Sister Cities Advisory Board - Regular Meeting

I would like to call the June 10th, 2026 Clearwater Marine Advisory Board to order. We'll turn off our phones and thanks for the reminder.

Yes. Oh dear.

Everybody had a chance to look over the meetings from last March? Yes. Yes, and do we have a motion to accept? So moved. I'll second. And a second. All in favor? Aye. The minutes from March 4th, 18th are approved. Are there any citizens to be heard today on things that are not on the agenda? No, okay. As apparently everybody heard, we're gonna skip over 4.1 because our speaker is a little detained. We'll go to 4.2, which is the Beach Marina Reconstruction Project Update, which we're all totally excited to hear about.

Good morning, members of the board. My name is Kelly Petrich. I'm the Engineering Division Manager in Public Works for the City of Clearwater. Um, I'm happy to say that we are now 82% billed for the entire project. So we're finally coming to the end here. Um, some of the activities currently going on, we have the, um, all the upland utility construction is progressing pretty well. We have the water and fire and stormwater work is all complete. Uh, the electrical is actually 50% complete, um, with the underground with underground rough ends. And then the sidewalk paving and the shade structure foundations, that will start within two weeks. Actually both the A and B docks are actually, the install is actually well underway. We're very happy. We've been getting, all of our manufacturers have been doing a great job. Golden Docks have supplied most of the aluminum docks and then we have Bellingham has supplied actually the precast docks and they've been doing a great job getting getting everything on site and Orion's doing a good job of placing them on site. Right now the BDOC main section and the support pilings are complete. Orion's actually installing the mooring piles where they will wait for the last few sections of the aluminum finger sections actually to be produced. They will actually complete BDOC installation the last week in June. So as you see, we're progressing really well on everything. 250 degrees of the dock. Main sections are actually installed. And completion of the dock itself is actually expected to see mid-July. So you're actually going to see a lot of things happening in the next month here. The water and electrical rough-ins on the boardwalk are almost complete. Those trades will actually be starting work on the B docks this week. And the B dock utilities are expected to take one to two weeks. And then focus will shift again to the A dock. One of the neat parts of this project, I know you guys already know, is the actual fuel building. This is actually the floating fuel building, which will actually rise up to 17 feet above the BFE during a storm. So it's very resilient structure that we're putting in compared to the fixed dock that we have, that we had before we demoed it, of course, but the existing one. And the fuel building construction, the systems on ADOC will actually begin the week of July 6th. So yes, we have a lot of good things going on and we're actually looking for the substantial completion for the project to be expected in August. So fingers crossed, we'll stay on track and we're hoping to get everything done there in probably middle of August. Any questions?

Is that when you would anticipate the fuel dock being open as well?

uh yeah yeah i think that'll be one of the last activities okay um on there you're still pumping fuel over the wall or for now no oh so we uh you know we tried to get the temporary fuel going after the hurricanes knocked off our our fuel uh and we could just never Something always came up. We ran into something. Now we're four months out from opening and we're like, stop. So that's where we're at. Tenants are still able to call in. We have three vendors that the city can utilize for fuel. So they're calling them in. They're taking fuel. over the seawall of their trucks, and we have a slip for them to utilize to do that.

So we're just almost staying out of it and letting them deal with their own vendors? Yes. Yeah. Okay.

Did you have a piece of floating dock get loose a few days ago?

I'm going to stop turning this off. Yeah, it was a new one that they had brought in that they were going to set, on phase two side, and it just came loose, I guess, off of the barge that was out there and floated out.

I saw it was slightly east of Brightwater. A couple jet skis came out and snagged it.

Yep.

If it came a little closer to my house, I might have claimed it. Those are really sturdy, by the way.

I heard that a couple times.

I bet.

It's amazing how sturdy those docks actually are for being aluminum and be able to float. I mean, you walk right on them, you wouldn't even realize that they're aluminum materials.

Excellent. I don't have any more questions for Kelly. I think that's it. We're excited. We look forward to seeing a date. We'll be talking to Mr. McDonald as I brought up that we're invited to see the grand opening. So thank you.

Very attractive so far.

Yeah, I was down there just a couple weeks ago. The old habit of walking the docks as we used to call it. You walk the docks. Anything else on that item? Kelly, anything else to read?

No. Thank you very much. Nothing else on the beach marina?

Okay. You're staying because you're going to talk about Seminole? Yeah. Oh, okay. We'll move on. Go sit down. We'll move on to 4.3, the update on the Seminole boat ramp update.

Yeah, so as you know, phase one is complete. So that's the upland portion. I'm sure a lot of you have seen that, you know, the great job they did on fixing the concrete portion of the deck. So now for phase two, we're going to go to the water side portion. So here we're going to fill in what there's actually a void out there. So we're actually going to fill that in with either it's going to be a cast in place or a precast slab portion. And so right now we're actually done with all of our plans. So we're actually going to have our EOR is actually First Line Coastal and they're going to put together all the products for us as far as the specifications, the whole bid package, the bid items. and the plan set to go out to bid. So we're looking to actually get that hopefully by the end of this week. And the staff will internally review all that. And usually that's about a, so then we'll hand that off to procurement and that process is about 90 days. And then we'll select the contractor. But what we're looking at this time is a construction window. And we feel like this is the best time to actually do the project, which would be in the January, February time frame to actually do the construction of this. And we're looking at a duration of 45 days for the actual construction.

Are they going to do half and half like they did before?

We're looking at a couple of different options. But it'll probably be, we want to remain one of the ramp open. What about full closure? Yeah. Well, we're hoping to keep half-half open.

We're looking at the costs. So if this was to take place in January to see if we did this in one mobilization, how long would the ramp speed down? And then look at the cost of that compared to doing the two mobilizations to keep the ramp open.

Okay.

So, but this is like a January where the ramp's not utilized. Yeah, the weather's not conducive to a lot of open activity. Correct.

So will that, that'll be in the general conditions of when you put that out to bed, right? How that's going to be billed?

