04/20/2026CLEARWATER DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT BOARD MEETING
April 20, 2026 — 1:00 PM — City Council Chambers
Board Members Present: Chair Bruce Rector; Vice Chair Ryan Cotton; Member David
Allbritton; Member Mike Mannino; Member Lina Teixeira; Member Mikhail Knodortsov;
Member Kevin Tatlici
Also present: Jesus Nino, CRA Director; Owen Kohler, Acting City Attorney; Jennifer
Poirrier, City Manager; Alfred Battle, Assistant City Manager
1. Call to Order. Chair Rector called the meeting to order at1:00 p.m.
2. Approval of Minutes.
2.1 ID#26-0387 Approve the minutes for the March 2, 2026, Downtown
Development Board meeting.
Member Allbritton moved to approve the minutes of the March 2, 2026 Downtown
Development Board meeting.
The motion was seconded. Upon roll call, the vote was:
Ayes: Vice Chair Cotton, Member Allbritton, Member Teixeira, Member Mannino,
Member Tatlici, Member Knodortsov
3. New Business Items
3.1 ID#26-0463 St. Petersburg College Fresh Start Market Event Recap
Presentation.
CRA Division Manager Vickie Shire introduced representatives from St.
Petersburg College to present the Fresh Start Market event recap.
Representatives provided the presentation.
Member Teixeira inquired about student attendance.
Chair Rector commented on the role of St. Petersburg College in the City of
Clearwater.
3.2 ID#26-0460 Approve a High Impact Funding request in an amount not to
exceed $23,760.00 for the Cinco De Mayo Taco Fest, produced by Unimex at
Coachman Park May 3, 2026.
CRA Division Manager Vickie Shire presented the funding request.
Representatives from Unimex were present to respond to .questions.
Discussion included attendance projections, restroom funding considerations,
vendor coordination, and sponsorship and vendor fee adjustments.
Member Teixeira moved to approve the funding request in an amount not to
exceed $23,760. The motion was seconded. Upon roll call, the vote was:
Ayes: Vice Chair Cotton, Member Allbritton, Member Teixeira, Member Mannino,
Member Tatlici, Member Knodortsov
3.3 ID#26-0461 Approve a High Impact Funding request in an amount not to
exceed $30,000 for The Market Marie, at Coachman Park, occurring monthly
from June 2026 through May 2027, with a presentation to include an event
recap of Market Marie from June 2025 through February 2026.
CRA Division Manager Vickie Shire introduced the item. Blair Valentine,
representing The Market Marie, presented the event recap.
Board discussion included event outreach, attendance, vendor capacity, and
long-term financial sustainability.
Member Mannino moved to approve funding in an amount not to exceed
$30,000. The motion was duly seconded.
Upon roll call, the vote was:
Ayes: Vice Chair Cotton, Member Allbritton, Member Teixeira, Member Mannino,
Member Tatlici, Member Knodortsov
3.4 ID#26-0462 Approve the February 2026 Financial Statement for filing.
CRA Director Jesus Nino presented the financial statement.
Member Teixeira moved to approve the February 2026 Financial Statement for
filing. The motion was duly seconded.
Upon roll call, the vote was:
Ayes: Vice Chair Cotton, Member Allbritton, Member Teixeira, Member Mannino,
Member Tatlici, Member Knodortsov
3.5 ID#26-0474 Approve revisions to the Clearwater Downtown
Development Board (DDB) PILOT Micro -Pop -Up Grant Program guidelines.
CRA Division Manager Vickie Shire presented the proposed revisions.
Dan Mahoney, the co-owner of Downtown Pizza Sports Bar and Grille, provided
public comment as an applicant of the Micro -Pop -Up Grant pilot program.
Board discussion included program intent, applicant limitations, funding strategy,
and alignment with other DDB grant programs.
Member Teixeira moved to approve the revisions to the DDB Micro -Pop -Up Grant
Program guidelines, excluding the limitation on the number of times an applicant
may apply.
The motion was duly seconded and upon roll call, the vote was:
Ayes: Vice Chair Cotton, Member Allbritton, Member Teixeira, Member Mannino,
Member Tatlici, Member Knodortsov
3.6 ID#26-0480 Cleveland Street Activation and Mobile Vendor Initiative
Presentation.
CRA Division Manager Eric Santiago presented the initiative.
Discussion included parklet design, public feedback, and mobile vendor
regulations.
3.7 ID#26-0491 Schedule a special Downtown Development Board meeting
for Monday, May 18, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.
CRA Coordinator Brian Ulbricht presented the item. Acting City Attorney Owen
Kohler confirmed Board approval was required.
Member Mannino moved to schedule a Special Downtown Development Board
meeting for Monday, May 18, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. The motion was seconded.
Upon roll call, the vote was:
Ayes: Vice Chair Cotton, Member Allbritton, Member Teixeira, Member Mannino,
Member Tatlici, Member Knodortsov
4. Director's Report.
4.1 ID#26-0475 Director's Report for April 2026
CRA Director Jesus Nino presented the report.
City Manager Jennifer Poirrier noted that the Country Thunder event will allow
reentry, enabling guests to visit downtown merchants during the event.
Board members expressed appreciation for staff efforts.
5. Board Members to be Heard
6. Adjournment. The meeting was adjourned at 2:11 p.m.
Chair
Downtown Development Board