Clearwater Annual Report 2024

I am proud to present to you the city of Clearwater’s annual report, a look back at our successes and progress from last fiscal year, Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024.

Our community was ravaged by hurricanes Helene and Milton late in the fiscal year, and our city was significantly impacted by the storms. Some of our residents and businesses lost everything from flooding and storm surge, and city facilities and services were hugely impacted.

Clearwater is strong and resilient. We will work hard every day to help our community rebuild and to return our city to the bright and beautiful place where we live, work and play. Our collective, dedicated efforts will continue to make meaningful impacts.

Prior to the hurricanes, 2024 had been a year of progress as Clearwater continues to implement its strategic direction, which is the driving force behind our budget. It is our project roadmap, and the city council and I are committed to working with our community as partners in seeing through this important vision. Visit MyClearwater.com/StrategicPlan and MyClearwater.com/Budget for details.

Our hard work will continue toward rebuilding our community, which will take time. We also will focus on activating downtown, constructing the Clearwater Beach marina, supporting the North Greenwood CRA area, and focusing on economic development.

City leaders and I care very much about engaging with our residents and finding out what you think and need. Mayor Bruce Rector, the city council, and I want to make sure that you, our residents, feel connected to your city officials.

We invite you to attend city council meetings, reach out to the mayor and city council by calling 562-4050, emailing City.Council@MyClearwater.com, attending your local neighborhood meeting, or reporting a problem through Clearwater Connect at MyClearwater.com.

I look forward to all that we will continue to accomplish together as a community!

Jennifer Poirrier
City Manager
City of Clearwater

About Our Bright and Beautiful City

Clearwater, Fla., is a progressive city that is committed to enhancing residents’ lives while preserving a heritage that is rich in culture and exquisite in landscape. Here, you’ll find everything you could expect from a tropical paradise.

Clearwater History

Literally translated “Clear Water” from the Native American “Pocotopaug,” the area was named for its abundant fresh springs along the shore. Settled by colonists in the mid-1830s, it was not until the 1890s that Clearwater gained a reputation as a resort community.

When this area was home to only the Native Americans, clear springs gurgled from the banks into the bay. The springs, long since gone, were located along the high bluffs upon which Downtown Clearwater is now situated. Early settlers called it Clear Water Harbor, by which it was known until 1895, when Clearwater became one word. Harbor was dropped in 1906. 

During the Seminole Indian Wars of 1835, the government built the original Fort Harrison as a recuperation center for soldiers, and not as a defensive fort. It was located on the bluffs where Harbor Oaks neighborhood is located now. The fort was abandoned in 1841 and is commemorated by a plaque on Druid Road.

James Stevens, the “father of Clearwater,” and Samuel Stevenson were among the first settlers. After a visit in 1841, James Parramore McMullen and his six brothers settled in the Clearwater area. They and their descendants held many important governmental positions throughout the early years. 

Clearwater grew steadily throughout the early part of the century. Tourists and settlers were drawn to the area because of the climate.

• 1914: Morton F. Plant, the son of well known Henry Plant, donated and raised money for the first hospital.
• May 27, 1915: The city of Clearwater was incorporated.
• 1916: The first library was built with a grant from Andrew Carnegie.

• 1916: The city built the first wooden bridge to Clearwater Beach, opening it up for development. 

•  1921: The Capitol Theatre opened in Downtown Clearwater.

•  1940: The Philadelphia Phillies professional baseball team began spring training.

The population continued to steadily climb. After World War II, several soldiers who had trained here returned to live. From 1950, with 15,000 residents, the population continued to grow until it reached the number of citizens that we have today.

The city of Clearwater is governed by a council/manager form of government with the city council serving as the governing body. The city council is comprised of the mayor and four councilmembers, who each serve four-year terms. The policy-making body of the city is responsible for approving the budget and determining the ad valorem tax rate on all real and personal property within Clearwater city limits.

Today, fun and sun lovers come to Clearwater from around the world. Although the city is a great get-away location, it’s an even better place to live. Our community is friendly and socially responsive, and Clearwater is located on the highest coastal bluff in Florida. More than 117,200 residents call Clearwater home. 

In addition, councilmembers evaluate the job performance of the city manager and the city attorney, attend city council meetings and special workshops, address topics and initiatives of community interest, serve as the city liaison for county and state boards, and represent the city at ribbon cuttings, opening day festivities, and other events.

The Clearwater City Council offices are located at One Clearwater Tower, sixth Floor, 600 Cleveland St.

• Every single city department was involved in coordinating our response to Tropical Storm Debby and to the recent hurricanes Helene and Milton.
• Efforts included preparing facilities, assessing damage, communicating with residents, restoring operations and serving our community’s recovery needs. Those efforts continue, and will be ongoing for years.
• Clearwater’s public safety staff and our public safety partners rescued more than 500 residents from The Standard Apartments, one of the biggest rescue efforts in Pinellas County in recent years. They are heroes in every sense of the word.
• More than 4 million pounds of sand washed into city streets and storm pipes from storm surge, and efforts are under way to have it evaluated and cleaned, so our beach can be restored to its bright and beautiful state. So far, we have cleaned more than 13,480 tons of sand and removed sand from over 11,000 feet of storm pipes. The city’s Public Works Team is leading this effort.
• They also cleared debris from roads, restored all of our traffic lights, conducted citywide damage assessments, obtained debris site permits, assisted in debris removal, coordinated the inspection of city bridges, cleaned up hundreds of trees following the storm, conducted repairs to infrastructure, and restored the city’s stormwater system in areas of significant flooding.
• Utilities crews worked hard to restore power to the city’s lift stations, manage water flows before and after the storms, and restore the reclaimed water system after the storms passed.
• Our parks teams helped clear roads and worked hard to open the city’s 109 parks as quickly as possible, since people needed to get outside and go someplace during the widespread power outages that resulted from the storms.
• Human Resources staff coordinated with employees who were impacted personally from the storms, and so many others contributed toward helping restore our community.
• Our General Support Services team assessed the city’s buildings to make sure they were structurally sound, and our Planning and Development staff got to work in supporting our residents as they began the difficult and emotional rebuilding process.
• Communication is especially important during times of crisis, so our Public Communication team worked around the clock to share information our residents needed, frequently and accurately, often in an ever-changing environment.
• The Marine and Aviation Department supported our commercial tenants at the marina throughout the storm, and of course the city’s solid waste team is working hard to return Clearwater to its bright and beautiful splendor before the storms.
• As of Nov. 1, 2024, solid waste crews and our debris-management contractor have removed 2,560 tons of mixed debris…..11,530 tons of construction and demolition debris….and 17,921 tons of yard waste.