Yeah. Yeah. Well, we're acquiring 45 days and we're open to having the phasing plan and also to do it all at once and get the difference in the cost. Because as Mike said, it will be also quicker if you can just have the whole thing closed and then you have one trade on there that does all the rebar instead of having them come back and forth. So it'll be a quicker process if we have it. But we're going to look at different options. We feel like it'll definitely save the city money, though, if we can just do one mobilization.

Do they cofferdam that off and dry it out?

Yeah, there'll be a cofferdam there.

any other questions on that excited to see that fixed it's been are they going to put the barrier like originally the plan was gosh probably eight or ten years i don't know how long ago it was now there was going to be a barrier on the south side of the parking lot kind of the wave attenuation and also a day dock and staging area it was originally on the plan that was on the sign it was at the top of the hill

correct so this project the seminal project had three phases they had the parking lot and then they had the restrooms and then they had new facilities we opted to not do the new facilities because we have to reinvest in our current facilities, which is the boat ramps. So we use that money instead of putting in the new floating docks and use that money to replace the boat ramps. Okay.

Do we want to give up the Harbor Marina?

I don't think we have that on the agenda. No, I have that in my director's report, but yeah, if you want to go ahead and give an update on that. Okay.

Yeah, you have any more questions on the Seminole boat ramp?

I've got a couple of things. Not on the ramp itself. They won't pertain to you. This is more to do with some information that we just gathered. And we can save that for later if you want, Mike. It has nothing to do with construction of the ramp.

Yeah, the agenda, you could look at new business items. And then you can start your own discussion. And we can look at that. OK.

Do you want any of my notes? Oh, I have the notes here.

So this diagram here is the south end, the work we're going to be doing to fix the wave attenuators that were damaged from an earlier storm. So this is, right now we currently have, we officially have Kelly Brothers who will be our contractor. They're under contract right now. We're actually working through the pre-construction submittal process. The longest time is going to be actually going through the submittal process and constructing the actual precast wave attenuators. So that process will take quite a long time for the precast to put all that together. And so we're probably looking at the construction to start actually the spring of 2007, once that is. And it'll be a pretty actually quick process once they're out there, once we actually get the wave attenuators on board. Probably less than a month, I imagine, to actually do the actual work. Any questions on the south side work?

I'm just looking to, can you point right where the actual attenuators are going to be hanging?

Yeah, this corner right here. Oh, okay. It's actually going to match the same design as what we have, what was fixed on the south corner.

Yeah, I think I had my north and my south mixed up.

Yeah, it's actually the same design. So what you'll see, end product will be the similar where you'll have the same type of wave attenuator and the pier in the middle.

So this was Hurricane Ian damage. And so also with Hurricane Ian damage, on the far south side of that, we lost those transition plates. We had one of the HDEP sleeves slide down one of our new steel pilings. And then we're missing some caps. And so that's going to be a part of that work too. Okay.

Yeah, so this will be our new, improved, more resilient design. So this will definitely be able to withstand future storms. And as Mike said, this is a FEMA-funded project as well. We can go over to the north side then. So this actually occurred during Hurricane Helene in Milton. I'll show you the area here.

It's right in this area here.

We're looking about five wave attenuators that were actually damaged that are going to be replaced. As well, it's a similar scope to the south side. And the status of that right now, we're getting the FDEP permit is being submitted. The building permit is being submitted. And we're right now compiling, again, the final drawings and bid package from our ER, which is Moffett Nichols. That's the same engineer that actually is doing the beach marina. So a good firm we're working with here. And again, that'll be a 90-day bid process. And yeah, it really depends on You know, the construction, when we get the contractor on board and what their schedule will be, I don't have any time frame at this time. But again, it'll be very, very similar in that once we get all the wave attenuators actually produced from the precast facility, it'll be a very quick actual downtime construction process. We're looking at less than a month, two to four weeks probably, to actually have to do the construction work, just similar to the south end. And this is also, like I said, a FEMA-funded project from Hurricane Helene.

And with this project, we're also replacing the gangway. that collapsed during Hurricane Helene on that far north side. And then we're replacing all the tension cables. Each one of those wave attenuators, they're held together by tension cables. And they've all failed throughout that dock and part of the south side. And then some new electric cords will be ran.

And the new cables are actually going to be stainless steel material, so you're looking at a lot less corrosive and more resilient product as well. And that's kind of been our whole focus on these marinas is making a more resilient product for the communities to basically take the future storms.

Is that section there still closed?

Just where the gangway has collapsed on that far north side. It's in the water. It needs to be designed and rebuilt.

No sense dragging it out of there until you're ready to go. All right.

Any more questions?

Anything else? Thank you. All right. Well, thank you, everyone. Thank you. Good. Thank you, Colin. You're gonna talk about the kayaks? Yeah. We'll go ahead and skip back to number one, which we were happy to do. I'm so sorry. Oh, no, that's fine, because we're... I think we all know how busy Trish is, so... And we all want to know how things are going down there.

