Clearwater City Council Meeting - November 6, 2025

The Clearwater City Council held its regular meeting on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers at the Main Library. The meeting featured the annual State of the City presentation, recognition of Citizens Academy graduates and the Suncoast Jazz Festival, approval of the consent agenda with two items discussed separately, a public hearing to adjust wastewater rates, a public hearing on consolidating three advisory boards into one (passed 4-1), and approval of six annexation ordinances. Councilmembers also gave Veterans Day remarks.

Call to Order, Invocation, and Pledge

Mayor Bruce Rector called the meeting to order. Pastor Steve Kreloff from Lakeside Community Chapel delivered the invocation. The Pledge of Allegiance followed.

Special Recognitions

• Citizens Academy Graduation 2025: City Manager Jennifer Poirrier and Mayor Rector presented certificates to graduates of the ten-week Citizens Academy program, recognizing their commitment to learning about city operations. Several graduates were present to receive certificates.
• Suncoast Jazz Festival Proclamation: Mayor Rector read a proclamation declaring November 21–23, 2025 as Suncoast Jazz Festival Weekend. Joan Dragon, Executive Director of the Suncoast Jazz Festival, accepted and highlighted the festival's 35th year, lineup of musicians, and educational master classes for local students.

State of the City Presentation

City Manager Jennifer Poirrier delivered the annual State of the City report, covering the city's financial health, storm recovery, and major accomplishments over the past fiscal year.

Financial Highlights:

• General Fund FY2025 revenues: $218.9 million; expenses: $232.9 million.
• Millage rate: 5.885 mils (unchanged for three years).
• Unrestricted reserve general fund balance: $67.4 million (30% of FY2026 budgeted expenditures).
• Three storms (Hurricanes Helene, etc.) caused an estimated $87 million in damages to city assets. Of 391 FEMA eligible line items, 130 FEMA projects have been submitted; 18 approved, 41 under review, 71 pending. $9.2 million received from insurance; $6 million from FEMA.

Accomplishments (highlights):

• Six new transparency dashboards launched; 74% of 142 work plan projects on time/complete despite storms.
• Opened Fire Station 47, pickleball courts at McKay Park, Mercado development, and Pier 60 repaired within a year.
• New City Hall to open summer 2026.
• Technology investments: cybersecurity, cloud, traffic systems, AI chatbot; police radio consolidation saving $231,000/year.
• Record tourism numbers on Clearwater Beach.
• Grants awarded doubled to $23.8 million; $177 million in hazard mitigation applications submitted.
• Water/wastewater consolidation project progressing.
• Customer service improvements: 93% service level on emails (response time reduced from 48 hours to 5 hours 53 minutes); 91% call service level; 92% satisfaction rating.
• Sports tourism generated $42 million economic impact and 44,000 hotel room nights.
• Sister Cities delegation to Nagano, Japan; foreign investment attraction.
• Affordable housing units (Indigo Apartments, Clearwater Gardens) in downtown.
• Environmental stewardship: solar installations, 2,000 trees given away, 43-year Tree City USA recognition; new Resiliency projects (tidal valves, signals, vulnerability assessment).
• Police Department reaccreditation; Bearcat armored vehicle and high-water rescue vehicle acquired.
• Employee wellness awards, retention improvements (vacancies down to 7.6%, turnover down to 9%).

Councilmembers praised the City Manager and staff for their efforts, particularly in storm recovery and forward thinking.

Approval of Minutes

• Approve minutes of October 15, 2025 City Council meeting. Approved by unanimous voice vote.

Consent Agenda

All items on the consent agenda were approved by a single motion except items 6.4 and 6.10, which were pulled for separate discussion.

Items approved (including but not limited to):

• Third Amendment to Golf Course lease extension (Clearwater Golf Club)
• Insurance reimbursement for Barefoot Beach House repairs ($314,700)
• Juvenile Welfare Board program funding increase for afterschool programs ($334,668)
• Purchase order with St. Petersburg College for police and fire training ($155,000) – pulled
• Reappointment of Michael Kachurik to Police Pension Board
• Acceptance of DOE solar panel grant ($949,500)
• Guaranteed Maximum Price for solar panel installation at Countryside Library and N. Greenwood Rec Center ($1,093,514.20)
• Vehicle purchases and surplus declarations
• Police vehicle upfitting services (up to $1,300,000/year) – pulled
• Roof replacement at Main Police Department ($1,298,516)
• Fire rescue vehicle purchase ($377,156)
• Supplemental work order for Beach Marina project
• SCADA software license purchase
• Increase to Fastenal purchase order for MRO supplies
• Sodium hypochlorite tank replacement at Northeast WRF ($243,611.68)
• DEP settlement for in‑kind project ($1,254,783)

Discussion Items (Pulled from Consent)

Item 6.4 – Purchase Order with St. Petersburg College ($155,000)

• Purpose: police academy sponsorships, paramedic training, and advanced training.
• Public Comment: One resident opposed the item, arguing that allowing honorable discharge from active military duty as an eligibility pathway for law enforcement is inappropriate because "police work is diametrically opposed to military training." He stated he was petitioning to not fund the act.
• Council: No further discussion. Motion to approve passed unanimously.