Better technology allows us to improve the way the city does business. Better transparency helps us maintain the public’s trust. This year, our teams successfully developed nine departmental public transparency dashboards and published them to the city website. Other dashboard topics include our internal Work Plan, City Housing, Utility Customer Service, Public Communications, Library, Permitting, Code Compliance, Human Resources, and Budget. We also worked with our storm teams to develop a debris dashboard to share information with the public about how much we’ve collected of sand, vegetation, and construction debris. You can find them at MyClearwater.com/Transparency.

This effort reflects our shared commitment to enhancing efficiency across departments on an ongoing basis.

• Construction is set to begin on the Clearwater Beach Marina replacement project, which was approved by the City Council earlier in Summer 2024.
• Located on Clearwater Beach, the marina was severely damaged from the two storms, and the project continues to move forward.
• The facility offers access to a variety of commercial boating activities and tourist business.
• Clearwater is taking special effort to coordinate with a Clearwater Marina tenant outreach group, because we know construction will be difficult for our commercial marina tenants, and we want to support them through this transition as best as we can.
• We cannot wait to see this project take shape in the years ahead.
• Construction is expected to be complete in August 2026.

The city completed construction on and reopened a new and improved Fire Station 46 on Clearwater Beach. This new facility provides fire protection and Advanced-Life-Support response coverage to the Clearwater barrier islands. It is equipped with jet skis and a beach mule for beach responses, and it is located at 546 Mandalay Ave.

This facility was built with resiliency in mind, and the structure on the beach didn’t have much damage at all during hurricanes Helene and Milton, and it performed as it’s intended. It’s just one example of why resiliency building is so important.

Residents in the north Clearwater barrier island and other low-lying areas of the city are feeling the impacts of increased flooding, due to rising seas, higher tides and increased rainfalls. The Public Works Department successfully developed and implemented a temporary stormwater pump system, along with many additional stormwater improvements for the area. These efforts help to reduce flooding along the north Clearwater barrier island during rain events. Stormwater staff continue working with the community to help address these issues. We also launched a project website at MyClearwater.com/NorthBeach.

Clearwater Public Utilities improved the overall efficiency of the city’s wastewater collections system. Several sanitary sewer lift stations went offline during the storm, and our crews worked hard and fast, to get the system back up and running and to ensure the integrity of our sewer system. Throughout the year, more than six miles of pipes and 175 sewer laterals were lined. The utility made 65 repairs, coated 367 manholes, and smoke tested 226 miles of pipe to keep the system operating as efficiently as possible. In addition, the department prevented approximately 14 wastewater overflows using the SmartCover system.

Few utilities reach such an important milestone as having served its community for 100 years. In May 2024, Clearwater Gas System celebrated 100 years of success!

The mission of Clearwater Gas System has always been to provide safe, reliable and affordable gas energy to its customers, and we look forward to continuing that mission for many more years to come.

Clearwater Gas provides natural gas and propane to residents of Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. Previous leadership directed the utility to review and analyze all of its operational areas for effectiveness and quality.

As a result, the city of Clearwater went forward with selling its propane gas operation to Suburban Propane for $4.25 million, which was $1.85 million (or 175%) more than the business valuation of $2.4 million.

In addition, everyone kept their jobs. We reallocated the staff who worked for the propane operation and reassigned them within the gas utility.

The city worked in partnership with the Juvenile Welfare Board, Clearwater For Youth and Pinellas County Schools to teach children how to swim. The city provided a total of 3,828 water safety lessons to 839 students across four Clearwater elementary schools, as part of their physical education curriculum. We are looking to expand the program to additional local schools.

The city also taught hundreds of kids how to swim at the city’s recreation centers, offering programs for parent-and-child, level 1, and level 2 for $10.

The city successfully managed a full year of events and programs at Coachman Park and hosted thousands of guests at our new beautiful space. The BayCare Sound manages our music venue and hosted 37 events in 2024, and more than 156,000 guests attended since our grand opening last year. In addition, we secured a 10-year 16-million-dollar naming rights sponsorship agreement with BayCare for the music venue.

Clearwater approved the first amendment to our Ruth Eckerd Hall agreement for venue management, and we executed an agreement with The Market Marie to introduce monthly revenue-generating programming at Coachman Park.

In addition, the city was honored with awards from CREW Tampa Bay for our reimagining Coachman Park. The awards were in the categories of “Industry Excellence in Design” and “Industry Excellence for Community Impact.”

The Economic Development Department implemented some new programs to continue to promote Clearwater as a good place to build a business. The city hosted a luncheon and business roundtable with several partners for Tampa Bay Wave’s first Latin Tech Accelerator. The cohort consisted of 15 Latin American growth-stage businesses representing a variety of industries. The event featured the chance for us to share details about our city’s community, cultural, arts and lifestyle amenities that make Clearwater an incredible place to grow a business.

In addition, we sponsored the Florida West Coast Certified Commercial Investment Members monthly board meeting, which drew 50 elite commercial real estate brokers to BayCare Ballpark to hear about redevelopment and business site location opportunities in Clearwater and view the city’s conceptual U.S. 19 redevelopment video created in 2023.

The city’s economic development team also led the Pinellas Realtor Organization’s bus tour, which provided the opportunity to showcase Clearwater’s mix of residential, retail and employment assets for future investment, business recruitment, relocation, and expansion opportunities to 40 commercial real estate brokers.

The city partnered with Archway Partners to host a groundbreaking celebration for Clearwater Gardens. This project will transform the site of a former dilapidated inn, into an 81-unit affordable apartment community.

The $32 million project is funded, in part, by Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency and the city’s SHIP and HOME loans administered by the Clearwater Economic Development and Housing Department.

