City Commission Workshop: May 5, 2026 – Finance Update & Social Media Policy
City Commission Workshop: May 5, 2026 – Finance Update & Social Media Policy
The City of Dunedin Commission Workshop convened on May 5, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at City Hall. The meeting included recognition of artist Nathan Beard, three proclamations, a mid-year update from the Board of Finance, and a discussion on disabling social media comments. The workshop adjourned at 11:34 a.m.
Presentations
- Artist Recognition: Nathan Beard – Public Art Consultant Elizabeth Brincklow introduced Nathan Beard, whose work is on display through May. Beard discussed his “Pond’s Edge” series, inspired by local waterscapes (e.g., Hammock Park, Brooker Creek). A reception is scheduled for May 19, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m. at City Hall.
- National Public Works Week Proclamation (May 17–23, 2026) – Commissioner Dugard read the proclamation. Public Works Director Sue Bartlett noted the theme “Rooted in Service, Powered by Community” and that this year's equipment rodeo is replaced by individual departmental celebrations due to budget constraints.
- Drinking Water Week Proclamation (May 3–9, 2026) – Commissioner Sandbergen read the proclamation. Utilities Director Clayton Watkins emphasized the 1.2 billion gallons of water produced annually and the importance of conservation.
- Public Service Recognition Week (May 3–9, 2026) – Vice Mayor Walker read the proclamation. HR Director Theresa Smalling thanked the Commission and noted planned employee appreciation activities, including “Tropical Tuesday” and “Wellness Wednesday.”
Public Comments & Testimony
- Howard Gray, 1617 Brook Drive – Spoke during the Social Media Comment Policy discussion, stating he does not use the city’s Facebook page due to the “signal-to-noise ratio” and supports disabling comments. He noted he knows how to contact the Commission via email and finds that effective.
Discussion Items
2.a. FY 2026 Board of Finance Update
Board of Finance Chair Catherine Harvey presented the mid-year report:
- Carryforward: Capital budget was nearly $53 million, starting with a $31 million carryforward. Staff reduced it to $16 million; an additional $1.2 million was identified for elimination. The Board recommended using five-year spending averages to limit future carryforwards.
- Capital Projects: Only two major projects remain in design: the Highlander Aquatic Complex ($18 million, recently postponed for a couple of years) and a garage ($10 million). The Board supports the pool delay and also recommends delaying the garage, citing $12 million still owed by FEMA and potential property tax reform (HJR 203, which would phase out non-school property taxes for homesteaded properties; property taxes provide 35% of Dunedin’s funding).
- Compensation: The city proposed a 3.5% maximum increase for non-union FTEs (actual average 3.3%). The career laddering program (started 2024) reduced voluntary turnover in utilities and sanitation to near zero.
- Health Care Costs: Budgeted at a 15% increase for 2026; claims per employee per month in the first five months are 18.2% higher than last year. Reserves have been drawn down by $1 million in 17 months. Over 80% of employees are in the richest plan because employee-only coverage is free. Recommendations include: (1) increasing employee rates and steering to less rich plans, (2) raising out-of-pocket limits, (3) going out to bid for the self-funded plan administrator (currently Cigna) to obtain better network discounts.
- Board of Finance Vacancies: Two members will term out in October due to living in unincorporated Dunedin; at least one more may term out. City Clerk will push for applications; qualified candidates with finance backgrounds are needed.
Finance Director Les Tyler added that supply chain disruptions, staffing vacancies, and 2025 storms (Helene and Milton) contributed to past carryforward issues, but improvements are seen in 2026 (e.g., water/sewer expenditures much higher than prior years).
Commission discussion: The Mayor expressed concern about the Highlander Aquatic Pool’s condition—a valve failure flooded the pump room, causing a six-week delay. Parks Director Tony Mulkey stated they are doing incremental repairs to maintain health code compliance but have dialed back ages for water safety to 3–5 year olds using the therapeutic pool. City Manager Bramley noted staff recommended the pool delay, but the Commission makes the final decision; a plan to patch the existing pool to last through construction (estimated 3 years) will be brought back.
2.b. Social Media Comment Policy
City Manager Bramley framed the discussion as seeking consensus direction to disable comments on all city social media platforms. Communications Director Sue Burness presented:
- Rationale: National data shows social media is no longer an engagement tool; it spreads misinformation, dissension, and creates safety concerns. Misinformation hijacks the city’s intended messages. A 2023 federal court case upheld a local government’s policy disabling comments, affirming social media is a limited public forum.
- Impact: Comments will be disabled effective May 5, 2026. Posts remain shareable; likes/dislikes remain. The city will continue posting information with links and phone numbers. Alternative engagement methods include the city website (new “Contact Commission” tab), email (communications@dunedin.gov, Commission@Dunedin.gov, City Manager email), in-person meetings, eComment portal, boards/committees (20+), town halls, and biennial surveys.
- Legal Opinion: City Attorney Cowan confirmed the policy is content-neutral and does not violate First Amendment rights because the city is not regulating content—it is eliminating a particular avenue of commentary.