It's going great, and I'm really happy and excited to be here to update you. Please don't take my delay as a lack of wanting to be here. Okay, so we have really, really exciting things. So everybody is getting together. Our group is becoming more solidified and more reliant on each other. All the camaraderie is happening the way that we had hoped within the marina and all the tenants. They're talking to each other, they're looking to each other. Everything is happening the way that we had hoped, which we're very happy about that. Yes, we're really excited about that. Our attendance is growing. Our email, for example, in the beginning when we send emails, we would get about 22% reading on of our emails, because we do keep track of that. I put it through a program so I can see how many people are reading it. And our last email went on, it was 67%. to give you an idea of the attention that they're paying attention to what we're sending to them. We've also included your parking team, Michael Shiel and his team. He's given me several emails to be in contact and they were on our last meeting. So to give you the difference in what our communication was with the city and working with all of the elements of what the marina has to deal with, we're working with all those elements quite well too. So, just a brief update on kind of the highlight of the things that we talk about right now on our agenda is that we're ordering dock boxes soon. We did apply for a Through the signage department, we have a ask of the city that they give us a definition of what the signage is going to look like on our kiosks. Those kiosks have, of course, to be in line with all the sign code that exists, but we have an element that we've never had before, which is white blank kiosks that we need design on. We need it to look like a marina. So that is being worked through right now. Derek on our team is the one sort of leading that charge. I'll call it step one to meeting one of the members of the signage department and had a good productive on-site meeting with them to talk about what it really meant to be defined as mural and how they would accept what was under mural versus signage and how we're going to work with that design. We don't have definition. We will soon have it, I'm told, in the next few weeks. Once our dock box order was waiting for that definition because we didn't want to place a dock box order If, for example, some of the signage, we wanted to know where the signage would be on our kiosks in order to know where we're going to put dock boxes. But we think we're at the point now where that is possible. So this week, an email is going to go out to all the tenants. We reached out to the same company that the city ordered dock boxes from. to try and get the same pricing and be more organized about the product that would end up in the marina. And the company agreed to give us the same price as long as we had a minimum of 10 dock boxes ordered, which we already have that now within the simple asks of the people in the marina. So that order will be placed through our association and then we'll jointly pay for it to get the discounted price. So it's offering about a 20% discount on all the . which is good for them. So that order will be placed soon. I don't have any idea what that order is, but next time around I'm sure I'll tell you how many of those dock boxes were ordered. And there's four different sizes that the city approved that they can do. So it'll be in line with that. July 3rd and 4th, we know what the city is doing for their celebrations, their big giant 250 year celebration. So they've asked the tenants to maybe coordinate and do something in light of that event, those events that are going on. We did consult with many of them, Marina, and we don't have the budget to say, everybody is still down. What we hoped, everybody knows, the business is down on the beach. And so what we had hoped to be the change and turn on the lights and everybody be busy as we were in 20, you know, before the construction started, that didn't happen. So everybody's still pretty down in terms of numbers. They don't really have a budget, per se, to put a couple thousand dollars in their businesses to light them up and do, for example, a lighted parade or something like that involving Fourth of July. So instead, what we decided is that we would present, some of us in the marina already do sightseeing with the boat parade. We already go out with a group to watch the parade and do little things to watch, sorry, to watch the fireworks. So we're getting those people together to say maybe we need to have a little coordinated effort to the businesses that already do something for the 4th of July and the 3rd of July and coordinate a little showcase. So communicate with Michael and his team to say during the fireworks celebration that the marina tenants are going to showcase at whatever time period we're gonna do it and have a little lineup, mini parade-ish to just be a part of the celebration. So that's what they agreed to do there. And then that's pretty much it. I don't want to tell you too much, but other than just to tell you, there's also a Holiday in Lights campaign going on for the Christmas holiday. You'll hear more about it to come. But it is an event that is going to involve probably an event at the marina, which I'll have updates on that probably for the next meeting. But it involves for the holiday season. We're already working on the holidays.

Excellent.

Great. Does anybody have any questions?

Sounds like you've unionized. Yeah. It's great to hear how well you're working together. And I gave Mike Gruff when we showed up at one meeting and you had been formed. And it was news to us. But I immediately took that back because it's been the best thing that could have happened to you guys down there is to have a coordinated effort to get over this, to get through this. Anyone have any questions for him? I'll explain everything. Thanks, Trish.

Thank you. Thank you. I'm always here if you have any questions in the meantime, too. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

Thanks for rushing in. I believe Mike's going to tell us about the kayak launch sites.

Yeah. Good morning board, Mike McDonald, Marine and Aviation Director. So I spoke with Matt Anderson of our Parks and Rec and they're the ones that are doing the kayak launches through Parks and Rec. and he has a couple of them that he's doing the first one's going to be the one at cooper's bayou which is at this park right here and that's going to be there's my house and that's going to be on the uh the bay side so they were looking for getting some grant funding i don't They were looking at getting some grant funding. I'm not for sure that that's going to pan out, but that's going to be the first place that they do a kayak launch. The second place that they are doing it is going to be at the old shuffleboard club. And that's going to be right there on Stevenson's Creek. There's already an informal launch there. There's a parking lot there and you go out right into the creek and you can stay on the creek where you can go under the bridge and you can go out into the intercoastals. And that's the second one that they're doing and like I said, they're still looking at grant funding for that. And those are the only two launch sites that they have. We looked at doing the one at Seminole Boat Ramp and it's kind of an informal one because there is a spot here that we removed a bunch of stuff but it's not marked and the reason why it's not marked is it's not safe. You have the boats launching here and coming out right here to the channel that's right here and then you're gonna try to launch kayaks there. And it's just not safe. It's nothing that I could get behind and say, hey, let's do a launch site here. But not preventing people from parking there and then launching their paddle boards from there.

yeah it's it's it's especially weekends mayhem oh yeah it's just not safe um i originally well for a while i had my boat right there in the clearwater harbor marina but the um uh originally on uh out of pirates cove and to get out there you have to run past the kayak and parasail renting and that channel is somewhat odd yeah you have to stick way to the right sharp left um so you have to run right along the beach and they get out there and you can't you have to shut down you can't vary and this is kind of the same thing though though i believe the north of there in the picture you're off the screen a little bit um there you go yeah i think right at the bottom of the picture would be where the no wake zone sets in so boats shouldn't be or minimum wake anyway shouldn't be shouldn't be running full speed as they are out in dunedin and and but they do they they trail out two or three in a row you know, in a line and can stretch right across the channel. And this is another spot, there's not a lot of variance of where you can wander off out of the channel to avoid them. So I understand that. When we talked about it, it was... The Stevenson Creek one is great. Even the Stevenson Creek people are all for it. They're one of the people that we're pushing for it, the advisory group there. I know the one by my house. I walk that park multiple times a week. And it's just a little bit of concrete and then mud. And you have to wade through the mud to get your kayak launched. But dozens and dozens of people every weekend or every day even go out of there. So to have a formal safe one would be great for them. Absolutely.

