OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Dunedin City Commission Regular Meeting – September 18, 2025

City Commission & Boards — Thursday, September 18, 2025
BodyDunedin, Florida
SessionCity Commission & Boards
DateThursday, September 18, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:24:00

Transcript — Verbatim
0:02

Good evening and welcome to the September 18, 2025 City Commission meeting.

0:06

I want to call the meeting to order, and we are going to start with the invocation and pledge of allegiance by our City Attorney Jen.

0:16

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

0:28

Amen.

0:30

I pledge allegiance to the United States of America.

0:37

One nation, under God, individual school, liberty, and justice for all.

0:47

Okay, we're going to start out.

0:48

We've got a couple of presentations, and the first one is a very special one for our newly retired chief.

1:12

That's the job, right, Chief?

1:14

Anyway, so we are going to, I'm going to turn it over to Vice Mayor for Jeff Parks Day proclamation.

1:20

Well, thank you very much, Mayor.

1:22

Chief, if you could come on down or up or wherever you're going to come.

1:37

I bring my new boss with me because the original boss.

1:45

You know, I tried to make this Jeff's Day so I could share.

1:50

But I know.

1:53

Apparently, it's all about you today.

1:55

Very good.

1:56

And I don't know if uh very many people know this, but my grandfather started the Seminole Fire Department.

2:01

And so just firefighting uh is kind of in the hearts of our family.

2:07

So this is an exciting day for me, and I hope it is for you as well, Chief.

2:11

Uh but here we go.

2:13

Chief Jeffrey Parks Day.

2:16

Whereas Chief Jeffrey Parks began his career with the City of Dunedin on September 17th, 2007, as deputy fire chief and was promoted to fire chief on January 10th, 2013.

2:30

And whereas Chief Parks has faithfully served the City of Dunedin for 18 years and served for over 40 years in the Tampa Bay area as a firefighter.

2:40

And whereas these years of service have been marked by exemplary dedication to our fire and EMS system, which is vitally important to the quality of life in Dunedin.

2:50

And whereas during during which time numerous projects and programs were successfully completed under his guidance, including spearheading the efforts to secure Pinellas County funding for a rescue vehicle at Fire Station 60, replacing and rebuilding Fire Station 61, the construction of fire fire training and emergency operations center, and leading the change in pursuing an awarding of a federal grant that increased staffing by 21%, and enhancing innovative ideas such as the adoption of the alternative 4896 shift schedule, and all while demonstrating unwavering dedication, professionalism, and leadership that serves the lasting legacy in the city of Dunedin, its firefighters, and the community he so faithfully served.

3:41

Whereas Chief Parks has been a constant advocate for the citizens of Dunedin and the personnel of Dunedin Fire and Rescue, whereas these projects and advocacy will continue to have a lasting impact on the City of Dunedin.

3:55

Whereas Chief Parks is looking forward to spending time with Lisa, his wife, of 35 years, and their children and grandchildren.

4:05

And whereas Chief Parks plans to spend his time in retirement traveling, watching weather chasers, discovering new hobbies, listening to the emergency channel.

4:20

Sitting in his driveway, driving the steering wheel like he's on his way to a call, and spending time with family and friends.

4:28

And whereas on behalf of the entire city commission, I want to express my sincere appreciation to Chief Parks for his loyalty to the City of Dunedin over the past 18 years, and wish him much success as he begins his new chapter in life.

4:45

Now therefore, I, Jeff Gao, by the virtue of the authority vested in me by the mayor of the City of Dunedin, and on behalf of this entire City Commission, to hereby designate September 18th, 2025 as Chief Parks Day in the City of Dunedin, and urge all citizens and employees to join me in congratulating Chief Parks for his motorious service, loyalty, and dedication he's rendered to this community.

5:12

So thank you, Chief.

5:33

Hope you'll say a few words, Chief.

5:37

I can I can be blamed for the fire boat too.

5:40

You can add that to the list.

6:10

So she didn't always like that.

6:13

But we appreciate it.

6:16

We made it uh this far.

6:19

And I, you know, the 42 years I've been in, it doesn't seem possible that at this point.

6:25

I've I was hiring people and they were retiring before I was.

6:29

So I didn't understand what was going on with that that theory.

6:32

But so at this point, I I'm I I got the goatee going on.

