support neighborhoods. • Objective 1 D: Encourage a variety of office-intensive businesses to relocate and expand in Downtown to provide a stable employment center. 2023 North Greenwood CRA Plan • Goal 5: Quality of Life: Sustain a high quality of life through community engagement, access to recreational opportunities, celebrating the unique culture of North Greenwood, improving public health, and protecting the environment. The program will select nine businesses in total, comprised of Legacy Recipients and Spotlight Winners. Legacy Recipients must have been in continuous operation for at least 10 years within the CRA redevelopment boundary areas and meet all standard eligibility criteria. Following program approval by the CRA Trustees, the application window will remain open for four weeks. Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee composed of CRA staff, City of Clearwater representatives, and community stakeholders. Once selections are finalized, participating businesses will be publicly recognized and engaged through coordinated promotional campaigns and events. The proposed program meets the goals of the Downtown Redevelopment Plan the North Greenwood Community Redevelopment Area Plan and provides a partnership opportunity for business owners who wish to establish a sense of community in our redevelopment area. Funding for this program, in an amount not to exceed $5,000, will be used for printing flyers and other marketing to help administer this program as authorized by Florida Statute 163.387(6)(c)1. APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT: Funding for this program, available in the operating budget, will be coded to either the Downtown Clearwater or North Greenwood CRA based on the recipient's geographic location in amount not to exceed $5,000. Page 4 City of Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes August 18, 2025 STRATEGIC PRIORITY: 2.2 Cultivate a business climate that welcomes entrepreneurship, inspires local investment, supports Eco-friendly enterprises, and encourages high-quality growth. 3.1 Support neighborhood identity through services and programs that empower community pride and belonging. 3.3 Promote marketing and outreach strategies that encourage stakeholder engagement, enhancement community education, and build public trust. Trustee Allbritton moved to approve the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Business Spotlight Program 2025 that will provide exposure to businesses within the Downtown Clearwater and North Greenwood Community Redevelopment Areas and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 4.3 Approve a three-year Interlocal Agreement between the Clearwater Community RedevelopmentAgency and the Clearwater Downtown Development Board forthe refund of CRA Tax Increment fees and the provision of personnel, administration, and management services and authorize appropriate officials to execute the same. On August 4, 2025, Downtown Development Board Meeting, the board approved a three-year interlocal agreement for the refund of increment payment and an annual management fee. Florida Statute 163.387 requires all taxing authorities within a Community Redevelopment Area (CRA), including the Downtown Development Board (DDB), to make an annual appropriation equal to the incremental increase in ad valorem revenue generated within the CRA boundaries. Since the Fiscal Year 1999-2000, the CRA has provided personnel, administrative, and management services to the DDB through an Interlocal Agreement, which also includes a refund of the difference between the increment payment and the management fee. In accordance with Florida Statute 163.01, the DDB and CRA are authorized to enter into such agreements. Under this agreement, the DDB will continue to fund and support projects and programs consistent with the Downtown Redevelopment Plan. This proposed three-year Interlocal Agreement reinforces the ongoing collaboration between the DDB and CRA in advancing downtown redevelopment goals. It also includes an annual 5% increase to the CRA management fee over the term of the agreement as follows: Page 5 City of Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes August 18, 2025 FY 2025/2026 - $90,365 FY 2026/2027 - $94,883 FY 2027/2028 - $99,627 Approval is recommended to formalize this partnership and continue effective coordination of downtown initiatives. One individual questioned why the agreement is fora three-year term and suggested it should be for one year as the TIF funds vary from year to year. Trustee Mannino moved to approve a three-year Interlocal Agreement between the Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency and the Clearwater Downtown Development Board for the refund of CRA Tax Increment fees and the provision of personnel, administration, and management services and authorize appropriate officials to execute the same. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 5. Director's Report 5.1 CRA August Director's Report Mr. Nino provided a PowerPoint presentation. He said staff expects Clearwater Gardens to receive their CO (Certificate of Occupancy) by the end of September and to move in tenants during October. Staff is working with Clearwater Gardens on scheduling the ribbon cutting ceremony. He said the PSTA groundbreaking is scheduled forAugust 27, 2025. In response to a question, Mr. Nino said Parks and Recreation is working with a contractor to replace the broken lighting at Coachman Park. 6. Adjourn Page 6 City of Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency Attest Meeting Minutes August 18, 2025 The meeting adjourned at 1:28 p.m. Agency Community p Page 7 City of Clearwater t Redeye o ment