Any questions? That's great. That's one of the first things that we were talking about. I think that'll help take some of the pressure off some of the other locations too. I had heard somewhere in some city meeting that the shuffleboard court and lawn bowling was to go away and it was going to do something. I know that has no bearing on us.

Yeah, I want to say that the shuffleboard club is closed down, but the lawn bowling is still active in there. And I might be wrong, and if Matt Anderson's watching, I'm sorry if I butchered that.

It doesn't matter if that would affect the kayak launch because that's to the east of it, so.

Yeah.

Great, thank you.

Yep. So a director's report, Mr. Director.

Yep, so we've gone over Seminole and we've gone over Harbor Marina. That was in my director's report. So Stevenson's Creek. I submitted the draft application as well as the draft ordinance and all documented data to the Florida Wildlife Commission. FWC responded and is in favor of making the creek a manatee zone from Edgewater to Fairmont and overbrook bridges. From Fairmont to Betty Lane will remain just the slow speed minimum weight. FWC wanted advice why they wanted some, they advised that they wanted some language changed in the draft ordinance, which we're working on. and wanted to update the map to show the language from the ordinance. So the map that I submitted with the draft, they wanted the map updated, uh, which we're working on too. And then, uh, they wanted pictures of why we stopped at the Overbrook bridge. So we went down and took pictures of, you know, people can't access that, uh, through that bridge. That's why it ends there. And then they wanted some pictures of the, the shore erosion, uh, from Fairmont to Betty lane. So we took some pictures of that. We'll submit that with the application. Uh, the next step will be to complete the requested language changes and the updated information and we'll send them a new draft and then they'll go over it and advise if they want any more changes, if it's satisfactory to them. Uh, if it's satisfactory to them, then we'll go ahead and do the ordinance, uh, change through city council. Uh, and then, uh, after that, uh, after that ordinance approved, then we'll, uh, apply for the permit for the managing zone with FWC and then their board has to recommend it.

Do you, do you think that could happen this year?

I'm going to try. i mean i know it's been a long process just to get to this point but uh a lot of the stuff that when it's in our hands we take care of it fairly quickly and get it back to them so and i don't know how regularly they need to you know to vote on these to to let this come through the stevenson creek group Well, FWC groups. Oh, FWC group? Yeah. Oh, okay.

At least we're moving in the right direction.

Yeah. And I just want to say that all the data that the Stevenson Creek Abbotson Creek group put together was satisfactory. They're not requesting any more data or anything like that. That's good.

Yeah. The Stevenson Creek groups, to be commended, they are a diligent group. bunch to to mike's to mike's credit that uh i'm sure they stay in crutchett but sherry's been great to work with mike foley's been great to work with and you know they're passionate about the manatees and and and their their their last meeting that i attended was on sherry's back porch with a wide backyard with stevenson creek spread out there and you realize what motivates them how beautiful the spots are there if you just look at it from an overview map it's just a body of water but Um, when you're down there and on cue, amenity was out there on cue, a fisherman running at the proper speed, um, came through and it was, you know, probably, I'm guessing snook or something in the, in the back corners. Um, and it just gave, it made it all clearer of why they're so passionate about it.

And it was standing on the trail with you and, uh,

Jeff, I mean just if you saw our interview on Bay News 9, yes Stevenson Creek, yeah We both had 20 minutes of good things to say and we both got about 40 seconds on the air We're learning how TV works I think that was my first interview But but it's been great to work with them and I know they just gave out a grant themselves and And I wish I had the gentleman's name here. There's a retired gentleman who's back up north now. But every winter he spends wading that creek and cleaning up the garbage. And they gave him a stipend to make his life, I don't know if he has a difficult life, but to make his life a little better and show their appreciation. Any waters in Florida are dangerous to go wading around in, so really a commendable group. Absolutely. Fingers are crossed for that project. Anyone?

Any questions on that? Yes. Mike, is FWC the only approval authority? Are there any others that have to get in the mix?

No. The FWC gave... counties and cities the ability to create their own manatee zones. The manatee zones that we have in Clearwater is from the FWC. They do the studies. and then they placed zones appropriately. And at the last time that they did their study and came through Clearwater, Stephenson's Creek didn't have enough data. But with the data that we've, that Stephenson's Creek put together and the data that was shown, they're, you know, they support it and they come right out and said that, you know, we support this. So. That's great.

Now we hope that the Potential move of the sewage to the Northeast plant the expansion of the Northeast plant which is a much safer plant and alleviating the East one by my house and and the one on Stevenson Creek would be Lincoln That had a big spill during the hurricanes and They have That's, I think, a big step for really restoring that creek is that whoever thought to put it there in a floodplain. If you read the city information on it, they criticized themselves for saying, what were we thinking, basically, for putting this so close to a body of water like this. um that would really i think help bring the seagrass back and the redfish and the crabs and the and turn it back into probably how it was 50 or 60 years ago it's been a long trek and i don't know if you know that they've spent um if not tens maybe a hundred million dollars since i've moved here um on different things to mitigate um the whole floodplain from taking out the golf course on Gulf of the Bay and all the way down. So high hopes. Yeah. Agreed.

Any other questions on that? I'll move the warning for me.

Thank you. Council approved the second phase of the rate increase for the recreational tenants at the beach, harbor, and island estates marinas. This will bring the recreational rates in line with the market rate provided by the Walter Duke rate study. The beach and harbor marina will be $23 for residents and $25.30 for non-residents. Island estates will be $20 for residents and $22 for non-residents at Clearwater. The recreational tenants will not be, I'm sorry, the commercial tenants will not be increased in phase two, but after substantial completion of the beach marina project, The department will conduct another rate study and advise you and city leadership of that study. The new rates will go into effect for the recreational tenants on October 1st. As you guys recall, we came in and we talked about the rate study and how low the rates were. You guys advised us to do it in two phases, so that's how I approached council. Council wanted this phased out longer than what we gave them at the time and to come back with a Performa, which I did June 4th. And so they've agreed that, you know, the market rate is where they should be. Okay. So if you guys can read that, that's kind of where everybody's at and what they're going to. And then you can see the commercial tenants in the middle. And really, the commercial tenants are at 2,365 a foot right now, which is more than they were. Before, if you remember, we had a passenger count. Yes. And then we've gone to a per foot count. There you go.

