Fire and rescue in May of 2001 and has served our community with unwavering commitment for more than two decades.

During that time, he has risen through the ranks from firefighter EMT to lead medic, fire lieutenant, fire medic lieutenant, and fire EMS coordinator.

In 2017, his leadership, experience, and dedication to excellence led to his promotion to division chief of EMS.

Chief Gedesco exemplifies the highest standards of professional excellence and lifetime learning.

He earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing, graduating cumulate, and holds a master's degree in management strategy and leadership from Michigan State University.

As a graduate of the inaugural Executive Leadership Academy, he continues to serve as a mentor and role model for others, helping develop and inspire the next generation of EMTs and paramedics to perform at his highest level.

His influence extends well beyond the city of Clearwater.

Chief Tedesco is an active leader within the Florida Fire Chiefs Association, where he serves as co-chair of the EMS section.

Locally, he paid he plays a vital role in strengthening countywide emergency medical services by chairing multiple committees focused on maintaining and improving the quality of care provided to residents.

His leadership and expertise are also recognized at the state level, where he contributes to numerous EMS committees dedicated to advancing emergency medical services across Florida.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Chief Tedesco is known for his proactive spirit, collaborative leadership, and his commitment to the health and well-being of our workforce.

He is supported by his husband Leo and their beloved dog Angel.

Chief Tedesco's career reflects the very principles of a high performing government and our commitment to providing superior public service.

Through his leadership, innovation, and dedication to continuous improvement, he has strengthened emergency medical services for our community while maintaining future leaders and advancing best practices across the region and the state.

His work ensures that residents and visitors alike receive the highest level of care where they need the most, embodying the city of Clearwater's mission to serve with excellence, professionalism, and compassion.

Thank you, Tony.

Congratulations, Chief.

Thank you for your service to the City of Clearwater.

Okay, with that, we'll move to item 3.1 on our agenda.

Informational update on opportunity zone 2.0 redesignation and nomination submission census tracks 258, 262, 264.01, and 264.

So much.

Today's presentation really provides an informational update regarding the city's opportunity 2.0 nomination and redesignation efforts.

So to brought you a brief overview of what we're actually presenting on.

It's generally just given a general overview.

Obviously, there is an existing opportunity zone within the city of Clearwater that mostly consists of the downtown Clearwater area.

However, we'll get into the details of why that one was not renominated.

We'll give you a quick uh kind of idea comparison between 1.0 iteration and the 2.0 iteration, as well as why read redesignation matters, as well as the process, the timeline, what census tracks we all we we ultimately selected to potential opportunities on opportunity zone investment areas, and of course uh the next steps.

So uh a general overview is that opportunity zones basically the first iteration of it was created under the 2017 federal tax cuts and jobs at the Trump administration and as a federal government uh economic development program to uh encourage investors to reinvest capital gains uh in those economically distressed areas and and really just serve as another tool ultimately uh in the economic development toolbox to encourage more private investment in economically distressed areas of the city or in communities across the country.

And so obviously we have an existing designation.

If you were to go on our website and under economic development and GIS Web Tech, you'll see under our special incentive areas, this is actually one of those designations that we currently have.

We've had it since the 2017 Act.

The existing downtown Clearwater Opportunity Zone designation is pictured to your screen to the right there.

That is a kind of a overview of the area.

It's really Census Track 259, but if you break it down, you'll see it'll say 259.01 and 259.02.

This is really generally just a real quick snapshot of how the processes generally work.

You have a qualified opportunity zone, and right now we don't have one for 2.0, we have one for 1.0.

That's that's a given for 1.0, but the 2.0 is what we need to be redesignated and nominated based on current data.

As it stands now, all communities in the state of Florida that have expressed interest in 2.0 have had to submit an application to the state of Florida to Department of Commerce, which ultimately gets decided upon by Governor DeSantis, who will make the recommendation as other governors around the country to then go and make their recommendations as part of a package to U.S.

Treasury to confirm.

Next, you would create what is called a qualified opportunity fund.

And usually that is private equity.

