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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Dunedin City Commission Regular Meeting – July 17, 2025

City Commission & Boards — Thursday, July 17, 2025

BodyDunedin, Florida

SessionCity Commission & Boards

DateThursday, July 17, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 2:47:53

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:50

Pledge of allegiance and invocation first by Jen.

0:55

Okay.

0:56

Let us begin this meeting by taking a brief moment of silence.

1:06

Amen.

1:08

I pledge allegiance to the United States.

1:26

So we we started on time to the second, and I was so taken with that I forgot to say good evening and welcome to the July 17th, 2025 City Commissioning.

1:35

So okay.

1:36

Uh and we are going to start out the meeting with uh the presentations, which we only have one tonight, and that is our Purple Heart Recognition Day twenty twenty-five proclamation, and I'm going to turn that over to Commissioner Walker, who is our veteran.

1:50

Thank you, Mayor.

1:51

I see a number of members of the military order of the Purple Heart.

1:55

Uh, can I get you all front and center?

2:00

And uh any other veterans in the room.

2:04

Come forward, sir.

2:18

I pay my taxes.

2:23

And so much more, sir.

2:25

Yeah, for sure.

2:36

Well, this is most certainly is a very distinguished group, and uh I I'm I'm very heartfelt um and honored to to read this proclamation.

2:47

Um we'll uh we'll get started here.

2:51

Purple Heart Recognition Day.

2:53

Whereas August seventh, twenty twenty five marks the two hundred and forty-third anniversary of the inception of the Purple Heart Award and the ninety-third anniversary of the military order of the Purple Heart.

3:07

August seventh has been officially designated as National Purple Heart Recognition Day in honor of those American veterans who have earned the military tribute by virtue of their bravery and sacrifice.

3:31

And throughout history, brave and patriotic individuals have answered the call of duty and nobly engaged in the fight to eliminate the oppressive forces of tyranny and have threatened that have threatened our freedom.

4:01

Now, therefore, I, Robert James Walker, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the mayor of the city of Danedin, Florida, and on behalf of the entire City Commission, do proudly proclaim Thursday, August seventh, twenty twenty-five as Purple Heart Recognition Day in Dunedin, and ask everyone to pause and remember those extraordinary men and women, as well as their families who have made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedom, and those who are willing to make that ultimate sacrifice and to honor the courage and continued protection of all those defending our nation today.

5:00

Thank you, Rob.

5:00

Thank you.

5:01

Thank you.

5:13

Thank you.

5:16

Appreciate it.

5:16

Okay.

5:17

Thank you.

5:20

Would I like to say a few words?

5:23

I guess it's me.

5:26

Hi.

5:27

Mayor.

5:28

Counsel.

5:30

On behalf of the commander, Melgan, I'm Dave Klinger, so we're not brothers from another mother, but uh I like to uh express personally and on behalf of the chapter our sincere gratitude and uh and an honor for uh to be here and accept this recognition.

5:49

Um as you know, uh the purple heart is actually the oldest uh ribbon uh given to a service member.

5:57

Um it's uh it goes without saying it does come with sacrifices, it does come without saying that the the battle wounds uh are deep.

6:07

Uh we we feel them often, but if you give me a minute, I'd like to tell you a real quick story.

6:13

Go for it.

6:13

Um I live every day the dealing with the trauma and uh even after Vietnam.

6:23

Um but uh God gives us certain things in this world to uh give us meaning.

6:29

So my family gathered around one time, this is a couple years back, over in Clearwater, and my brother and uh dad and brother-in-law talked me into going fishing, and if you knew my background, I feed fish, but I don't catch them.

6:43

So we went out in the golf and uh rented a boat, and we're out there a couple hours, everybody's catching fish, I'm feeding them, they're catching them.

6:52

And uh all of a sudden, I I get a bite.

6:55

I'm reeled it in my my pole is bending down.

6:59

I like, oh my god, I'm finally getting a fish after all this years.

7:02

My brother's there with the net bending over, and I pull it up, it's a shovel.

7:12

You know, uh I didn't have a sense of humor at the time.

7:16

I go, no, why are you laughing?

7:19

You know, this could have somebody could have used this shovel to kill somebody.

7:23

And then my brother turned to me and says, no, this is a coal shovel.

7:26

This is what they use to shuffle ice onto the fish.

7:30

It made my day, and uh, it's just little things like that that gets some of us through uh a day.

7:36

So please, we appreciate it, and thank you very much for the opportunity.

7:40

Gotta have humor.

7:40

That's exactly right.

7:41

And just before Commissioner Walker, anything else you wanted to add to for the occasion.

7:45

I just wanted to make sure.

7:46

No, I uh I just I just we all collectively have so much um so much gratitude for your service and your sacrifice and it you know I Danita Dunedin is a purple heart city.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Marina Management█████████████████17%

Budget Equity Analysis██████████████14%

Procedural█████████████13%

Public Art Fund████████████12%

Public Engagement██████████10%

Engineering And Infrastructure█████████9%

Fiscal Sustainability████████8%

Water And Wastewater Management██████6%

Veterans Affairs████4%

Summary of Proceedings

Dunedin City Commission Regular Meeting – July 17, 2025

The Dunedin City Commission held its regular meeting on July 17, 2025, at 6:00 PM at City Hall. The meeting included proclamations, citizen comments, approval of consent items, and action items covering millage rates, interlocal agreements, public art, loan extensions, marina repairs, and financial audits.