6:36

I'm not supposed to have one, but uh I got my uh on my vacation, so I guess I can do it while I'm on vacation, right?

6:43

But um so I keep telling my wife that I'm gonna let it grow and then put rubber bands in it, and uh I don't think that's gonna happen too well, but uh it's it'll we'll see what happens with that.

6:55

Yeah, she might have to leave you in retirement then, yeah.

6:58

I might be looking for a job real quick.

7:01

Um, seriously, I I can't express how much I appreciate the city and the commissioners and how much the commissioners support the fire department.

7:10

Uh without you all, we couldn't be able to do what we're doing.

7:14

And it's it just continues.

7:16

Our our services are continuing to grow.

7:19

Uh the number of people coming in the calls, and we've we've seen so much in the past year with our our fire, well, our past couple of years, starting with COVID, starting with our jobs.

7:32

Uh we can't hire people because no one wants to come to work anymore.

7:37

And just the staffing shortages, and then of course our hurricanes that we all went through last year.

7:42

Uh just that's it's not normal for our fire department to do all those things.

7:47

But we came through, we we managed to survive.

7:50

So I'm proud of the men and women that we have working for us, they're top notch, and there's there's nothing else we can say about that.

7:56

You're in good hands.

7:57

So thank you very much.

7:59

And uh, firefighters are starting to pour in more, so yes, they took care of the call.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Personnel Matters█████████████████████21%
Procedural████████████12%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████10%
Mardi Gras██████████10%
Community Engagement████████8%
Stormwater Management███████7%
Public Engagement██████6%
Special Event Road Closures████4%
Technology and Innovation████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Dunedin City Commission Regular Meeting – September 18, 2025

The Dunedin City Commission met on Thursday, September 18, 2025, at 6:00 PM at City Hall (737 Louden Ave) and adjourned at 9:33 PM. The meeting included proclamations honoring retiring Fire Chief Jeff Parks and the Junior League Clearwater-Dunedin, citizen input on stormwater and marina issues, consent agenda approvals with discussion on several items, action items including a $250,000 state grant for water treatment plant hardening, a $314,372 change order for FDOT-related utility relocations, the annual City Manager performance evaluation, and a decision on the future of the Dunedin Mardi Gras celebration.

Presentations

  • Jeff Parks Day Proclamation: Vice Mayor Gow read a proclamation designating September 18, 2025, as Chief Parks Day. Chief Parks, retiring after 18 years with the city (42 years in the Tampa Bay area), expressed appreciation and noted the challenges of staffing shortages and hurricanes. Commissioners and the City Manager praised his leadership, succession planning, and the team he built.
  • Find the Good Day Proclamation: Commissioner Sandbergen proclaimed the third Thursday of September as Find the Good Day. Malena Allison (President) and Mary Ellen Shaffer (Community Impact Co-Chair) of the Junior League of Clearwater-Dunedin accepted, highlighting 75 years of service.
  • Announcement: Mayor Freaney announced that Skinner Boulevard officially opened five months ahead of schedule.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Blair Westley (1161 Palm Blvd): Spoke about a nine-year storm drainage issue at her driveway, including a slip-and-fall in sludge. She read a July 21 email to city officials that received no response. The City Manager said she would address the issue with staff.
  • Jim Cowger (2092 Valley Drive): Reported ongoing soil loss and failed gabions at Briar Creek, standing water, and a claim in mediation. He requested a temporary fix and expressed frustration. Public Works Director Bartlett explained that engineering is evaluating repairs on a prioritized list and that his claim has been referred to Risk Management.
  • Carolyn James (2470 Bayshore Blvd): Requested that her boat be returned to a properly sized slip, claiming she was misled about ferry dock interference. She argued residents should have priority over tourists and noted two vacant slips fitting her boat.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved items 2.a (minutes of 7/18/25 Budget Workshop), 2.c (DigEplan software purchase, $72,000), and 2.e (FY26 laptops from Dell, $117,480) unanimously.
  • Items pulled for discussion: 2.b, 2.d, 2.f, 2.g (all approved unanimously after discussion).

Item 2.b – FY26 Special Event Road Closures

  • Discussed public notification, portable restroom locations, and the Blue Jays’ 50th Anniversary. Staff committed to adding restroom locations on event maps. Approved unanimously.