That is a private run fund that is formed.

It is an investment restrictions would apply based on the current tax code and the way things are structured there.

It is formally structured, usually as a partnership or a corporation.

And then we segue into what are the eligible investments under the opportunity zone from 1.0 and it's business and real estate project investments.

They must be an opportunity qualified opportunity zones, which is our role in the process of looking to nominate and compete to get that designation.

The capital gains reinvested would be then reinvested back into that designated zone.

And it would encourage more long-term investment.

So the big question there, why not uh include downtown Clearwater?

Existing downtown Clearwater was evaluated under the new criteria, new guidelines for the federal economic uh development eligibility criteria of opportunity zones, and it no longer qualified based on those data sets.

So we had to, based on increased private investment, redevelopment activity, and other positive things for downtown.

We had to eliminate it, it would no longer fit the criteria as an economically distressed area according to census and other data sets from the federal government.

And here is just a really quick uh table to summarize the true key differences between 1.0 and 2.0.

Um you can kind of see the applicability between 1.0 and 2.0 as it stands now because of the act in 2025 of the one big beautiful bill that you have uh a permanence to this program, which has attracted a lot more interest this time around as well compared to the previous years.

And the major eligible eligible investments, as you can see, has changed from just strictly real estate to now being more about real estate and commercial business investment as well.

And so why does it matter to Clearwater?

We want to be competitive.

We want to compete not only within our own county among our own our municipal partners, but we also want to compete regionally, nationally, statewide.

We want to be very competitive.

So this is another tool to do just that.

And it creates an opportunity for us to have a qualified opportunity fund into the into the future and not just have it fade out under 1.1.

Oh excuse me, 1.0.

And so the nominated 2.0 census tracts that we selected is on the screen depicted.

It is 258, 262, 264.01, and 264.02.

So here's our here's our process, and here's our timeline.

So we have as staff, we work closely with uh Pinellas County Economic Development, uh, as well as give also get some props if you will to Hale Innovation was helpful with us getting some information as well on public projects.

But basically, we put together a summary that focused on these census tracts, and we went in uh and we looked at the different economic distress indicators and all of the other strategic investment opportunities that we have, uh and we summarize that uh information and in for each census track per the state's requirement, we submitted information about those areas based on current projects, private and or public in those census tracts.

And so just to give you a snapshot of where those census tracts generally speaking are the includes the Ross Norton Park area for 258 for 262, it includes the majority of North Greenwood area.

Um 264.01 is bordered on the north by Court Street, uh, to the east by South Highland, and to the south by Lakeview Avenue, and to the west uh by South Missouri Avenue.

Census track 264.02 really is just includes downtown gateway area.

So a portion of downtown did stay in, uh, but not the the majority of it.

And so what were some of the selection factors that we had to base it on based on federal uh government guidelines?

Uh poverty and income thresholds, uh, median household income disparities, uh, as you see other other uh areas as well, redevelopment investment potential, uh, and we had to use data sources I alluded to earlier, Census Bureau, uh, American Community Survey, uh, and Pinellas County Economic Development was a good help to that to that effort and helping us get that technical assistance needed.

Uh, some of the example projects we submitted.

Um, we can we submitted the the uh Grove Business Container Village Project, very exciting project, uh the OMAMA's foods is as well.

Uh we looked at workforce affordable housing projects across the four census tracts, uh, city uh public infrastructure capital improvements, whether they were in public utilities, public works, uh, just to provide some context for the reviewers for the governor when they're looking at the projects overall, um, that they're able to see that the city has invested uh is has plans to invest in those areas as well on the infrastructure side, which is also good to the overall narrative that we're trying to present to the federal government.

So we come down to the next steps pending state review and determination.

Uh right now we're in that area of review by the by Florida Commerce staff, uh, their executives as well as the governor reviews those statewide nominations, and he will start making those recommendations based on the current timeline in July of this year.

Um, assuming if we were able to get the designation uh for 2.0 for those census tracts I mentioned, uh it would become effective uh January 1st, 2027.