Can we get copies of that? Yeah. Or put it in the minutes or something? Yeah.

If not, I can just email it to you guys. Either way. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah, email it. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. And then we also got the kiosk rate in there. So what that's going to be is it's going to be $350 a month for the first eight years. And then after that, it's just going to be a land fee. And we'll evaluate that because at the end of that eight years, the kiosk will be paid off what we paid for.

Then technically we still own them, though, or the actual tenants will own them?

Correct. We'll still own them. Okay. Yep.

With the city owning them, I'm assuming the city will maintain them?

Yeah, we'll maintain them. We'll do the maintenance on them. We'll replace them. Okay. And then the transient dockage did not change. That went to full rate at our first meeting. We didn't phase that in.

Can you point that out? Is it on there?

Yeah, down here at the bottom. So we have to have transit per foot, per day, per week, and then per month. And then if you come and you stay, A month, you get a little bit of a discount. And so that's what that just shows you at the bottom. So daily equivalent, weekly rate's $2.50, and the monthly rate's $1.78 per foot per month, or per day. Does that make sense to you guys?

Yes. Daily rate is how much per foot?

It's $3.50 if you're just coming to stay the day, but if you do a weekly rate, you're basically paying $2.50 a day. If you come and stay a month, you're basically doing $1.70.

What if you're spending the night? I mean, it's a transit. Just for one night? Yeah. It's the $3.50. Yeah, that's what I thought.

So a 30-foot boat, about $100.

Yeah, I can take it.

A lot cheaper in a hotel room.

Yeah. Yeah, a longboat key, $6.50 a foot. Is it? Well, yes, a longboat.

A lot of people in this city want to be Sarasota.

It's a totally different environment. Southeast was over $6. Is there any questions on this? That would be great. Get us a copy. Great, thanks. And then the last thing, so the police department and the fire department dock, it was damaged during Hurricane Helene. Kind of taken that over. Kelly and I have taken that over to get that fixed. So we received the damage assessment, the conceptual design, and the engineer's cost estimate for the reconstruction of that dock. The cost is estimated to be $431,000 to replace the dock. $485,000 to fix the dock. So of course we're gonna go with the replacement. So the next step in the process is to continue to work with FEMA on the actual cost and get approval. When FEMA came in, they estimated the dock at $70,000. So we're working with them to get that number changed.

Or have them do it for 70. I'm sorry? Or have them do it for 70.

Yeah, yeah, exactly. So our next step besides working with FEMA is we've got to get a supplemental work order from the engineered record. And they're going to do the final design. They'll do the bid packaging. And then they'll do the construction services throughout the rebuild. So I don't know if you guys remember what the police stop used to look like. So on this east side, the police dock was here and they had a hydraulic, what would you call that, Bill? Just a flat bottom lift? Yeah, it was just the entire dock. Yeah. The total dock lift.

Oh, so the platform itself. Yeah.

It was a platform, but the hydraulics, it was hard to keep up with and everything. So we're looking at just going with three regular aluminum lifts. And then two piers. So the dock to meet code, those piers have to be wider. And so really the only change to this dock is widening the piers. It's going to be very similar. But there's mitigation involved with this that's going to help with the FEMA funding. And one of those things is we're going to install flow-through decking. We're going to install removable electrical pedestals, kind of like we've done at the beach marina, as we had Eaton come in and Not really design, but design a breakaway pedestal for us. So when a storm comes in on these fixed docks and where the kiosks are, it's four bolts that you take off. You can pick the pedestal up and there's a quick connect underneath. And then you take the pedestals with you. Nice. So those pedestals, $4,000 a piece when you have that many of them. So we're going to do that for the PD Dock 2. We're going to replace the older generation piles. We're going to raise the deck level a couple feet, and then we're going to install some cross bracing. And then on the lift itself, there's going to be a storm restraint system on it. So that'll help with that. securing more FEMA funding for this project.

Will the seawall have to be raised?

So when they go to replace it, it will need to be up to code. Right. But there was no damage to the seawall. Right.

But I mean, if you're doing that, is there going to be a requirement?

No. No, there won't be a requirement until we go to replace that seawall. To replace the seawall. Okay. And that is all I have for you gentlemen. Do you have any questions on the PD dock or anything? no except maybe this was theirs and you've taken over responsibility for it well it's i help since i do a lot of this work anyways and you have cops and firefighters who need to be cops and firefighters not engineers and project managers So Eric Gandy, I asked him, I was like, hey, do you want me to jump in and help your guys do this? And like, absolutely. I'm still working with Major Burnside, Lieutenant Dean, with the PD, and they're giving me direction and everything. They have a whole monster of their own to handle.

Yes. Just one?

Also, as a footnote to the gentleman who was in here a few months ago that said the docks and all through there were running out the manatees. I saw three out in that marina last night at Clearwater Yacht Club.

Oh, really? Because it's not permitted? Is it because it's not permitted, that area?

No. Remember the guy who came and was against docks and he said, We'd put in new ducts that we'd run off all the manatees on the coast.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what I'm talking about. Yeah. I think the manatees like the ducts. They like the fresh water that comes off the ducts, too. Yeah, there were three manatees in our basin last night. And that gives them some protection.

So can we get a manatee zone now out there in front to slow down? You know where I'm headed with that, right? Yeah.

Let me take pictures. Get us the data. All right.

I think that if there's anywhere we would put a new wake zone, it would be there by the Yacht Club. I think we told the Stevenson Creek people even that. Like, we'd love to just give out no wake zones.