Item 2.d – Emergency Purchase of Fire Engine

  • Approved a $180,000 purchase (not-to-exceed) of a 2011 E-One surplus fire engine from Palm Harbor Fire District. A new engine would cost ~$900,000. It will serve as a reserve engine, to be surplused in 3–4 years. Approved unanimously.

Item 2.f – ESRI GIS Software Renewal

  • Approved a three-year contract at $126,600 ($42,200/year). IT Director Nagy explained the procurement process. A public comment noted ESRI is the standard for GIS. Approved unanimously.

Item 2.g – Clearwater Ferry Interlocal Agreement

  • Approved an $85,000 operational agreement with PSTA for ferry service from Dunedin to Clearwater Beach (Blue Route). Service begins October 9, 2025, running Thursday–Sunday, noon–9 PM, with $8 fare. PSTA CEO Brad Miller presented. Approved unanimously.

Action Items

3.a – Resolution 25-30: FDEM Grant for Water Treatment Plant Hardening

  • Authorized acceptance of $250,000 from the Florida Department of Emergency Management to install impact-resistant windows and doors at the Water Treatment Plant administrative building. The project will be bid out and likely completed in spring. Approved unanimously.

3.b – Change Order No. 2 with Chen Moore & Associates (CMA)

  • Approved $314,372.50 for additional engineering and construction inspection services related to FDOT’s widening of Alt 19 and Curlew Road. The change was driven by FDOT design changes and an accelerated timeline. Several commissioners expressed frustration but recognized the necessity. Approved unanimously.

3.c – Debris Removal Agreement with Crowdergulf

  • Continued to the October 9, 2025, Commission meeting at staff’s request. Approved unanimously.

3.d – City Manager Annual Performance Evaluation

  • Each commissioner praised City Manager Jennifer Bramley’s performance, particularly her leadership during hurricanes, recovery efforts, legislative work, and grant acquisition. She received ratings of Outstanding or Excellent in all categories. The commission approved a 3.5% salary increase (the maximum general employee increase) unanimously.
  • Goals for the coming year include continuing storm recovery, maintaining the millage rate, addressing infrastructure and affordable housing, developing a long-term storm mitigation plan, completing the Marina and Pier, and advancing the Historic Preservation Ordinance and city pool design.

3.e – Proposed Agenda for October 9, 2025, Commission Meeting

  • Approved with the addition of the continued Crowdergulf item. Approved unanimously.

Informational Items

City Manager’s Update – Mardi Gras Discussion

  • The City Manager presented three options for the 2026 Mardi Gras celebration. Staff recommended Proposal 1: The City takes on all parade logistics (cost ~$34,000) and the Chamber of Commerce runs the street festival, held on Fat Tuesday (February 17, 2026). This was in response to the dissolution of the Downtown Dunedin Merchants Association and the Chamber absorbing the event. Public comment from Gregory Brady (Chamber past president) and Jeanette Donahue (Chamber interim president) expressed support for a partnership. The commission approved Proposal 1 unanimously.
  • Additionally, the City Manager noted two grant submissions under the new grant-seeking policy: San Charles Drive Drainage Improvements ($150,000, matched) and a Resilient Florida Vulnerability Assessment ($45,000, match available in Stormwater Fund).

Commission Discussion and Comments

  • Vice Mayor Gow: Reported on Band Booster meeting and Clan McPherson Days (October 23–26).
  • Commissioner Sandbergen: Raised issue of Jerry Lake maintenance; City Manager noted a future grant.
  • Commissioner Walker: Requested an update on North Douglas recovery; noted Dunedin History Museum’s Mix and Mingle series.
  • Commissioner Dugard: Announced Island Fest (Oct 11–12) and ongoing confusion about substantial damage letters; observed water on Douglas Avenue during high tide.
  • Mayor Freaney: Announced Showcase Theater performance (Almost, Maine), DCO meeting, and Boat Club meeting.