Uh the transition period allows overlap between the existing and new opportunity zone up until I believe 2828.

Uh and then at that point, obviously, if we will get the designation, we would engage the community on a more detailed structured scheduled basis and to plan out projects that the opportunity zone fund, which hopefully would be created uh with this new designation to encourage more reinvestment in those communities through the this particular uh program.

Um I do want to take the time to acknowledge uh support we received from Pinellas County, uh, was very helpful when you're getting us the data that we needed from Panelas County economic development staff, uh as well as uh we received letters of support from Amplified Clearwater from Baycare, Morton Plant Hospital, Ramon and Zule, Zulai Kitchen, excuse me, uh your MAMO's.

Generally speaking, we want to show some private support uh for this as it is really rooted in private funds and uh business investment and real estate investment.

So we want to show that support, generally speaking.

Um, and so that we we were able to do.

Um, and I also have with me uh uh Nita Berry, who is with Johnson Stewart and Government Strategies, um, who's our local government practice director who is here uh to answer the lobbying part of our due diligence uh for this particular design.

Good afternoon, Mayor, Council members.

It's a wonderful to see you all not in Tallahassee.

Um and uh thank you for the opportunity to be here and for uh the the opportunity to work with with Chris and the team on the opportunity zone 2.0 designation.

Um as soon as we received the call from this city, uh we began immediately engaging with the with the Department of Commerce.

We have had multiple conversations with them now about the merits of the city's proposed uh census tracts.

We have also helped to facilitate a conversation directly between uh department leadership that included the deputy secretary of the department who's overseeing these efforts with the city and Pinellas County economic development also participated in that conversation.

Uh, not only allowed us the opportunity to discuss some of the merits of our proposed uh census tracts, but to also ask a lot of questions to inform the information that we all that the city ultimately submitted in the applications.

Um we're also engaging with the governor's office.

Certainly they're gonna have a significant role in the selection of these zones.

Uh we do anticipate that this process is gonna be uh significantly more competitive than the first time around.

The state has fewer uh zones to choose from.

They are also being a lot pickier in the zones that they that they select.

They want projects that are ready to go that are properly zoned.

Um they had a lot of zones last last go-around that were selected, and then they saw no you know, development within those zones.

So they want to make sure that if there's the zones are selected that the that the um opportunity is gonna be utilized, and I think certainly the zones that you all have in the work that this council and the city are doing um create a really exciting opportunity for the state.

So we're having those conversations with the governor's office to um certainly advocate for selection of your zones.

Um Chris mentioned several letters of support from the private sector.

We are also going to be working on having our state delegation members weigh in, hopefully through letters of support, but also we'll be asking them to make direct calls to the department and to the governor's office to advocate.

So we're here to help however we can, and you know, certainly we want the the city's proposals to be successful.

So I'm happy to take any questions, but it is wonderful to see you all.

Thank you.

Yes, Councilman question.

Appreciate you.

Thank you for all the work, Miss Anita.

Thank you for your work and the team as well.

And it is a pleasure to not see you in Tallahassee when in uh in Clearwater.

I know the whole dias feels the same.

Uh help me better understand.

Uh, can the governor is the governor improving this on an individual census track basis or an application in its entirety?

I think both.

Uh, it just depends on you know which census tracts um have the uh greater impact, but I believe it's a combination of both.

So he does have the ability to rule out some and select if if if he so chooses, just thank you.

Appreciate that.

Okay.

Thank you, Chris.

Uh Anita, thank you guys for being here.

I do have a few uh little questions because you know, I think opportunity zones when dealing with government, there can be a little bit of overreach at times.

Um, you know, can open a back door of whether something becomes a mechanism for government directed redevelopment rather than removing barriers that the government puts for uh private investment to come in and take care of things.

So, in that is the city's role here just simply nominating the census tracts to uh implicitly endorse those specific private developments.

Well, yes, sir.

So basically, we're we're facilitating the designation.