Well, they have a sewage pump out now, or we do.

Yes. Good. Which is even a better reason to put it forward. All right.

is it something we should talk about in the future at what point can we or should we or is it acceptable will they give us any more i mean we would just have to like i said we'd have to show the data so uh for that area you wanted to do a manatee zone or uh a slow speed zone yeah because you gotta you know meet that criteria so

And people ski back in there and not only run full speed, but... They just run full speed. Yeah.

And that's the only finger in Clearwater that you can do that in.

Yeah, yeah. Except the Mandalay Channel there and... You seem to hint that you resolved the problem with the wakeboarders back in there.

Yeah, so when we went out and we started doing the permits at Seminole Boat Ramp for commercial operators, because a lot of those people, a lot of the vendors were picking up out of Seminole. One of them in particular, we ended up having a great relationship with. And in that permit, it says you can't wakeboard or ski in that zone. You need to find someplace else. And that's in our documented permit. So they're not allowed to do that. But if you have the one-off of people coming in and doing that, I mean, that's...

I thought they were back. There was someone who spent the day last week in there. He knocked off a guy doing some work on my boat. He knocked off a what? There was a guy waxing my boat. He was on a float, and the wave was so bad, he... Put him in the water. No. But it was not a commercial guy. It was just somebody who had about five people in this boat.

Yeah. But the commercial people shouldn't be in there at all. No commercial people.

Yep.

Excellent. All right. Any other questions for me?

Wee. Thanks, Mike.

It's okay for me to speak. I've never asked questions about a lot of this work.

On these subjects?

Yeah.

Oh, yes.

My name is Marion Capusta. Please give us your name again. My name is Marion Capusta. I run and operate the Clearwater Basin Marina right across the parking lot from the Seminole boat ramp. I also live on Bayside Drive across the street from the Yacht Club there. So a lot of these things sort of relate. And the questions I had. Yeah, there you go. Yeah, so basically I am right here have been here for since 2011 or something for quite a while. So seeing all the things and changes, but the question I guess was about departments for the commercial guys. I'm not sure that all of them have them. I'm not sure how they're being enforced and all that. So I guess that was the question and was to point out that I think that, well, although the system that was invented is great, I don't know that there is enforcement on it and, you know, what the current situation there is. it really still doesn't seem totally under control by any means. The guys that follow the rules and pay the permits do that and the ones that don't just have a wild party over there, which doesn't seem, it seems more unfair than it's been because some people really try and then the others just continue to cause a problem and a mess. So yeah, just figured I'll point that out while I'm sitting here since I'm there every day and get to watch a lot of these things that maybe you guys don't get to see.

So you have these commercial boats running out of here that are?

No, I don't. So we have some docked right here. But, of course, having the bait shop here and our boat repair shop right here, we don't we get to see a lot of what happens right there at the ramp with the fighting and these people sitting here and taking up space and whatnot. So it continues to be a problem. I think a simple solution is a way to enforce these permits. But as far as I know, there is there is no way. or nobody does this or I don't know whose jurisdiction this is to enforce this. But I think the city should benefit from this and have it under control. And I've actually been attempted to be sued a number of times from commercial guys, you know, somebody getting hurt and contacting us because we're in a close vicinity saying, oh, you know, one of your commercial boats and we fell and I broke my leg. I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. This is definitely a mistake. So I feel like if this was enforced and city actually had this under control, we would at least know who is insured, who is not insured. It wouldn't put, for example, me at risk, which would be great.

There's a fair amount of, shall we say, questionable legal activity as far as if the charters or tours are licensed. if they have the pickup and operation permit. And of course, I know the Coast Guard was looking at a lot of unlicensed activity as well. But you've got jet ski rentals operating out of there. Somebody will come down with a trailer with six jet skis on it and launch them for the renters. You'll have marine contractors loading and unloading pilings and materials and boats and so forth. Then, of course, tour boats and fishing charters, again, they just show up and they tell their customers, meet me at, and they get on the boat and they go.

Right. I guess that's part of another problem is because this happens, these people or customers show up looking for the charter and they come to my shop, which we don't run any charters, And, you know, my guys are mechanics, and they're an information center. How do you pay for parking? Where's my charter? And all this stuff, which, you know, we've been doing it for years, so it is what it is. But it is kind of obscene, as it is. And like I said, I think the permit idea is great, because at least we get to collect these people's insurance and information. That way I don't get sued, and I don't go to prison. I prefer not to. But it just doesn't get enforced, and I think it should.

And I think that's... Do you still pump fuel there? Yeah. You still do? Okay.

Yeah, we took that as a... So we had tanks before that for our boats and all that. And then during hurricane, after the hurricane wiped out the city marina, it was pointed out that we should probably attempt to retail cell fuel, which caused some issues for us because obviously our pumps previously were not retail pumps, like the weights and measures approved. So we had to go through that process, but luckily we were able to get that done relatively quickly. So that's what we've been doing, and it's been working out pretty good, I think, for everyone.

It works out for me, thank you.

I'm good friends with people at Jet Age Fuel that are just down the street, and they say, oh, you should do this because of this problem, because for them they have fuel minimus, I don't know what it is, 100 or 150 gallons. So, like, anybody that needs any less than that, we can't even deliver to them because it's just not feasible for us. So you should do this. I'm like, yeah, but our tanks. Are so small because it's a far use all of us. We're so close. We'll deliver to you multiple times a day. I'm like, okay, let's try it. And that's how that that happened. So. That's been, I think it's been a good thing, especially at this project with the Marina has taken so much longer than expected. So. I think it helps out the community and I think it's good.

Stick your tanks. I ran a fuel dock on that area for many years.

That was a thought that were brought up. It's like, oh, we should put in-ground tanks and all that. I'm like, no, we're not doing that. I am a low liability type of guy. And yeah, so that works out for us. And that's the reason I pointed this situation.