- Implementation: A media statement and website story will be released that afternoon. The policy will apply uniformly across all city platforms, including the Fire/Rescue Department’s page.
- Commission Concerns: Questions about residents finding information (Burness assured every post includes a link/phone number), potential burden on Commission emails (staff will monitor and redirect), and consistency with the Fire Department (Bramley agreed comments should be disabled there as well). Commissioner Gow suggested adding a comprehensive department contact list on the new contact page.
- Consensus: All commissioners expressed support, noting that social media has become a source of distraction and negativity. Mayor Freaney stated, “Facebook is not where to find what the people of Dunedin really feel and think.” The Commission reached consensus to proceed.
Key Outcomes
- Board of Finance Recommendations Received: Staff will use five-year spending averages for FY27 budget; carryforward reduction efforts continue. Health benefit benchmarking and plan design changes will be presented at budget workshops on July 21 and August 4, 2026.
- Social Media Comments Disabled: The administration will implement the policy effective May 5, 2026, across all city platforms, including Fire/Rescue. A revised user agreement will be posted, and communication will be sent to the public.
- Highlander Aquatic Pool Patch Plan: Staff will bring a cost-benefit analysis for patching the existing pool to the Commission for a decision on whether to invest in interim repairs.
- Board of Finance Vacancies: City Clerk will seek qualified applicants; commissioners will help recruit.
Meeting Transcript
Can we come up with me? Good morning. I'd like to call the meeting to order. This is the uh May 5th, 2026 work session of City Commission. And uh if we could please rise and we'll have the Pledge of Allegiance by our City Attorney Jen. And to the Republic for which it stands one nation, individual liberty and justice role. Okay, I think we have our first presentation of our artist, Nathan Beard, and we have Elizabeth Brinklow, or Nicole, whose ever stage it is. And Elizabeth, good morning. Oh, Nicole Delfino, Strategy and Sustainability Manager, uh, here today to recognize our chamber artists with Elizabeth Brinkle, our the city's art consultant. And I did want to point out as I was referencing the staffing this morning that Elizabeth has been curating a chamber gallery show for us for since 2020. So this is actually the sixth year uh that she's been doing this, and we alternate them as you know, about every six or eight months or so. So today take it away. Thank you so much for that. Uh thank you to Nicole, thank you to the mission, maybe to the Arts of Advisory Community by the Opportunity Show Art and In the City Hall Chamber Gallery, thank you. So this the City Hall Chamber Gallery showcases curated selected artists from around the region. Really, their mid-career and professional career artists. And this gives them an opportunity and basically gives our residents and guests and visitors an opportunity to experience their art in a new way, as opposed to going into a gallery, let's say, or into a museum. This is an opportunity for the public. And so we thank you for that. Thank you to Nicole for helping to liaison. We're doing a lot of thanks back and forth here this morning. Appreciate that. I brought some uh uh as I go through Nathan's statement and bio for you. I brought some of his work uh to show because often we're we're in the room and we don't necessarily uh in terms of the general public watching, don't have the opportunity to see what a wet what are they talking about? So I thought I would bring some works for them to see this morning while I share his statement and his bio. So Nathan Beard, drawn to the visual, ecological, and political of the Floridian waterscape. Nathan Beard's inspiration for his Pond's Edge series comes from both unspoiled wilderness like Brooker Creek Preserve and from brief moments of beauty in urban retention ponds and modified natural spaces like Hammock Park. He references photos taken on walks with his family, and the series helps to hone the drawing and observational skills he needs for his entire body of work. Pond's Edge began on the shores of Crescent Lake when Bed was Beard was in transition to fatherhood. As its name suggests, Pond's Edge is a quiet search for a passive balance with natural forces and formally focuses upon the interaction of surface and depth, plant life and cast shadows, color and light. Nathan Beard creates in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he lives with his wife and two daughters. He grew up on a dairy farm in western New York. Prior to university studies, Beard lived in Egypt for one year as an exchange student, and upon his return, worked as a cowboy in Wyoming for two years. A lot of depth going on here. Nathan has exhibited extensively since 2013, and his work is in numerous private and corporation corporate corporate collections. He is honored to have received a 2025 St. Petersburg individual artist grant that will fund Love Songs, an exploration collaborative project with the DIMA Weavers in Niger. Four of Beard's large abstract paintings were recently selected for exhibition at the U.S. Ambassador's residence in Mexico City as part of the State Department's Art and Embassies program through 2028. I had the opportunity, along with Mary Childs, my co-curator at the time, to uh uh introduce Nathan's work to the Art and Embassies program. So we're all very proud of his uh his his record, his community effort to keep art in the forefront for all of us. I'd like to introduce Nathan Beard. Thank you all. Thanks for having me this morning. See a lot of familiar faces, of course. We know each other from the Danin Fine Arts Center where I served for seven years with Catherine Bergman on the curatorial team. Uh my family was supposed to move to Arizona a few years back. Uh my wife got accepted to medical school, but um uh we had the opportunity to stay, and she's now attending um the DO program at Nova Southeastern. So um it was really lucky for us to get that email on the eve of our leaving to Arizona.
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