We're advocating for us to be designated, number one, and with that designation, we kind of we are facilitating an environment for that fund to be set up within those census track areas, and you know, whether it's our alongside of our CRA or or public infrastructure projects we have as as inducements for the private capital to flow into those areas.

So we're just facilitating basically at this point.

Okay, perfect.

All right, thank you very much.

Anyone else?

On one hand, it's really nice to see Del Town having so much progress, but that very progress is what disqualified us from getting that great uh tax rate opportunity, right?

Yeah.

Good with a bad anybody else.

Uh just like to say this the Enterprise Zones 2.0 Opportunity Zones 2.0 administration really looks you know, they they purposely made them more robust and um and hope hope that uh that it'll really have an impact on communities.

So uh it's something that we want to participate in because it can really be a driver.

Um, and then uh so glad to see us doing that.

Dr.

Johnson, I was with her last week, and she said that uh you and your team are doing a great job in putting these applications together, that they are much more detailed than they used to be.

Uh governors require quite a bit more information, so appreciate you fighting through that to do it and appreciate your help that Nita and your team and helping us get it through.

Um I do want to say too that I am struck by these three three of these census uh tracks being south of Gulf to Bay because you know I've been in some other talk to some other folks who study economic uh opportunity in Clearwater and uh it's that portion of South Greenwood south of uh Gulf to Bay that uh doesn't get as much attention or hasn't historically in Clearwater as much as north of Gulf to Bay, but there's a great need and a great opportunity south of Gulf to Bay, and so it's good to see these three tracks identified because uh we've got some folks in particularly South Greenwood that you know need a handout too, and um it's good to see them included in this this proposal.

Okay, absolutely.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

Okay, thank you for your report.

Thank you for being here today.

Thank you.

Okay, move item 4.1 on the agenda.

Approve co-sponsorship and waiver of requested city fees for six high impact co-sponsored special events and funding for the community event co-sponsorship program.

Thank you.

Uh mayor, council, city leadership, Chris Cook, Parks and Recreation Senior Manager.

The item before you today is in accordance with the city special event co-sponsorship ordinance that requires us to do an annual review and approval of co-sponsored special events as part of our budget process.

Per the ordinance applications for city co-sponsorships are submitted annually for events that occur in the following fiscal year.

This item is requesting approval for co-sponsorships and waiver of city fees for six high impact special events, along with the funding for the community event co-sponsorship program for the 26-27 budget process.

The total estimates uh value in kind services for the high impact events is approximately 353,000.

This reflects about a 31% decrease from last year's request.

This significant reduction is due to the removal of Clearwater Seabluge Festival and the Clearwater Turkey Trout from the high impact list, as well as reducing overall across the board to all of those high impacted events, aligning with citywide budget goals and encouraging greater self-sufficiency amongst event organizers.

We've met with each of these groups as I referenced earlier today to help prepare them for these and to provide them recommendations for how they can reduce costs and increase efficiencies.

The item also includes 110,000 in funding for the community event co-sponsorship programs, which will continue to support community events.

One uh note to make with this is even with these reductions that we're we're seeing and recommending, we're seeing an overall increase in the volume of activity that is coming in and taking place within uh the city of Clearwater through events with Ruth Eckert Hall, which was mentioned earlier, uh DDB funded events that they see and approve, and and just overall more and more uh activity coming into the city.

So, with that, our staff recommends approval of this item, and I'm here to answer any questions you might have.

Okay, any questions on this agenda item.

Should we see what we got here?

This is a consent, I think.

Yes, yes.

So, do we have consent?

Yes, yeah, we have consent on this gender item.

Thank you.

Correct, thank you.

Okay, agenda item 4.2.

Approve an increase to the existing purchase order with Central Florida Contractors Inc.

for the 2025 sidewalk project.

Good afternoon, Mayor Council.

Matthew Anderson, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation.

The item before you is to increase our current purchase order with Central Florida contracting for sidewalks throughout the city.

Currently, Public Works has 1.8 million dollars for the sidewalk contract and parks rec has 200.

We're recommending increasing it to 2.5 total, giving public works 2 million and parks right 500,000 for this year, and then the subsequent renewals of that contract.