Presentations

Commissioner Walker presented the Purple Heart Recognition Day 2025 Proclamation, designating August 7, 2025 as Purple Heart Recognition Day in Dunedin. Dave Klinger of the Military Order of the Purple Heart spoke about his service. Interim Parks and Recreation Director Jocelyn Broadhead and Special Events Programmer Danielle Edwards announced the August 7 ceremony at 10:00 AM in Pioneer Park, featuring a helicopter flyover and keynote speaker Charles "Charlie" Lemmon.

Public Comments & Testimony

Armando Galela (1379 Curlew Road) urged the city to repair the bridge connecting Waybridge and Curlew Trails, arguing the city has a duty to maintain the public bridge and that closure harms access.
Eric Tenzley (1361 Curlew Road) supported reopening the bridge, citing safer access to the Pinellas Trail and concerns about speeding on Curlew Road.
Debbie Rowe (1365 Curlew Trails) noted 4 homes had sold in 8 months and requested the city act quickly on an easement while current owners support it; she also said public works staff used the bridge for lift station maintenance.
Greg Lee (939 Highland Avenue) requested speed bumps on Highland Avenue due to speeding; City Manager noted the city does not have a traffic calming policy and will coordinate with the Sheriff's Office for enforcement.
Jim Calgar (2092 Valley Drive) complained about the deteriorated condition of Cedar Creek drainage ditch, showing photos of erosion and structural damage to his home. He requested the ditch be piped.
Gloria Settlemeyer (27 Valley Drive) described ongoing erosion and instability in the Cedar Creek ditch, and criticized the city's maintenance of gabions. She submitted a letter.
Museum staff announced the passing of longtime city employee Gene Wilson (memorial service Aug 16 at 11 AM) and a fundraiser to restore the clock tower hit by lightning.

Consent Calendar

Items 2.a through 2.f (excluding 2.e) were approved unanimously by voice vote. These included:

Approval of minutes from the 6/3/2025 workshop
Board and committee appointments: Colleen Coble (alternate, Committee on Aging to 8/1/2028), John Oliva (reappointment to 8/1/2028), Kathryn Owen (reappointment, Parks and Recreation to 7/1/2028)
Interlocal agreement with Pinellas County for Multimodal Impact Fee process
Leland Chase Outdoor Gallery Phase II at Wastewater Treatment Plant: artwork selection and installation (Speed Pro Imaging, not to exceed $6,000)
Interlocal agreement with Clearwater for ferry landing dock repairs (pulled separately – see below)
Ratification of FDEP Consent Order and purchase of trailer-mounted wastewater bypass pump from Mersino Dewatering, LLC ($117,101.47) via cooperative agreement

Action Items

2.e – Interlocal Agreement with Clearwater for Ferry Dock Repairs
- The agreement allows Clearwater staff to relocate a floating dock temporarily at the Dunedin Marina for the ferry service. The work is estimated at less than $30,000. City Manager explained the opportunity arose from Clearwater's offer to assist. Commissioner Walker and others expressed comfort with the temporary location (16 ft by 50 ft) and safety. One slip owner (Carolyn James, slip 1) objected, stating her boat could maneuver safely, but staff confirmed Clearwater Ferry requested a clear slip; she was offered an alternative slip on B dock. Another resident (Laurie Browning) raised seawall damage concerns; staff said seawall repairs are part of the upcoming contract. The item passed unanimously.
3.d – Donation of Real Estate from Coca-Cola
- The city accepted a donation of approximately 1.6 acres at 427 San Christopher Drive (appraised at ~$870,000) to expand the wastewater treatment plant. City Attorney Cohen explained environmental contamination on the adjacent parcel required engineering controls, but the donated parcel is outside those boundaries. Pollution liability insurance policy of $5 million for 3 years was provided. The property will support future plant expansion including a reclaimed water storage tank and deep well injection to meet Senate Bill 54/64 requirements. Passed unanimously.
3.a – Resolution 25-18: Maximum Millage Rate for FY 2026
- Adopted a maximum millage rate of 4.1345 mills ($4.1345 per $1,000 assessed value), the same rate since FY 2016. This is not an increase. The rollback rate would be 3.9216 mills, reducing revenue by $919,000. The general fund reserve is around 24% (target 15%). Passed unanimously.
3.b – Resolution 25-17: FDOT Community Aesthetic Feature Agreement for Signal Box Wraps
- Authorized installation of artistic wraps on 12 traffic signal boxes along SR 580 (Main Street) and Alt 19 (Bayshore Blvd). The wraps feature historic Dunedin photographs (70–100 years old). Some text was removed per FDOT requirements. The city already completed 4 wraps. Passed unanimously.
3.c – Resolution 25-20: SRF Loan Amendment No. 3 – One-Year Extension
- Authorized a one-year extension of the $23 million State Revolving Fund loan (WW5202C1) for wastewater projects (electrical upgrades, SCADA, lift station improvements). The loan has favorable rates: first $15M at 0%, remaining at 0.4%. Two more extensions are expected. Passed unanimously.
3.e – Award of Bid #25-2523 Marina East Wall Replacement and North Wall Repair
- Awarded to BDI Marine Contractors, LLC (Hobe Sound, FL) for $3,047,451. Two bids were received; BDI was the lowest responsive bidder. Construction expected to start in late August with 150-day timeline to substantial completion. The project includes steel sheet piling with concrete coating, designed to be cantilevered to bedrock. FEMA reimbursement is anticipated. Passed unanimously.
3.f – FY 2024 ACFR and Audited Financial Statements
- Auditor Jeff Wolfe presented the clean audit (unmodified opinion, no findings, no internal control deficiencies). The city's net position is positive in all categories; general fund unassigned fund balance is approximately 30% of expenditures. Revenue exceeded budget by $1.6 million (largely investment returns and parks fees); expenditures were $6.1 million under budget. Passed unanimously.