When complete, Clearwater Gardens will be a four-story midrise apartment building, that consists of one- and two-bedroom units that provide high-quality housing to households with incomes from 30-80 percent of the area median income.

And we just approved the funding to convert the Indigo to an affordable housing project, another exciting opportunity for the community.

The library partnered with the Pinellas Education Foundation and Pinellas County Schools in the “Take Stock in Children” program. Throughout this effort, the city assisted 20 students from the Clearwater East Community Library to win scholarships for two prepaid years at a Florida college or university. This is yet another example of how important libraries are for the community.

The city of Clearwater has been working with the North Greenwood community in recent years to support the establishment of the North Greenwood Community Redevelopment Area. This designation is important because it allocates additional resources to better serve its residents.

This fiscal year, the first North Greenwood Citizen Advisory Committee meeting was held, and the city launched an array of grants to support the North Greenwood community. Residential grants were allocated for $400,000, and six applications have been approved. Commercial grant allocation totaled more than $833,400, and one application has been approved so far, for the max of $75,000, which goes to Yo Mama’s Foods in Clearwater.

The Planning and Development Department developed and implemented Clearwater 2045, the city’s new comprehensive plan, which was adopted this fiscal year. It is a policy document that our city adopted to guide decisions on Clearwater’s future growth and sustainability.

Investing in public art and art appreciation helps to build a better sense of place for our residents. Several new art installations were commissioned across the city this year. Art called "Florida Fauna" replaced 25-year-old art on the Municipal Services Complex parking garage. Three new murals were unveiled at Coachman Park, and "The Wave" was dedicated at Fire Station 46 on Clearwater Beach. And finally, the city received a $30,000 grant from The National Endowment of the Arts, which was used to commission “Tailing,” shown above, which is a mural painted on two large Clearwater Public Utilities water tanks on State Road 580.

Teams engaged with the city’s utility customers by opening the city’s water and wastewater plants to our public for the first time in 20 years. Utilities crews hosted three themed open-house and tour events at the city’s water facilities:

• The 20th birthday for our First Reverse-Osmosis Water Treatment Plant in fall 2023
• The “Mad Scientist Day” tours to celebrate National Public Science Day at the Marshall Street Water Reclamation Facility in spring 2024
• “May the Fourth Be With You” Star-Wars themed event in summer 2024

The Clearwater Main Library provided Star Wars-themed crafts and water facts for the summer event, and librarians coordinated a visit from fully-costumed members of the Rebel Legion/501st Legion Star Wars charity costuming group. About 400 members of the public attended all three tours combined.

Last year, we worked hard to re-establish the city’s recycling program, and this year the city continued to make good on our word.

Last fiscal year, solid waste and recycling crews collected more than 8,800 tons of single-stream recyclables from our customers and processed it through Waste Connections. The city earned revenue sharing with our recycling processor, yielding a rebate of more than $173,040 between December 2023 and mid-August 2024.

The city also secured a contract with West Rock in March 2024 for the recycling of our old, corrugated cardboard, which resulted in more than more than $117,000 of funds that went back into the recycling fund.

The city of Clearwater made progress on bringing in solar energy this year. The city retired its second batch of more than 10,530 renewable energy certificates through Duke Energy’s Clean Energy Connection Program. This allowed for some of the city’s operating electricity to be powered by solar, equivalent to about 10.5 million kilowatt hours.

The sustainability and General Support Services teams selected the first municipal solar installations sites at Morningside Recreation Center, General Services Complex, the Solid Waste Transfer Station and Clearwater Gas Complex, shown on this slide, to be installed with just over $2 million dollars of American Recovery Plan Act funds.

Also, the city’s support of the Pinellas Solar Co-op 2023 program helped 28 Clearwater homes to go solar, along with other co-op members. This effort also involved educating residents and small business owners about solar energy through workshops, outreach events and digital media.

A citywide vulnerability assessment was completed with funding from a Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant. A digital twin of Clearwater was built to identify risks related to flood and heat in the years ahead. It also will generate recommendations for mitigation and adaptation.

The city currently participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and works to make flood insurance less expensive for Clearwater residents. Last year, the city reduced its Community Rating System score to five, which provided residents with a 25 percent savings on flood insurance. The city continues with its efforts to make our score even better.

Maintaining a diverse and premiere workforce is important to ensuring our success. The city successfully implemented a formal classification and compensation study for Classified Non-SAMP (formerly CWA) employees and also for our SAMP employees. We are also reporting positive trends with employee vacancy rate, which is at 7.7%, and also with our projected turnover rate of 9.6%. Both are the lowest metrics since 2020.

This year, we also implemented a new learning management system, MyClearwater Learn, which includes deep integration with LinkedIn Learning and offers thousands of online training courses. In addition, our Human Resources Department researched and developed a customized curriculum to launch the inaugural cohort of the Clearwater Executive Leadership Academy, with the goal of developing future Clearwater leaders.

These days are a difficult time to be a police officer, so we want to make sure our public safety team has the tools it needs to continue to be one of the best police forces in the country.

On training, we made several advances: We participated in multi-agency, countywide training on active assailants, and we transitioned from an online legal training system to one produced in-house that better targets our needs and issues. We created a more robust field training program for new supervisors to ensure their success.

The police department instituted a pre-academy program for agency-sponsored police cadets who are scheduled to attend the police academy. This boost in training will help better ensure cadets’ success at the academy and longevity in the department.

We also initiated a teen academy program for youth interested in learning more about a potential law enforcement career. In addition, we began using the police aide program as a recruiting tool for police officer positions, and we began offering more academy sponsorships to qualified officer candidates.

We produced a new recruitment video, updated our website, created new printed materials, and posted to social media to attract potential candidates.

The city increased its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion activities and events last fiscal year. We were involved in hosting an Unclassified SAMP Leadership Training, LGBTQIA Youth Pride and Family Day, and a Pride Breakfast. City employees participated in the St. Pete Pride Parade, and we celebrated Juneteenth with a number of community events and a Juneteenth Luncheon. Staff also conducted the annual Diversity Poster Contest, a Latin Dance Class for employees, and a National Hispanic Heritage Contest. The city also hosted Diversity Week. Each department participated in engagement activities to learn more about one another and what makes us unique. 