We need this money to be increased so that we can continue to make our sidewalks not just in the right of way, but in our parks uh safe and 88 compliant.

I'll be glad to answer any questions at this time.

Okay.

Any questions?

Council Member Holbright.

I guess you measure our sidewalks in miles, but how many feet do you replace or do per year?

It depends.

So we have um different categories.

You've got tree preservation sidewalks, so that that is uh costs a little bit more than standard sidewalk when you're putting it under a tree canopy.

Um I don't have an exact number, and we we do it by um square footage, but um it's a lot.

Um I know parks and rec alone.

Um I think we did about 26,000 square feet last year between contract and in house and public works.

I can't speak to is that new sidewalk or is that grinding of buckle sidewalks?

It's it's replacement panels of sidewalk.

Um sometimes it's one panel, sometimes it's as many.

It's the 10, it just depends on where it's at.

It's these aren't new additions of sidewalk that parks and rec does typically, but um it's repairs.

Thank you, sir.

Vice Pair.

Uh I think Councilmember Alburn already hit my question, or you answered his question by answering mine.

This would include that tree canopy, like where they put the rebar through it so it kind of floats over the roots, all contiguous, not creating more more cracks.

Correct.

All right, thank you.

Okay.

I just had one question.

Uh several years ago, we were like somehow, you know, we had fallen well behind and up uh up uh you know uh fixing our sidewalks, and we were catching up.

Where are we at now?

Do we feel like you know this appropriation?

This this year's plan is got us even with where we need to be.

Are we still catching up from where we may have fallen behind several years ago?

I can't speak to the right-of-way sidewalks.

I can speak to the parks and recently.

Marcus is gonna come speak to that.

I was gonna say that would be a question more from Marcus.

Parks and right, we're we're doing well as far as getting our sidewalk.

This is just parks and right.

All right, Marcus, you're up because your chance to defend yourself.

I say mayor one following behind, yeah.

Mark is what some public work.

So uh yes, actually uh our five-year sidewalk uh plan is working well.

So when they came looking for mut more money, we had uh dramatically picked up our pace, which is why they're adding some money in for us.

So uh we got our feet under us right now, and and we're running.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, anything else.

Do we have consent?

We have consent on this agenda item.

Thank you.

Agenda item 4.3 authorized purchase orders to choose lawn equipment and records investments for as needed purchase diagnostics and repair services.

Good afternoon again, Mayor Matthew Anderson, uh, City of Florida Parks and Rec Assistant Director.

The item before you is for uh citywide purchase and repair of two cycle equipment along with battery powered equipment.

Uh this contract was uh put out through invitation to bid which um we had two respondents.

We want to reward both, award both respondents with a piece of the contract due to the sheer number of departments that um utilize this contract, not just parks, but public works, public utilities, and other city departments.

Having just one vendor is not a good choice for us because we can tend to overwhelm them.

So having two options if one gets behind on repairs, you have that other option.

Um it works really well.

Um, this total contract is for 310,000 and it's uh distributed out through the various departments.

Um I'd be glad to answer your question at this time.

Vice Mayor?

Yeah, thanks, Matt.

Um, I don't have any, so I'd be curious the battery uh equipment.

I mean, I I do have them at the fire department for big type of tasks, cutting in cars and stuff.

Uh how does it do with lawn equipment for longevity and those types of things, like versus uh conventional two-cycle engine?

It's come a long way, um, particularly in the last five years when we first started demoing um some of the battery stuff five, six, seven years ago.

It was fairly deficient, but it is starting to get to the point where um you can replace some of the things, not on every crew, um, but on some of the crews.

Um they they've made the battery life a lot better and the equipment stronger.

So it is it is vastly improving and becoming competitive with two cycle uh gas equipment.

Awesome.

That's what I was kind of going at is the battery life.

Is that sustainable for crews that are out there almost all day, or they have half the truck with batteries on recharge, you know, like changing them out every 30 minutes because they can't get through one one cycle.