Informational Items

Commission Discussion: Commissioners shared positive feedback on community events and emphasized community harmony. The August 5 workshop agenda and August 7 meeting agenda were approved unanimously.
City Clerk's Update: None.
City Manager's Update: None.
City Attorney's Update: None.

Key Outcomes

All action items passed unanimously.
The maximum millage rate for FY 2026 is set at 4.1345 mills (same as prior year).
The city accepted a donation of 1.6 acres from Coca-Cola for wastewater plant expansion.
BDI Marine was awarded the marina wall replacement contract ($3.047 million).
The SRF loan for wastewater projects was extended by one year.
Artistic signal box wraps on 12 FDOT jurisdiction boxes were approved.
The FY 2024 annual financial report and audit were accepted.

Meeting Transcript

Pledge of allegiance and invocation first by Jen. Okay. Let us begin this meeting by taking a brief moment of silence. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the United States. So we we started on time to the second, and I was so taken with that I forgot to say good evening and welcome to the July 17th, 2025 City Commissioning. So okay. Uh and we are going to start out the meeting with uh the presentations, which we only have one tonight, and that is our Purple Heart Recognition Day twenty twenty-five proclamation, and I'm going to turn that over to Commissioner Walker, who is our veteran. Thank you, Mayor. I see a number of members of the military order of the Purple Heart. Uh, can I get you all front and center? And uh any other veterans in the room. Come forward, sir. I pay my taxes. And so much more, sir. Yeah, for sure. Well, this is most certainly is a very distinguished group, and uh I I'm I'm very heartfelt um and honored to to read this proclamation. Um we'll uh we'll get started here. Purple Heart Recognition Day. Whereas August seventh, twenty twenty five marks the two hundred and forty-third anniversary of the inception of the Purple Heart Award and the ninety-third anniversary of the military order of the Purple Heart. August seventh has been officially designated as National Purple Heart Recognition Day in honor of those American veterans who have earned the military tribute by virtue of their bravery and sacrifice. And throughout history, brave and patriotic individuals have answered the call of duty and nobly engaged in the fight to eliminate the oppressive forces of tyranny and have threatened that have threatened our freedom. Now, therefore, I, Robert James Walker, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the mayor of the city of Danedin, Florida, and on behalf of the entire City Commission, do proudly proclaim Thursday, August seventh, twenty twenty-five as Purple Heart Recognition Day in Dunedin, and ask everyone to pause and remember those extraordinary men and women, as well as their families who have made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedom, and those who are willing to make that ultimate sacrifice and to honor the courage and continued protection of all those defending our nation today. Thank you, Rob. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Okay. Thank you. Would I like to say a few words? I guess it's me. Hi. Mayor. Counsel. On behalf of the commander, Melgan, I'm Dave Klinger, so we're not brothers from another mother, but uh I like to uh express personally and on behalf of the chapter our sincere gratitude and uh and an honor for uh to be here and accept this recognition. Um as you know, uh the purple heart is actually the oldest uh ribbon uh given to a service member. Um it's uh it goes without saying it does come with sacrifices, it does come without saying that the the battle wounds uh are deep. Uh we we feel them often, but if you give me a minute, I'd like to tell you a real quick story. Go for it. Um I live every day the dealing with the trauma and uh even after Vietnam. Um but uh God gives us certain things in this world to uh give us meaning. So my family gathered around one time, this is a couple years back, over in Clearwater, and my brother and uh dad and brother-in-law talked me into going fishing, and if you knew my background, I feed fish, but I don't catch them. So we went out in the golf and uh rented a boat, and we're out there a couple hours, everybody's catching fish, I'm feeding them, they're catching them. And uh all of a sudden, I I get a bite. I'm reeled it in my my pole is bending down. I like, oh my god, I'm finally getting a fish after all this years. My brother's there with the net bending over, and I pull it up, it's a shovel. You know, uh I didn't have a sense of humor at the time. I go, no, why are you laughing?

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