3,000 gallon gas and a 2,000 diesel in-ground that I stuck every morning, every evening. And The end of the dock where they were changing a marina into a restaurant had to dispose of their 5,000 gallon tank that they had to take out of the ground and they thought they could pump the water out and then just pay to have the old deteriorated fuel pumped out because it's really expensive per gallon to pump out. But they borrowed a pump from the city which was like you know, hundreds of gallons a minute and filled our bay with gasoline. And it was a northeast wind, so it blew it into the corner in front of my fuel dock. And when I got up in the morning, 6 o'clock in the morning, and turned on the TV, and there's my boss, on being interviewed of what's going on. And I rushed down there and I had the data that I had just stuck them. We restuck them in front of the fire department and they traced it back. The guy actually went to jail. Even to this day, his family still owns the restaurant, Liquor License Rum Runners, which is the Erie. They used to run the rum from Canada over to this point.

um that they he still can't be on it he like felony conviction for it the guy from the city that loaned the pump lost his job and we had a huge liability to have fuel blocks and diesel that much more because i mean gas at least evaporates so it's some in some time it's going to be gone the diesel doesn't go in there we had a situation recent semi recently a couple months ago a large boat across the across the marina from us had pumped a bunch of diesel overboard for some, something failed. And anyways, and, uh, coach controlled up to us and go, what is all this diesel about? Um, what's your diesel spill containment? I'm like, well, we don't sell diesel. So there is none. So they stand there scratching their heads. I'm like, yeah, you need to go elsewhere. So luckily I felt good about that because I, because that could have, that was a, that was a little bit of a mess because that basin doesn't wash out too well because it doesn't really have an in and out. So, um, So the diesel stuck there for a few days until they got all cleaned up. But you know, it is what it is. Also, I think when you were talking about the no-wake zone there, it starts right at this side. I don't know how much of a job it is to move it 100 feet just past our basin, but if that's ever in question, that'd be great because it starts or stops in a way that they stop right at that corner. So we get all the waves right into the marina, which is, I mean, it is what it is, but if it ever gets moved, it'd be great to move it 100 feet. We also have manatees, by the way.

I think the manatee zone starts right on the other side of that, across the marina from you.

I think the manatee zone does, and then like, no, I don't know how that works, but I think the no wait zone sign is right about the end of the screen, probably. Yeah, straight across. Exactly.

That's my channel. And then everything east of the federal channel is all manatee zone. Right.

People probably don't follow it, but it goes back to enforcement, I guess. All right. Well, anyways, nice to meet you guys. I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you.

That's the end of the director's report?

Yeah. We have a response if you want. for the enforcement at Seminole?

Oh, yes. Oh, you've looked into it.

When we initiated this commercial use permit program, we did have a permanent part-time employee security. He didn't have enforcement powers. That's just with the police department and their marine unit. So we're kind of beholden to them when they're available to do enforcement. They were just out there a month ago, wrote several tickets. I know that because we started getting phone calls. And we got a few more commercial use permit applications after the tickets were written. But after the storms, we lost that permanent part-time employee. We do intend on hiring one back. But we have all that written up right now. We just need approval to submit that and hire. But again, he's not enforcement. That person would just be really educational. And their presence really does knock it down. the violators, some of the violations. We do actively pursue, if we get a complaint that someone is operating out of there without a permit, I'll research the internet. I'll try to find their booking sites. I'll call them and let them know there's a commercial use permit. I'll call the PD, let the Marine unit know I have a good working relationship with them. And we have cameras out there. If I can see the logo on the side of the boat, I'll call that company and remind them of the commercial use permit and let them know that they have been reported to the police. So we are as active as we can be on addressing these issues. But I do know it is a problem. People are going to be people.

The little big brother is watching. We try. Yes. Good.

And there has been... You know, what Marian's saying, we've heard the same thing. So there has been this spring season an uptick in the activity that he's talking about. And PD's aware of it. Like Bill said, they were out there last month. They wrote several citations. So we are aware of it and we're looking at trying to squel that back down.

Any other questions on that? I have one or two questions. One was I meant to bring up when we were talking about the beach marina that I saw a line item appear, though it's on hold, through the parking department of $39 million for a garage out there in the parking. it's where we have to let go, we can't have any influence on the parking, but is that gonna be a real thing?

Yes, it will be a real thing. They're doing the parking study now, and the next thing that'll come out will be an RFQ for a designer for it. That's going to be a public works project and, you know, parking is within public works. So it's needed badly and has been for quite some time. I think we will eventually get there for sure.

Is there still storage incorporated for the tenants of the marina and incorporating the first floor plans?

When the design comes out, yeah, we'll definitely be asking for that. You know, the first floor can't be anything but storage anyways by FEMA rules. Plus, you know, we have our underground storage tanks there and the transport truck will have to get in there to drop fuel. So there'll have to be some design elements built into that regardless.

Is it thought to be on the east end like it was some time ago or is it bigger than that?

The last I heard, yes. But hopefully when those meetings start, when they start the RFQ to send out for design, I should be involved in that and I'll have more information at that time.

We'll have to start going to the parking meetings, I guess. Well, that'll be good. It'll be a little more hardship going on for the tenants, but in the long run, the big thing of the parking at the beach is they always want to see how it's going to pay for itself. And peak times, it pays for itself, but off-season, they don't always. And I think this would be one that would, year-round, would pay for itself. Mm-hmm. Absolutely. The other question I had, we've spoken a few times about the boards of Clearwater used to have an annual gathering. Yes. We would all get together and you would meet people from other boards, the environmental board.

Once a year, award ceremony.

I was going to say parks and rec, but I'm not even sure that's a board anymore. That's been kind of incorporated. They've combined it. Yeah. But you knew you got a chance to meet them and know who they were and council and the mayor would attend and pictures taken and Mike and I are waiting for our eight-year plaques that we give out. If you serve two terms, you got a plaque. I'm writing that you did two terms of service. Of course, you know, we didn't want to quit until the Meach Marina was done, so we're still here. But I just thought that was a great thing, and I don't think it was a huge cost of a thing to buy us dinner. And you got dinner and one drink coupon. I'm going for the drink. Yes. You're close enough to take an Uber.