(This image is one of the winners from the city's Diversity Poster Contest. It was created by Le’Shanti R., age 13, who took second place in the category of ages 13 and older at the North Greenwood Recreation Complex.)

The city achieved four awards for our wellness program, which is designed to help our employees stay healthier and also to keep our medical claims down. Awards include:

• 2023 Gold Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation
• 2024 Healthiest Employers
• 2024 Gold Bell Seal Mental Health Award, and
• 2024 American Heart Association Gold Level Well-being Works Better. 

City employees can get paid a wellness incentive for important health screenings for certain cancers, through the Motivate Me program. The city improved its internal program payouts by $20,000 more than last year. This means our employees are taking care of their health and are getting important screenings done.

In addition, the Achievement Awards Committee has worked hard all year long to celebrate our staff and to engage with them in ways to make them feel appreciated.

ART & CULTURE

• Commissioned new art installations across the city. Art called "Florida Fauna" replaced 25-year-old art on the Municipal Services Complex parking garage. Three new murals were unveiled at Coachman Park, and "The Wave" wad dedicated at Fire Station 46 on Clearwater Beach. And finally, the city received a $30,000 grant from The National Endowment of the Arts, which was used to commission “Title,” which is a mural painted on two large Clearwater water tanks along State Road 580. (3.1)
• Created a new art database for smart plaque implementation. (3.1)
• Held the city's first Art Oasis Mural Festival, which featured six new murals on local business buildings in the Downtown Gateway and Downtown Neighborhoods. (3.1 and 3.4)
• Held two "Art in the Park" events at Coachman Park, allowing local artists to sell their works and promote their businesses for free. (3.1 and 3.4)
• Completed the city's annual employee art contest. Winners are currently on display at the Municipal Services Complex’s parking garage. (3.1)
• Established the Clearwater Arts Alliance as the official arts alliance of Clearwater. (3.4)
• Partnered with Clearwater Arts Alliance to  manage art exhibits in the Main Library gallery space. (3.4)
• Organized an annual high school student delegation to Japan, and a middle school and high school exchange program from Japan. (2.3 and 3.4)

CITY CLERK

• Supported 96 advisory and quasi-judicial board meetings (1.1)
• Supported the hosting of several official meetings. These include 22 City Council work sessions, 24 City Council meetings, 12 Community Redevelopment Agency meetings, and five Pension Trustees meetings. (1.1)
• Supported three citizen citation appeals and 11 red-light-camera appeals hearings. (1.1)
• Filled 1,430 public record requests and added more than 8,060 documents to Laserfiche. (1.1)
• Placed 160 legal ads. (1.1)
• Mailed 5,700 legal notices. (1.1)
• Processed 3,578 lien assessment searches and collected $42.936 via contracted vendor. (1.1)
• Received 26 grants totaling more than $14.4 million. (This does not include annual Housing grants managed by the Economic Development & Housing Department.) (1.1)

COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY

• Spearheaded the North Greenwood purchase of 1105 Carlton Street. (3.1)
• Coordinated with Cultural Affairs to partially fund the Downtown Art Oasis Mural Festival $90,000. (3.4)
• Held the first North Greenwood Citizen Advisory Committee meeting. (3.4)
• Adopted a Residential Exterior Improvement Grant Program for North Greenwood. (3.2)
• Adopted a Commercial Grant Program for North Greenwood. (3.2)
• Adopted the Business Spotlight Program for Clearwater’s Community Redevelopment Agency area. (2.2)
• Approved a grant for Nash Keys, a new dueling piano bar business in downtown Clearwater, for $900,000. (2.1)

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & HOUSING

• Engaged with nearly 300 local businesses to gather market and business intelligence and to provide access to resources and referrals as part of the city’s business retention and expansion program. (2.1 and 2.2)
• Coordinated, planned and sponsored the 2024 Pinellas Women's Small Business Symposium with a range of partners, and women from 175 local small businesses in growth stages attended the event. Partners included AMPLIFY Clearwater, Florida Small Business Development Center at Pinellas County Economic Development, SCORE Pinellas County, and City of St. Petersburg Economic Development. (2.1 and 2.2)
• Nominated two second-stage companies to the 14th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch that have been selected as finalists. The awards gala takes place in Orlando in February 2025. Both companies have been named to the Inc. 5000 list with one being ranked at 434. (2.2)
• Hosted a luncheon and business roundtable for Tampa Bay Wave’s first LatinTech Accelerator. The cohort consisted of 15 Latin American growth-stage businesses representing a variety of industries. The luncheon afforded the opportunity to share about Clearwater’s business, community, cultural, arts and lifestyle amenities that make Clearwater an incredible place to grow a business. Community partners included AMPLIFY Clearwater, Florida Small Business Development Center, Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council, Pinellas County Economic Development, Prospera, SelectFlorida, St. Petersburg College, and U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. Councilmember Lina Teixeira served on the Wave’s Inaugural LatinTech Accelerator Advisory Council. (2.1, 2.2, 2.3)
• Presenting Sponsor of the 2023 CREW Excellence awards, which afforded an opportunity to speak at the event and play a video showcasing U.S. 19 development initiatives to an audience of 350 commercial real estate brokers and industry influencers. (2.1, 2.2, 2.3)
• Honored with awards from CREW Tampa Bay for our reimagining of Coachman Park. The awards were in the categories of “Industry Excellence in Design” and “Industry Excellence for Community Impact.” The awards were determined through real-time audience voting, and highlighted the innovative design, construction and united effort of the city council, stakeholders, city staff, Skanska and Stantec. (2.1, 2.2, 2.3)
• Sponsored the Florida West Coast Certified Commercial Investment Members monthly board meeting, which drew 50 elite commercial real estate brokers to BayCare Ballpark to hear the mayor share about redevelopment and business site location opportunities in Clearwater and view the city’s conceptual U.S. 19 redevelopment video created in 2023. (2.1, 2.3, 3.3)
• Led Pinellas Realtor Organization’s bus tour, which provided the opportunity for the city to showcase Clearwater’s mix of residential, retail and employments assets for future investment, business recruitment, relocation, and expansion opportunities to 40 commercial real estate brokers (2.1, 2.3, 3.3).
• Partnered with Archway Partners to host a groundbreaking celebration for Clearwater Gardens, which will transform the site of a former dilapidated inn into an 81-unit affordable apartment community. The $32 million project is funded, in part, by Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency and the city’s SHIP and HOME loans administered by the city’s Economic Development and Housing Department. Upon completion, Clearwater Gardens will be a four-story midrise apartment building consisting of 52 one-bedroom/one-bath units; eight two-bedroom/one-bath units; and 21 two-bedroom/two-bath units. Apartments will range in size from 605 to 929 square feet and will provide high-quality housing to households whose incomes range from 30-80 percent of the area median income. (2.4)
• Closed on 33 affordable and workforce housing loans and four multi-family projects totaling approximately $5.175 million. These include 18 purchase assistance loans ($1,020,975), four rehabilitation loans ($223,572), 11 single-family construction loans ($2,450,639), and four multi-family projects ($1,480,014).
• Approved 75 American Rescue Plan Act grants totaling $383,522.95 for emergency repairs for owner-occupied homes. (2.4)
• Provided $416,998 in grant funds to 13 non-profit organizations to provide services to low-income and homeless residents. (2.4)
• Provided more than $1,149,498 in grant funding for eight public facility improvement projects. (2.4)

