10/04/2017 CLEARWATER DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT BOARD MEETING
October 4, 2017–5:30 PM – City Hall – Council Chambers
Members Present: Paris Morfopoulos Chairman
Thomas Wright Member
Tony Starova Member
Stu Sjouwerman Member
Caitlein Jammo Member
Lina Teixeira Member
Also Present: Bill Jonson Ex-Officio/Councilmember
Doreen Caudell Ex-Officio/Councilmember
Anne Fogarty France Board Administrator
Seth Taylor Community Redevelopment Agency Director
Absent: Dennis Bosi Vice-Chairman
1. Chairman Morfopoulos called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. asking the board and
Ex-officio members to introduce themselves.
2. Citizens Comments--Items not on the agenda—No comments.
3. Oaths of Office—Caitlein Jammo and Lina Teixeira were sworn in as the newest Board members.
4. Adopt Resolution 04-17 Recognizing the Efforts of the Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers
Before, During, and After Hurricane Irma
Member Starova moved to adopt Resolution 04-17. The motion was duly seconded.
Member Teixiera read the resolution. Member Wright thanked the volunteers for their efforts.
Chairman Morfopoulos introduced the members from the Church. Member Starova stated he
would like to strike the last sentence ("Something Can Be Done About it!") from the resolution.
Discussion ensued.
Member Starova moved to amend his motion by removing the last sentence. The motion
was duly seconded and upon roll call the vote was:
"Ayes": Member Starova, Member Sjouwerman and Member Teixeira.
"Nays": Member Morfopoulos, Member Wright and Member Jammo.
Motion as amended failed by a vote of 3 to 3.
The members voted on the original motion to adopt the resolution.
Upon roll call, the vote was:
"Ayes": Member Morfopoulos, Member Wright, Member Starova, Member Sjouwerman,
Member Jammo and Member Teixeira.
"Nays": None.
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Motion carried.
5. Approve the Minutes from the September 6, 2017, Meeting
Member Wright moved to approve the minutes from the September 6, 2017, meeting. The
motion was duly seconded and upon roll call, the vote was:
"Ayes": Member Morfopoulos, Member Wright, Member Starova, Member Sjouwerman,
Member Jammo and Member Teixeira.
"Nays": None.
Motion carried.
6. Approve the Minutes from the September 18, 2017, Meeting
Ex-Officio Member Jonson had one correction on the minutes. He asked that under Final
Comments for him it be changed from "they" to "he."
Member Sjouwerman moved to approve the minutes as amended from the September 18,
2017, meeting. The motion was duly seconded and upon roll call, the vote was:
"Ayes": Member Morfopoulos, Member Wright, Member Starova, Member Sjouwerman,
Member Jammo and Member Teixeira.
"Nays": None.
Motion carried.
7. Adopt August 2017 Financial Statement for Filing
Member Wright moved to adopt the August 2017 Financial Statement for filing. The motion
was duly seconded and upon roll call, the vote was:
"Ayes": Member Morfopoulos, Member Wright, Member Starova, Member Sjouwerman,
Member Jammo, and Member Teixeira.
"Nays": None.
Motion carried.
8. Appoint DDB Election Canvassing Committee Members. The Board needs to appoint two
members who are not up for reelection to assist the Supervisor of Elections with the Board
election on October 10, 2017, at 3:00 p.m. Member Starova volunteered. Members Wright and
Sjouwerman will be out of town. Chairman Morfopoulos will try to attend. The other members are
running for election. Anne Fogarty-France will also be present and will try to find another staff
member to assist if needed.
Member Wright moved to appoint Members Starova and Morfopoulos to the DDB Election
Canvassing Committee. The motion was duly seconded and upon roll call, the vote was:
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"Ayes": Member Morfopoulos, Member Wright, Member Starova, Member Sjouwerman,
Member Jammo and Member Teixeira.
"Nays": None.
Motion carried.
9. Discussion Regarding November 7, 2017, Referendum—Seth Taylor, Community Redevelopment
Agency (CRA) Director, addressed the Board on the upcoming referendum. He read the question as it
will appear on the ballot and what a "yes" and "no"vote means. More information on the plan can be found
at.
Upon questioning, Mr. Taylor advised the Board that there will be three referendum questions in
order to implement Imagine Clearwater. This is the first one. The second one will deal with the
redevelopment of the Harborview site and will go to the voters in 2018. The third one will deal with
the City Hall site, the timeframe for which has yet to be determined.
Mr. Wright asked why the Harborview is a separate question. Mr. Taylor advised him that the City
Charter contains a reference to a 28-foot bluff line. This current referendum deals with everything
below that line. The next one deals with everything above that line. The Harborview Center will
be demolished and the citizens will have an opportunity to weigh in on what will replace it.
The City must get approval from the State to move the band shell which is going before the
legislature in 2018. If the referendum passes, the City will hire an engineering firm to construct the
park. This contract is going before the City Council at the next meeting. It will take about six
months for the design work and then construction will take about a year.
10. Discussion Regarding Second Century Studios—Mr. Taylor advised the Board that Second Century
Studios has opened at 331 Cleveland Street on the corner of Osceola Avenue. The CRA has leased this
space for one year. One half of the space is being used to house information on the planning initiatives and
the other half is being used to display art. Jennie Pearl of Bazaar Art LLC is coordinating with the art
community to provide artwork. The studio is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and during
special events.
Chairman Morfopoulos said he attended the grand opening and was very impressed. He said
there was an event at the Capitol Theatre and afterwards the studio was open and people visited it
after leaving the theater.
Member Starova suggested that the Jazz Holiday use this facility during the week of the festival
rather than its location on the second floor of the Bank of America building. He suggested others
should do the same during their events. He was advised that there has already been discussion
along those lines and everyone agreed this was an excellent idea.
11. Chairman's Report
Chairman Morfopoulos advised the Board of upcoming events. Events are listed on
www.clevelandstreetdistrict.com.
12. Final Comments
Member Teixeira stated she is excited by the City's momentum and being on the Board.
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Member Wright welcomed the new members. He thanked the volunteers from the Church of
Scientology. He stated that Second Century Studios is a great opportunity for other landlords to
see what happens when they open their spaces.
Member Starova echoed Mr. Wright's comments. He thanked Seth Taylor for his efforts in moving
the City forward. He said he is voting yes on the referendum and hopes everyone supports it.
Member Sjouwerman also welcomed the new members. He is excited about the referendums. He
thinks Coachman Park will be a fabulous place and stated he was on a committee that studied
how a park can become an economic engine.
Member Jammo thanked everyone for the warm welcome. She also thanked the volunteers. She
is looking forward to working with the Board.
Ex-officio Member Jonson welcomed the new members and expressed his appreciation to the
volunteers. He thanked City staff for all the hard work in getting to the finish line on some of these
initiatives.
EX-officio Member Caudell welcomed the "ladies" to the Board. She thanked Mr. Taylor for all the
things happening downtown.
Mr. Taylor thanked his staff—Anne Fogarty-France and Laura Canary—for all their help behind
the scenes. He said Ms. Canary did a terrific job on getting Second Century up and running. He
also welcomed the new members.
Chairman Morfopoulos echoed the comments of Mr. Taylor on his staff. He also welcomed the
"ladies" to the Board. He wished them good luck on the election.
13.The meeting was adjourned at 6:16 p.m.
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