So if they're getting better, that's awesome to hear.

Thank you.

They are, yes, sir.

Anything else?

If not, do we have consent?

Yes, we have consent on 4.3.

5.1.

Approved to vacate a lake drainage and utility easement for portion of the east 20 foot portion of lot 12A, Clearview, Lake Estate Subdivision.

Thank you, Ms.

Brig.

Good afternoon, Mayor, Council members, city manager, Mr.

Kohler.

Okay, the item before you today is a very simple easement, excuse me, vacation request to remove 20 foot portion from the rear lake drainage and utility easement.

The rear easement is 271 feet in length, so we're taking 20 feet away from it.

There are no public or private utilities within this easement.

Uh legal and public works uh request and has approved this.

Any questions, please?

Any questions in this agenda item?

Not thank you.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Move to agenda item 6.1.

Authorize an increase of 400,000 dollars with stolles door company and extend the contract term through March 11, 2028.

Good afternoon, Mayor, City Council, City Leadership, Brandy Calandrea, General Services Director.

Before you is a request to increase contract 901-221 to stolt your company by 400,000, and to extend the contract term through March 11th, 2028.

This is a Pinellas County contract that we have piggybacked, and we use this contract for preventative maintenance, emergency repairs, replacement doors, installation and services, and parts for overhead security doors at city facilities.

Excuse me.

I have allergies today.

Um this includes fire stations, wastewater treatment facilities, parks and recreation sites, police and other operational buildings.

The increase aligns our contract with Pinellas County's extended term and ensures continued coverage for these critical systems.

Funding is available in the current budget and in future years addressed through the annual budget process.

And I'm happy and available to address any questions we had, sir.

Questions on this agenda.

Not do we have consent.

Yes.

We have consent on 6.1.

Thank you.

Agenda item 7.1.

Appoint Dan Carpenter for a four-year term as a trustee of the Clearwater Fire Fire, excuse me, firefighters supplemental trust fund.

It's the lowest it will be today.

Anyways, uh I'm here today as the um the administrator for the firefighter supplemental trust fund, and one of our uh current trustees' terms expires the end of uh June.

Um he is a resident.

Uh we do have two residents that are on the board, and they're appointed through you guys, so that's why I'm here today.

He's expressed interest in doing another four-year term.

So I'm hoping for your consent.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

Any questions?

Not do we have consent?

Yes.

We have consent on Mr.

Carpenter.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Item 7.2.

Approve an agreement and purchase order with locality media LLC for the implementation of fire prevention software and support services.

Mr.

Mayor, Council members, good afternoon.

Clear fire rescue seeks approval to replace fire prevention mobile with the first due platform to support occupancy management, pre-incident planning, and inspections.

The features include GSI mapping, hazardous materials tracking, inspection checklist, violation management, scheduling, and integration with first due response modules.

The agreement includes implementation, configuration, data migration, training, and customer support.

Clearwater fire and rescue will utilize the source wealth cooperative contract with first due holdings incorporated, receiving a 5% discount.

The total contract amount will not exceed $15,910 and 60 cents, including a one-time implementation fee of $3,400 and a 17-month subscription fee of 12,510 and 60 cents.

Future annual renewals will cost $9,400.

Both systems will operate concurrently from June 1st through October 1st of 2026.

This is to allow data migration and staff training.

This is to allow data migration and staff training.48% of the total cost as the software will also support operations in the unincorporated areas of the Clearwater Fire District.

With me tonight is assistant fire marshal Bill Fisher.

We're happy to answer any questions if you have them.

Any questions on this agenda item?

Not to we have consent.

We have consent.

Thank you, Chief.

Agenda item 8.1.

Provide direction on the proposed development agreement between MHG Pump Pavilion Hotel LP, six flag planted LLC in the City of Clearwater for property located at 10 Bay Esplanade and 18 Bay Esplanade, providing for the allocation of 91 units from the hotel density reserve under beach by design.

Thank you and good afternoon, Mayor, Council.