Key Outcomes

  • Votes and Decisions: All consent items and action items approved (unanimously unless noted).
  • Grants Accepted: $250,000 FDEM grant for water plant hardening; $150,000 San Charles drainage grant application; $45,000 vulnerability assessment application.
  • Contracts Approved: DigEplan software ($72,000), Dell laptops ($117,480), ESRI GIS renewal ($126,600), emergency fire engine purchase ($180,000), Clearwater Ferry ILA ($85,000), CMA change order ($314,372.50).
  • City Manager Raise: 3.5% salary increase approved.
  • Mardi Gras Direction: City to host parade on Fat Tuesday (Feb 17, 2026) at an estimated cost of $34,000; Chamber to manage street festival. Formal agreement to be drafted.
  • Item Continued: Debris removal agreement with Crowdergulf (item 3.c) continued to October 9, 2025.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome to the September 18, 2025 City Commission meeting. I want to call the meeting to order, and we are going to start with the invocation and pledge of allegiance by our City Attorney Jen. Let us begin this meeting by taking a brief moment of silence and reflection. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the United States of America. One nation, under God, individual school, liberty, and justice for all. Okay, we're going to start out. We've got a couple of presentations, and the first one is a very special one for our newly retired chief. That's the job, right, Chief? Anyway, so we are going to, I'm going to turn it over to Vice Mayor for Jeff Parks Day proclamation. Well, thank you very much, Mayor. Chief, if you could come on down or up or wherever you're going to come. I bring my new boss with me because the original boss. You know, I tried to make this Jeff's Day so I could share. But I know. Apparently, it's all about you today. Very good. And I don't know if uh very many people know this, but my grandfather started the Seminole Fire Department. And so just firefighting uh is kind of in the hearts of our family. So this is an exciting day for me, and I hope it is for you as well, Chief. Uh but here we go. Chief Jeffrey Parks Day. Whereas Chief Jeffrey Parks began his career with the City of Dunedin on September 17th, 2007, as deputy fire chief and was promoted to fire chief on January 10th, 2013. And whereas Chief Parks has faithfully served the City of Dunedin for 18 years and served for over 40 years in the Tampa Bay area as a firefighter. And whereas these years of service have been marked by exemplary dedication to our fire and EMS system, which is vitally important to the quality of life in Dunedin. And whereas during during which time numerous projects and programs were successfully completed under his guidance, including spearheading the efforts to secure Pinellas County funding for a rescue vehicle at Fire Station 60, replacing and rebuilding Fire Station 61, the construction of fire fire training and emergency operations center, and leading the change in pursuing an awarding of a federal grant that increased staffing by 21%, and enhancing innovative ideas such as the adoption of the alternative 4896 shift schedule, and all while demonstrating unwavering dedication, professionalism, and leadership that serves the lasting legacy in the city of Dunedin, its firefighters, and the community he so faithfully served. Whereas Chief Parks has been a constant advocate for the citizens of Dunedin and the personnel of Dunedin Fire and Rescue, whereas these projects and advocacy will continue to have a lasting impact on the City of Dunedin. Whereas Chief Parks is looking forward to spending time with Lisa, his wife, of 35 years, and their children and grandchildren. And whereas Chief Parks plans to spend his time in retirement traveling, watching weather chasers, discovering new hobbies, listening to the emergency channel. Sitting in his driveway, driving the steering wheel like he's on his way to a call, and spending time with family and friends. And whereas on behalf of the entire city commission, I want to express my sincere appreciation to Chief Parks for his loyalty to the City of Dunedin over the past 18 years, and wish him much success as he begins his new chapter in life. Now therefore, I, Jeff Gao, by the virtue of the authority vested in me by the mayor of the City of Dunedin, and on behalf of this entire City Commission, to hereby designate September 18th, 2025 as Chief Parks Day in the City of Dunedin, and urge all citizens and employees to join me in congratulating Chief Parks for his motorious service, loyalty, and dedication he's rendered to this community. So thank you, Chief. Hope you'll say a few words, Chief. I can I can be blamed for the fire boat too. You can add that to the list. So she didn't always like that. But we appreciate it. We made it uh this far. And I, you know, the 42 years I've been in, it doesn't seem possible that at this point. I've I was hiring people and they were retiring before I was. So I didn't understand what was going on with that that theory. But so at this point, I I'm I I got the goatee going on. I'm not supposed to have one, but uh I got my uh on my vacation, so I guess I can do it while I'm on vacation, right? But um so I keep telling my wife that I'm gonna let it grow and then put rubber bands in it, and uh I don't think that's gonna happen too well, but uh it's it'll we'll see what happens with that. Yeah, she might have to leave you in retirement then, yeah. I might be looking for a job real quick. Um, seriously, I I can't express how much I appreciate the city and the commissioners and how much the commissioners support the fire department. Uh without you all, we couldn't be able to do what we're doing. And it's it just continues.

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