FINANCE, AUDIT & BUDGET

• Received the Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the Sept. 30, 2022 ACFR for the 44^th consecutive year, and submitted the document for Sept. 30, 2023 for the same award. (1.1 and 1.5)
• Received the Government Finance Officers Association’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the fiscal 2023 Budget document, for the 37^th consecutive year. The fiscal 2024 budget document has been submitted for the same award. (1.1 and 1.5)
• Completed Water & Sewer, Stormwater, and Solid Waste & Recycling utility system rate studies to assist with the proactive long-term management of the utilities. (1.1, 1.2 and 1.5)
• Currently transitioning to a new eProcurement system called OpenGov for publishing procurement solicitations and receiving vendor responses. This should lead to a more efficient and effective procurement process. The system went live Oct. 1, and the city has already had more than 13,000 vendors register for the new system. (1.1 and 1.5)
• Partnered with the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program to distribute more than $676,925 to Clearwater low-income households for utility bill assistance. Most recipients received enough coverage to pay for multiple months of service. (2.4)
• Achieved an accuracy rate of 99.89% while reading more than 479,600 meters across the city. In addition, the Utility Customer Service team billed on average 62,020 accounts per month, with 99.8% billed within three business days. The team also processed payments of more than $168.6 million while only being over/short $0.35. (1.1 and 1.5)
• The Customer Care Team answered 69,063 calls with a service level of 85% and an average answer speed of 34 seconds. (1.1 and 1.5)
• Utility Customer Service initiated a Quality Monitoring program for the Customer Care Team. This program is designed to ensure that optimal levels of service are consistently achieved with every customer call. (1.1 and 1.5)
• Implemented a data analytics internal audit software that specializes in the Munis platform, to assist in the identification of anomalies and high-risk areas, and to assist management in making informed operational decisions. The software is currently being used to assist with an audit of “purchase-to-pay” procedures and controls, and is continuously monitoring items/anomalies, such as changes to vendor address, invoice approver same as invoice creator, invoices with no purchase order, purchase order date after invoice date, and invoices with weekend dates. (1.1 and 1.5)
• Internal Audit is using the Three Lines Model and the Capability Maturity Model to empower Division Controllers city-wide to self-assess their significant processes and benchmark against other city departments, including best practices for materials management processes. (1.1 and 1.5)
• Completed various audits including a review of Ruth Eckerd Hall revenues for The BayCare Sound music venue; Pier 60 beach concessions contract and revenues; citywide Purchase-to-Pay procedures and controls; Public Utilities plant sites inventory procedures and controls; Clearwater Police Department assistance in fiscal accreditation review process; and aided year-end physical inventories at various department locations. (1.1 and 1.5)

FIRE & RESCUE

• Began construction on the new Fire Station 47 on South Hercules Avenue. Completion is expected in the spring of 2025. (1.2) 
• Completed construction on and opened new Fire Station 46 on Clearwater Beach. (1.2) 
• Hired 28 new firefighters to protect the city and sent 14 emergency medical technicians through the city’s paramedic program at Clearwater Fire & Rescue. (1.4)
• Deployed new cardiac monitors to all of Clearwater Fire & Rescue’s Advanced Life Support units. (1.3) 
• Replaced Clearwater Beach lifeguard towers with new and improved versions. (1.2)

GAS SYSTEM

• Celebrated 100 years of Clearwater Gas System success and launched a rebrand to celebrate this important milestone. (1.2)
• Increased the Clearwater Gas System customer count by 3.5 percent from Fiscal Year 2022-23, for a total of 32,000 natural gas customers. (1.2)
• Achieved total equivalent natural gas therm sales of $35 million for FY24. (1.2)
• Transferred $4,345,438 million to the City’s General Fund in the form of a Dividend payment, which is approximately $2.65M (250%) more than the minimum requirement of $1.7M. (1.3)
• Sold our propane gas operations to Suburban Propane for $4.25M, which was $1.85M (175%) higher than the business valuation of $2.4 million. (1.2)
• Achieved revenues of $3.87 Million in retail operations. (1.2)
• Sold over 390,000 gasoline gallons equivalent at our natural gas fueling station, reducing the consumption of diesel and gasoline fuels. (4.2 and 4.4)
• Engaged in a system-wide survey post-hurricane Helene to confirm system integrity. (1.2)
• Actively working on permitting and delivery of a five-mile gas pipeline to fuel Moffit Cancer Center's new Pasco campus. (1.2)

GENERAL SUPPORT SERVICES 

• Creating a collaborative environment for the budget process resulting in improved budget performance and smaller variances
• Formulation of monthly deliverables and custom dashboards of Fleet data for increased interdepartmental awareness
• Radio inventory moved to Faster improving inventory practices and chargebacks. 
• Increase Fleet training hours for technicians from 2022 to 2024 was 3591 % 
• Fleet :Installed LED lighting upgrades for more efficiency and illumination
• Fleet:  Solid Waste Fuel site overhaul project replacing underground tanks to above ground and changing out the dispensers
• Building and Maint.: City wide standardization of paper towel, soap, and toilet papers dispensers to alleviate issues with quality of products and to allow for quick resolution of inoperable items.
• Building and Maint.: Conduct Monthly facility walk throughs with all B&M Supervisors in effort to be more proactive on facility conditions and elevate reactive ticket received by end user
• Freshworks implementation - A comprehensive training and onboarding program developed for internal and external users, significantly reducing the learning curve for new users. This shift moved the team to a fully electronic, real-time program, significantly improving task tracking and management. 
• Process Upgrades including SOP creation and updates, revision of Policy 7004-1, and moral boards created.