As you heard, this is uh to provide direction on a requested uh HDA in front of us at 10 and 18 Bay Esplanade.

A little bit of summary on the property.

Uh this the total of the the uh west and east sides of the property is 1.06 acres.

So the western portion will be retaining an existing palm pavilion restaurant, the east portion would be uh demolished and replaced with the uh development that I'll briefly touch on here in a moment.

The uh property is in the tourist district, the future land use is resort facilities high, and it's an old Florida district of beach by design.

The development proposal includes um an additional 91 units from the hotel density reserve permitted density on the property currently is 50 units per acre or 53 units.

So for a total of 144 units, that's 136 units per acre.

The proposed height from base flood elevation is 75 feet.

Uh parking would be on for the first four levels, and 173 parking spaces are uh proposed.

Um there will be uh proposed access from a north and south entry from the north from Kendall and from the south from Bay Esplanade.

Umenities will include that existing Palm Pavilion Restaurant to be preserved.

That's a 9,389 square feet, and some small amenity area and miscellaneous back of house uses for a total of 1,480 square feet.

Um the property would propose nine floors on the building, and the as proposed is consistent with the community development code and consistent with beach by design and standards for development agreements.

The proposal is in compliance with the standards of for development agreements, is consistent with the comprehensive plan and furthers the vision of the beach redevelopment and set forth and beach by design.

And I'll take any questions.

Okay, Council Member Albert.

Okay, so I just want to get this clear.

The uh the Pompey and restaurant itself is going to be saved, but the parking in the Pomp Pavilion Hotel or is that will be completely demolished on the that'll be demolished, and then that's going up nine floors, 144 units in the correct in that area.

Correct.

So the restaurant will be considered as an amenity to that hotel.

So the entire site will be the component of the project.

Gotcha.

Okay.

Uh question during um demolition and building, uh, will any of the regular flow of traffic be disrupted?

I can't answer that now, but I'm uh during site review process and uh MOT and uh and any pertinent requirements to be uh as little impact as possible.

Thank you.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Uh just wondering what does that do with the uh allotted hotel rooms that are left on that bank?

Is that eliminate them all now or it's a living breathing document, but out of the 1385 units that were early in the the 2000s put into that bucket after this per se, if if approved, there would be about 19 units in that bucket.

So 19 that are left unallocated correct.

You know, and as construction still started you know, there's there are potential units that like these units came from an that just recently expired.

Yeah, okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

All right, well, thank you.

Move to agenda item nine point one.

Authorize a purchase order to material handling systems inc for overhead crane inspections certifications, purchase, and repairs.

Good afternoon, Mayor.

Council, Wayne LaFleur, Public Utilities Infrastructure Maintenance Manager.

I am requesting your approval to authorize a purchase order to material handling systems incorporated for overhead crane inspections, certifications, maintenance, and repair.

This was piggyback off of Hillsborough County contract, ITB 25-00130, and a total not to exceed amount of 286,550 dollars through August 30 for August 31st, 2029.

The services are needed to keep overhead cranes and hoisting equipment at our water and wastewater facilities safe, compliant, and reliable.

The contract includes annual inspections, safety certifications, routine maintenance, and as needed repairs, which helps reduce equipment failures, downtimes, and safety risks.

This action supports our strategic priorities of high performing government by helping maintain critical infrastructure, improving operational reliability, and supporting safe working conditions for our staff.

I'm happy to respond to any questions.

Okay.

Any questions on this agenda?

Not do we have consent?

Yes.

We have consent on 9.1.

Thank you.

9.2 Authorize an increase to the purchase order with Roland Inc.

for the 2023 sewer point repair and improvements group C and improve an agreement with CSX for railroad protective liability and license fees.

Good afternoon, Mayor Council.

Uh Mike Flanning of the Utilities Director.

Today I'm requesting authorization to increase the PO with Roland Incorporated by 11,457,021 and 66 cents for the sewer point repair improvements group C contract and for approval and infrastructure with CFX, excuse me, CSX with a fee not to exceed $2005.