Yeah, we had it at the Sheridan, St. Key.

Yeah, it was here in St. Key. Any thought to do it again or no? I know you talked to some of the powers that be, and they just haven't responded.

I don't know where they stand on that. That would be a conversation that I'd have with my boss.

I think it died, cost and COVID.

Yeah, 2020 was the first year we didn't have it. Anything else? End of the director's report. Board members to be heard.

I've got something I'd like to mention whenever it's my turn.

It's your turn.

We'll have you go first. Back to some of the situations at Seminole Street. I just discovered this week that the city of Dunedin is in the process of drafting legislation. They've got their bases covered. There will never be jet skis or any motorized watercraft launched from the Dunedin Causeway again, ever.

From the beach?

From the causeway, on the beach, anywhere on the causeway. Paddlecraft, sailcraft, nothing motorized. And they have, I mean, every I is dotted and T is crossed. They've got DEP. They've got law enforcement. They've got fire safety involved. Everybody parks and rec. So there's no pushback. So when the jet ski groups come in and say, oh, but, but, but, but, What's that got to do with us? We're not done eating. No, but the trickle-down effect. And as I'm sure Marion can vouch for, the change in the usership of the Seminole ramp has changed significantly in the last couple of years, and especially in the last year. A lot of personal watercraft. overflow parking doesn't exist legally i don't know who owns the property around there that's up to them if they want to charge if they want to let them go if they want to tow whatever we're not in that business unless the city were to potentially contact one of those owners and say can we lease this or set it up for pay whatever I was proposing the parking spaces on the north side facing the playhouse on the top of the hill. They're all straight-in spaces. If those were angled, made a little longer, and have a maximum length, you could have that entire stretch for short trailers, jet ski trailers. Because right now, what happens, you go down there at any point in time, especially on the weekends, Marion, what would you say, 40%, 50% are short jet ski trailers? Probably. So the guy with a triple axle with a 36-footer that wants to go offshore and catch his two red snapper, he's got no place to park. They don't need the long parking places. Now, OK, how do you get them to park there? Again, with some education and some signage, But additionally, now this is the other thing where Dunedin can potentially throw more business our way. When they do open the ramp at the marina, that will be for resident use only. if they allow non-resident it is going to be at a significantly higher ramp fee really done as a hopefully to dissuade use by non-city residents can we investigate a citizen versus non-citizen parking fee structure the only the only issue is is you know that

Seminole boat ramp was built with grant funding. Right. So you wouldn't be allowed to discriminate like that.

Okay. Yeah. Even outside, I mean, anything, out of state, out of county, anything?

Correct. Yep. Okay. It's open to the public. Okay. Not with federal money. Okay. We couldn't limit the use, you know, what vessels they bring in. Okay. Couldn't limit where they're from. Okay. First come, first serve.

Okay. But it really wouldn't, other than restripe that lot. And likewise, many of those spaces, they look like they're 12 foot wide spaces. They're pretty big, even when you've got a big dually truck in there with a triple axle trailer, there's still plenty of room on both sides. Makes you wonder, could that lot be restriped and get another 20 or 30 spaces throughout the entire area, plus if you were to change the straight parking to angle parking for short trailers. It might help alleviate it. I'll pass this along to Parking. Okay. It has become... quite a, well, you know.

Yeah. And the Playhouse does utilize a lot of that effort for parking.

Yeah, but they've got their own parking. And anyway, I don't know what the deal is with the Garden Club.

Yeah. But it's, you know, parking, especially for boat ramps, there's Dunedin, and then there's Clearwater and Bel Air.

Yeah, that's it. You've got it way down at Park Boulevard, way up towards Tarpon. You've got the one there at... We've got that little ramp. Yeah, the little ramp there at Ozona. Yeah. That's a little one-hole. No water to speak of there. You've got to have a pretty skinny boat to do that. But those kinds of things, it's not a lot of money. And, again, talking about parking, they want parking to be self-supporting. Well, if you have more spaces, there's more revenue, potential for more tickets with people doing stupid. So, anyway, that's all. Thank you.

Anything else from anyone here? I have one thing to say, only that we'll be actually looking for advice. Some of you may know, I'm a candidate for city council. And I want to still chair the September meeting. By then, maybe the election would be over, maybe not. uh... am i going to be permitted to stay on this board as long as i am not officially councilmember if I win in August but I'm not sworn in until November?

I can't answer to that. I'll definitely ask Rose and Nicole and we'll get back to you.

Okay. Let everyone know because they, I think, need to be prepared to take over if they say you won in October or you won in August, you don't take office until November, but you still have to step down that you guys may have to take over for me.

Absolutely. Good question.

Okay.

Are there currently any vacancies on this board? Are there one or two?

I believe we have one open share.

One vacancy, right? Yes, one vacancy. So if you go to city council, you've got to bring somebody in to sit in your seat. Oh, I've got to recruit the person.

I see. We can find somebody.

I've had a few people that I've bugged for years. One guy, he's a boating family here, up and down. Actually, when I'm giving it away, I think his brother owns the fish market and restaurant at Dunedin Pier. Walt. They've literally generational people. I talked to Walt, too. He's not interested, and neither is his brother, Eric. Eric was a real estate person for me, so there we have, we revealed his name. Really good, sharp guy, knows the waters, and some people just don't see the value of it. I don't know that I saw the value of it until I sat through my first meeting here and wanted to get more involved. So if you have anybody in mind, we're always, we'll be looking for one or two people. Do we have anything else? I think we have not set any records, but we have had a good meeting for only four items on the agenda, one hour and 12 minutes. So anyone move to adjourn? I move to adjourn. And a second? I second. This meeting is adjourned. Thank you. Thank you, and good night.