HUMAN RESOURCES

• Successfully implemented a formal classification and compensation study for Classified Non-SAMP (formerly CWA) and SAMP employees (5.1 and 5.3) 
• Offered and implemented remote work option to FLSA-exempt employees (5.1 and 5.3) 
• Implemented a new learning management system, MyClearwater Learn, which includes deep integration with LinkedIn Learning offering thousands of online training courses (5.2) 
• Researched and developed customized curriculum, and launched the inaugural cohort of the Clearwater Executive Leadership Academy to develop future Clearwater leaders (5.2)  
• Enhanced employee engagement efforts by hosting the Inaugural Longevity Luncheon in January 2024 to recognize employees with five or more years of service. We also saw record high participation with Bring Your Child to Work Day. (5.1, 5.3)
• Reporting positive trends with employee vacancy rate (at 7.7%) and projected turnover rate (at 9.6%) which are the lowest metrics since 2020 (5.1).
• Achieved four awards for the city’s wellness program: 2023 Gold Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation, 2024 Healthiest Employers, 2024 Gold Bell Seal Mental Health Award, and 2024 American Heart Association Gold Level Well-being Works Better. (5.4) 
• Increased Diversity, Equity and Inclusion activities and events, such as Unclassified SAMP Leadership Training, LGBTQIA Youth Pride and Family Day, Pride Breakfast, Juneteenth Community Events, Juneteenth Luncheon, Pride Parade, Diversity Poster Contest, Latin Dance Class, Diversity Week, National Hispanic Heritage Contest. (5.3) 
• Increased the Diversity Leadership Council membership and engagement with the various city departments. (5.3) 
• Increased representation in career events with other departments, engaging in the community, and partnering with local colleges for career days. (5.1) 
• Improved internal wellness incentive program’s MotivateMe redemptions by more than $20,000 than the previous year. (5.4)

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

• Successfully developed eight departmental public transparency portals or dashboards and published them to the city website. Dashboard topic areas include City Housing, Utility Customer Service, Public Communications, Library, Permitting, Code Compliance, Human Resources, and Budget. This joint effort reflects our shared commitment to enhancing transparency and efficiency across departments on an ongoing basis. (1.1 and 1.5)
• Successfully retired the legacy Cisco UCS and transitioned to the new UCSX platform, while upgrading VMware for enhanced performance and scalability in our infrastructure. (1.2 and 1.3)
• Implemented Defender EDR on all endpoints and established a conditional access policy to enhance security and control access to our cloud infrastructure. (1.2 and 1.3)
• Successfully deployed a CommVault backup solution, enabling efficient server and database backups both on the ground and to the cloud, ensuring reliable restoration capabilities and enhanced disaster recovery. (1.2 and 1.3)
• Deployed 497 computer workstations and resolved 18,140 help-desk tickets from city staff. (1.2 and 1.3)
• Completed the migration of Munis, implementation of Noverant, and kicked off the CityWorks project. Information Technology is also in the process of migrating from PublicStuff to SeeClickFix for its Clearwater Connect platform. (1.2 and 1.3)
• Implemented FreshService application for Information Technology and Building and Maintenance. (1.2 and 1.3)

LIBRARY

• In partnership with the Literacy Council of Upper Pinellas, the library assisted 10 Clearwater residents to become U.S. citizens through its Citizenship Tutoring program. (3.1)
• During Black History Month, the Clearwater North Greenwood Library partnered with the Clearwater African American Remembrance Committee, Upper Pinellas County Ministerial Alliance and the Clearwater Historical Society to present the 7th-annual “Night at the Library: Creating a Shared Vision through Community Collaboration.” (2.5 and 3.1)
• Staff of the Heritage Studio of Community Memory at the Main Library preserved nearly 10,000 treasured photos, slides, negatives, videos, films and audio recordings for more than 150 patrons through its free Memvelope program, or “memory envelope” drop-off digitization service. Maker staff also produced almost 350 3D prints for 133 patrons. (3.1 and 3.4)
• The library partnered with the Pinellas Education Foundation and Pinellas County Schools in the “Take Stock in Children” program to assist 20 students from the Clearwater East Community Library to win scholarships for two prepaid years at a Florida college or university. (2.5)
• The library celebrated 11 graduates from its ongoing “1,000 Books before Kindergarten” early literacy incentive program. Families register children ages 0-5 in the continuous, self-paced, online program and record books that the family reads together for small prizes and the chance to attend a graduation ceremony. Research shows that children who read before starting formalized schooling have an enhanced likelihood of academic success. The program also promotes strong bonding between young children and their caregivers. (3.1 and 3.4)
• The library partnered with the North Greenwood Recreation Center in March to present the 8th Annual Clearwater Comic Con, which featured 65 vendors and more than 1,300 attendees. This year’s Comic Con featured two panels, a kid's zone, an adult costume contest, a kid’s costume contest, and many special guests. (2.3, 3.1, and 3.4)
• In April, the Clearwater Public Library System sponsored 19 teams at the 16th Annual RoboFest Robotics Competition. Under the direction and guidance of the North Greenwood Youth Librarian and Library Assistant, the teams represented Clearwater well and brought home a 2nd place trophy. (3.1 and 3.4)
• The library partnered with the Clearwater Threshers, Ruth Eckerd Hall, the Grind Haus Brew Lab, 3 Daughters Brewery, Madison Avenue Pizza, the Wildflower Café, the Dali Museum, and Pop Golf to promote the library’s Summer Reading Program for children, teens and adults and to reward them for their accomplishments. More than 1,500 patrons participated in the Summer Reading Program. (2.5, 3.1 and 3.4)
• The library partnered with the Philadelphia Phillies and the Clearwater Threshers to promote literacy, the library’s Summer Reading Program, and to reward participants with free game tickets. The team also contributed to the library’s popular, ongoing “Find Phinley” program at the Main Library, giving children the opportunity to explore the library while searching for a stuffed Phinley to keep each month. Threshers players also read to children during the popular bilingual story time, “Once Upon a Cuento,” at the East Community Library at St. Petersburg College. (2.3 and 3.4)
• The Clearwater East Community Library created a monthly outreach program to bring library services such as card registrations, material borrowing, technology assistance, and educational and popular programming to Colonnade at Beckett Lake, an assisted living and memory care facility. Residents toured the library to celebrate National Library Week and the facility invited the library to help them celebrate National Assisted Living Week. This service helps enrich residents’ lives by providing entertainment, social activities, and an opportunity to learn new skills.
• Staff at the Clearwater Main Library coordinated with Special Events to bring library programming into Coachman Park including story times, art classes, plays, and STEM activities.
• Library administration partnered with the Clearwater Arts Alliance to use the library’s first-floor gallery space for ongoing Alliance exhibitions.