This request is necessary to immediately relocate and replace conflicting potable water reclaim water and sanitary sewer infrastructure along the Drew Street Corridor to meet FDOT's September 17, 2026 construction deadline.

The company agreement with CSX addresses a critical aging water main within their easement that sits uh at a shallow depth and must be constructed safely withstand the uh impending roadway improvements.

Uh this action directly furthers our strategic priority of high performing government by systematically managing maintaining vital public infrastructure.

I'm happy to respond to any questions that you may have.

Any questions on this agenda item?

If not, do we have consent?

We have consent on 9.2.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Agenda item 10.1 approved certificate of city clerk regarding a citizen initiative petition requiring federal approval for the vacation of public right-of-way in the downtown.

Council, um, staff today is seeking any information and additional information that you may want or any questions you may have for the discussion on Thursday.

So there will be a discussion on Thursday.

We're pushing it on this.

Okay.

It's it's uh you have an item for Thursday.

Okay.

Anybody got anything else?

The okay thank you.

Looks like we're good.

Move to agenda item 11.1.

Approved supplemental retainer agreement with Bulls Law Group in regard to Bay Esplanade litigation.

Uh council, this is a city attorney item back in 2024.

The city hired the Bullus Law Group to represent the city in a quiet title action involving the beach recenter.

Um due to ongoing litigation, it's necessary to increase the budget.

So I'm requesting an additional 75,000 dollars to get us through the end of the case.

Uh the city's hired um Brian Vulbus.

He's been hired by the city in the past.

Uh he also frequently um represents the city of Tampa and also have dot.

So I'm open for questions.

Okay.

Any questions?

If not, do we have consent?

Yes.

We have consent on 11.1, 11.2.

Amend council rule six to temporarily restore public comment regarding matters not on the agenda for an additional three-month period.

Yeah, council.

This is another city attorney item.

Um, just by way of background, back in 2025, uh, citizens to be heard on items not on the agenda was temporarily suspended for about a year.

In February, the former city attorney, Mr.

Morgol has brought forth a resolution to temporarily restore um citizens to be heard on items not on the agenda.

Um it was approved by council, and there was a uh sunset provision to where it would end in May.

Um it ended, I believe May, the eighth or May the 9th.

Um what this resolution does is it just extends the sunset provision.

The rule itself is going to be the same.

So as it relates to the resolution, really what to look for is on the the fourth page, section five.

So for instance, um there's still going to be a limitation of thirty minutes or ten speakers, whichever is greater.

There's going to be no sharing of time, and this resolution would then extend the sunset provision to August the seventh of twenty twenty-six.

Okay.

Any questions, comments?

Okay.

Sounds good.

Move to agenda item.

Too far ahead.

Eleven point three.

So eleven point three through eleven point nine all second readings.

Okay.

Very good.

Any questions on those agenda items?

If not, we'll move to agenda item twelve.

City manager.

Nothing, sir.

Item 13 so the attorney.

Nothing, nothing, sir.

And item 14, new business, a request by council members to add discussion items to the next book session.

Okay.

Not we've got item 15, Council comments.

Council Member Manito.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

Just wanted to make a a quick comment um regarding our interim city attorney.

Uh greatly appreciate what you dove into the work you continue to do uh as part of the team.

Um you've got a lot on your plate, uh, including walking into a short office at multiple places.

Um and you've maintained a great attitude and been great to work with going through.

So I just wanted to uh uh let you know we appreciate you and all the work you're doing.

Anybody else?

Okay.

Okay, move to item sixteen, closing comments by Mayor.

Uh just uh one note, you know, a lot going on.

Um we're talking about a lot of things, and I think that's good for our shows that things are happening and we're making things happen and uh appreciate not just the council's participation in that, but the staff and everyone here we're really uh bringing, you know, sometimes we're controversial, but we're bringing topics to the top and addressing things that uh that uh are are good for community as a whole.

So good to hear Clearwater being talked about in so many positive ways.

So appreciate everyone uh working together to work through these issues.

With that, we will uh adjourn the May 18 work session of Coolwater City Council.