Item 6.10 – Police Vehicle Upfitting Services (up to $1,300,000 annually)

• Purpose: Upfitting services for police vehicles, one-year contract with three one-year renewal options.
• Public Comment: The same resident opposed, calling it "unnecessary spending" and arguing the Clearwater Police Department is unnecessary and should be contracted with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. He also referenced the Posse Comitatus Act and characterized city leadership as a "fiefdom."
• Council: No discussion. Motion to approve passed unanimously.

Public Hearings

Item 7.1 – Adjust Minimum Monthly Wastewater Collection Rates (Ordinance 9854-25, First Reading)

• Staff presented the rate adjustment as necessary to fund the wastewater system, comply with debt coverage, and support capital projects. The adjustment followed a revenue sufficiency analysis.
• Public Comment: One resident (the same speaker) opposed, stating the city had already raised water rates 47% over five years and called the sewer rate increase a "money grab," describing Clearwater Utilities as "an operating criminal enterprise."
• Council: Councilmember Menino clarified this was a correction of a scrivener's error from a prior decision. Motion to approve passed unanimously.

Item 7.2 – Consolidation of Advisory Boards (Ordinance 9855-25, First Reading)

• Proposed to repeal existing boards (Environmental Advisory Board, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Library Advisory Board) and create a new Community Resiliency and Leisure Services Advisory Board (7 members, 3 with environmental preference). Also amended Sister Cities Advisory Board membership.
• Public Comments (in opposition):
  • A representative of the Clearwater Neighborhoods Coalition read a statement urging council not to consolidate, warning it would reduce transparency and citizen engagement.
  • Glenna Wentworth, Chair of the Environmental Advisory Board, spoke against consolidation, listing the board's accomplishments (plastics resolution, sustainability coordinator, energy efficiency, vaping ban at beaches, tree program) and arguing environmental issues are too important to be diluted in a combined board.
  • Bill Johnson noted the EAB was created in 1991 for stormwater fee oversight and that the city's citizen survey shows low rankings for transparency and openness to public involvement.
  • Patrick Raffrey, Chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, spoke against consolidation, citing successes (wheelchair tennis program, park improvements), and noted that no council member had ever attended a Parks board meeting.
• Council Discussion:
  • Mayor Rector and Councilmember Menino expressed support for consolidation, stating it improves efficiency, aligns with strategic goals, and allows citizen involvement through other channels (grassroots organizations). They noted some board members have resigned due to lack of meaningful action.
  • Vice Mayor Tejeda voted against, stating she valued the separate boards.
  • The council also discussed the process for renaming ball fields: they directed that if a renaming originates from council, it stays with council; if from citizens or staff, it goes to the advisory board for recommendation.
• Vote: Motion passed 4-1 (Mayor Rector, Councilmembers Cotton, Menino, Alberton in favor; Vice Mayor Tejeda opposed).

Second Readings (Annexations)

• 8.1 (Ord. 9842-25): Annexation of 2714 Woodring Drive. Approved unanimously.
• 8.2 (Ord. 9843-25): Future land use designation for 2714 Woodring Drive (Residential Low). Approved unanimously.
• 8.3 (Ord. 9844-25): Zoning for 2714 Woodring Drive (Low Medium Density Residential). Approved unanimously.
• 8.4 (Ord. 9845-25): Annexation of 2743 Morningside Drive. Approved unanimously.
• 8.5 (Ord. 9846-25): Future land use designation for 2743 Morningside Drive (Residential Low and Preservation). Approved unanimously.
• 8.6 (Ord. 9847-25): Zoning for 2743 Morningside Drive (Low Medium Density Residential and Preservation). Approved unanimously.

City Manager and City Attorney Reports

None.

Closing Comments by Councilmembers

Councilmembers Cotton, Alberton, and Vice Mayor Tejeda, and Mayor Rector made statements honoring veterans in advance of Veterans Day (November 11). They thanked city staff for the veterans breakfast held earlier that day and encouraged the community to attend the Patriot Fest at Crestlake Park on Saturday.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda approved with 14 items; items 6.4 and 6.10 pulled and approved separately (unanimous).
• Wastewater rate adjustment (first reading) approved unanimously.
• Advisory board consolidation (first reading) approved 4-1.
• Six annexation ordinances approved unanimously on second reading.
• City Council recognized Citizens Academy graduates, proclaimed Suncoast Jazz Festival Weekend, and received the State of the City report.