MARINE & AVIATION

• A Guaranteed Maximum Price for the Beach Marina Reconstruction Project was approved by City Council on July 5, 2024. Construction is set to begin in October 2024. (1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3)
• City Council has approved airpark related grants for the reconstruction of a new Clearwater Airpark terminal and associated parking lot, as well as for new corporate hangars. (1.2, 1.3,1.5,2.1, 2.3, 3.3)
• A Tenant Outreach Group has been formed that consists of representatives from the commercial fleet at the Clearwater Beach Marina. Since its implementation the tenants have given valuable input towards operations during the marina reconstruction project. It has addressed possible future hurdles during the project as well as creating solutions. (2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.2, 3.4, 5.3)
• The South Basin south wave attenuators at the Clearwater Harbor Marina were replaced at the end of March 2024. The South Basin north wave attenuators, that were damaged during Hurricane Ian, had a design work order approved by City Council and the design is currently at 90 percent. (1.2, 1.3, 1.4)
• We implemented a commercial use permit for Seminole Boat Ramps. The permit allows specific commercial activities only at Seminole Boat Ramps. One permit will be issued per vessel and is limited to a total of four permits, per person or company. Permits are valid for one calendar year. (1.1, 2.2, 2.1, 3.2)
• We are in the process of obtaining permits for an anchoring limitation area in Mandalay Channel. Firstline Coastal is managing the project. The new ordinance will allow vessels to anchor in the permitted area for 45 days. After the 45 days, the vessel will not be permitted to anchor within one mile of the permitted area for six months. Permits have been submitted for approval by The Army Corps of Engineers, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Florida Wildlife Commission. (1.1, 1.2, 3.2)

PARKS & RECREATION

• In partnership with the Juvenile Welfare Board, Clearwater For Youth and Pinellas County Schools, the city provided a total of 3,828 water safety lessons to 839 students across four local elementary schools as part of their physical education curriculum. (1.4, 2.5) 
• With the help of many community volunteers, organized 32 free community events, drawing more than 21,000 attendees. These events brought together residents of all ages to celebrate holidays, enjoy nature and experience all the city’s recreation facilities. (3.1, 3.4) 
• Supported 15 community-based sporting programs (11 youth, 4 adult), with 3,156 youth participants, of those 1,591 Clearwater residents. The 3-Score Senior Softball program contributed 2,162 volunteer hours to city athletic events. (3.1, 3.4)
• Successfully managed a full year of events and programs at Coachman Park and The BayCare Sound, and secured a 10-year naming rights sponsorship agreement with BayCare for The BayCare Sound. Approved the first amendment to the agreement with Ruth Eckerd Hall for venue management, and executed an agreement with The Market Marie to introduce monthly revenue-generating programming at Coachman Park. (2.1, 2.3, 5.3) 
• Hosted 48 athletic events, attracting 189,278 visitors (including 96,532 from outside the area), generating 58,410 room nights, and producing a total economic impact of $60,353,000. Notably, four collegiate softball events drew 12,167 spectators from 48 states and three countries, contributing an economic impact of $9,541,085. (2.3)
• Produced 30 city events, partnered with 20 co-sponsored event organizers to host events within the community, contracted with three events and permitted 123 total events. (2.3)
• Permitted 158 beach ceremonies for weddings, celebrations of life, and beach celebrations, totaling to $15,750 in revenue. (2.3)
• Received multiple awards at the Florida Festivals and Events Association Conference, including Best Volunteer Program (Clearwater Invitational), Best Photo (Clearwater Celebrates America), Special Event Poster (Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival), and PR/Media Campaign (Coachman Park Grand Opening). (2.3, 3.3) 
• Entered an enhanced agreement with Keep Pinellas Beautiful to provide more volunteer opportunities for residents and visitors. The 2024 program logged 16,848 hours, involved 4,540 volunteers and collected 19,818 pounds of trash. (3.1, 3.4) 
• Completed a comprehensive master plan and historical study for the Parks & Recreation Department, aligning with multiple strategic plan objectives.  (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3)
• Developed and launched the Parks & Recreation Donation Program, featuring the Crest Lake Park Giving Wall and Coachman Park Commemorative Bench programs to enhance park amenities and allow residents a way to give back to their community in honor of a loved one. (1.2, 1.3, 3.1, 3.3, and 3.4.) 
• Completed a range of capital improvement projects, including the installation of new amenities, additional water fountains at Coachman Park, the Crest Lake Park Giving Wall, a bridge and trail restoration at Moccasin Lake Nature Park, playground installations, and milling and resurfacing at six parks. (1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3) 
• Finalized design and evaluation work for Moccasin Lake Nature Park’s stormwater system and completed conceptual designs for Glenwood Park, McKay Park, and Ross Norton Recreation Center to support future development and improvements.  (1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, and 5.3) 
• Designed a new park template for park identification signage and installed general signage for several parks, enhancing information shown and consistency across park facilities. (1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 4.2, and 5.3) 
• Installed more than 200 concrete and recycled lumber amenities, poured more than 2,300 linear feet of concrete sidewalks and curbing, and completed over 500 trades work orders across the park system, ensuring high standards of maintenance and functionality.  (1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.3, 3.2, 4.2) 
• Successfully managed 591 contracted sites: beautifying medians in the areas of Cleveland Street (Highland Avenue to Belcher Road), Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex, Morningside, Skycrest, Harbor Oaks, Countryside, Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard Revitalization Area and several other neighborhood areas. (1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.3, 2.5, 4.4) 

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT

• Adopted Clearwater 2045, the city’s new comprehensive plan.
• Made multiple amendments to the Community Development Code. Topics included revisions to downtown, establishing provisions for accessory dwelling units, public notice requirements for Community Development Board cases, gray-water density bonus, solar provisions, etc.
• Established a policy for implementation of the Live Local Act.
• Implemented a short-term rental platform to assist with code enforcement.
• Implemented a system to track condominiums subject to the milestone legislation (need help on this language)
• Initiated a building condition assessment of North Ward School, which is nearly complete.
• Implemented Business Process Study recommendations in the Planning and Development Department. The recommendations established new full-time-equivalent positions, revised staff reports, and changed case descriptions. The department is currently preparing amendments to the city website presence with consultant assistance.

POLICE

• Upgraded our technology across multiple platforms, including now using the TASER 10 less-lethal platform, which is more advanced, more effective and more user-friendly and should lead to fewer injuries. We also upgraded to the newest body-worn camera to ensure continued transparency and to enhance officer safety. (1.4)
• Acquired a new SWAT robot with grant funding to minimize the risk of violent encounters during critical incidents. For those same kinds of incidents, we installed mobile command centers inside supervisory vehicles to allow personnel to better manage such situations. (1.4)
• Instituted a pre-academy program for agency-sponsored police cadets scheduled to attend the police academy. That boost in training will help better ensure cadets’ success at the academy and longevity in the department. We also initiated a teen academy program for youth interested in learning more about a potential law enforcement career. In addition, we began using the police aide program as a recruiting tool for police officer positions, and we began offering more academy sponsorships to qualified officer candidates. (1.4 and 5.2)
• Produced a new recruitment video and utilized social media to distribute across multiple platforms. Also updated our website and printed materials to help recruit potential candidates. (1.4 and 5.1)
• On training, we made several advances: We participated in multi-agency, countywide training on active assailants. We transitioned from an online legal training system to one produced in-house that better targets our needs and issues. We created a more robust field training program for new supervisors to ensure their success. (1.4 and 5.2)
• Also in the training arena, our new District 3 Operations & Training Center is used to its full potential, offering classes for our personnel and also sessions for representatives of other law enforcement agencies. (1.4 and 5.2)
• Began conducting our own in-house background investigations on officer candidates to include contracting with a designated polygrapher. This has proven to be a more thorough and efficient process. We also initiated a physical assessment test for officer candidates to ensure they meet proper physical qualifications. (1.4 and 5.1)
• Upgraded an officer position to that of sergeant to support the increase in demands on the Special Operations section associated with the growing usage of Coachman Park and The BayCare Sound. (1.4 and 3.3)
• Transitioned patrol officers to 12-hour shifts to ensure operational efficiency and provide them a better work/life balance. (1.4 and 5.1)
• Upgraded a sergeant position to lieutenant to create a second night watch commander to oversee resource allocations and ensure critical incident management after hours. (1.4 and 3.3)
• Our Records Section and Communications Section have consistently maintained full staffing because of an improved work environment and improved pay. (1.4 and 5.1)

PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS

• Provided communication and public relations support for many city programs, to include: Coachman Park and Downtown Clearwater events and activities, utilities and solid waste outreach programs, Clearwater Police Department memorial and promotion ceremony events, Parks & Recreation master plan meetings, the Clearwater 2045 initiative, and the city’s health and wellness programs for staff. (3.3)
• Launched a vigorous website migration of five websites, for the city, police, parks, library and gas sections, in partnership with the Information Technology Department. Our team maintained the content on all websites, posted an accurate calendar of events and meetings, added visual elements, and edited copy. (3.4)
• Focused on social media community engagement. We increased our follower growth rate for each of the city’s multiple social media feeds and saw the highest growth, on average, on the city’s Instagram feeds (31%), LinkedIn account (29.48%), Facebook accounts (13.45%), and Twitter feeds (12.56%). In addition, more than 28,835 households receive city messages through Nextdoor. (3.4)
• Coordinated the 21st annual Citizens Academy, a community engagement program that is designed to encourage residents’ involvement with city government. To date, more than 380 program participants serve as vital ambassadors throughout the community. (3.4)
• Strengthened and empowered the community through active dialogue and communication with Clearwater residents, businesses and visitors using social media, email news blasts, print publications, website content, streaming video and C-VIEW TV. Publications include “MyClearwater” magazine and “Sunshine Lines” utility bill stuffer. (3.3)
• Created and distributed more than 100 videos and public service announcement videos for many of Clearwater’s city departments. (3.3)
• Encouraged civic engagement by providing live cablecast and streaming 14 types of recurring council and board meetings throughout the year using various streaming platforms, such as YouTube, Facebook Live and streaming video, in conjunction with Information Technology. This year, the city doubled its number of YouTube subscribers from 500 to 1,000. (3.4)
• Provided graphic design service to all departments for design projects that embody the city’s brand, including MyClearwater magazine, trash vault decals, social media graphics, downtown mailers and brochures, recreation center newsletters, parking meter decals, vehicle wraps, and department print needs. (3.3)
• Coordinated a multitude of coordination efforts with Clearwater’s neighborhoods, to include Neighborhoods Day, a grant program, Neighborhood Standards, and the start of what will be the city’s first resource fair, which was hosted Oct. 25, 2024.

PUBLIC WORKS

• Successfully developed and implemented temporary stormwater pump system and stormwater system improvements on North Beach to reduce flooding issues during rain events. (1.2 and 3.2)
• Strategically filled the engineering department with highest number of professional engineers in more than a decade to help address increased workload and complexity of workload. (5.1, 5.2)
• Hosted the city’s annual tree giveaway, resulting in more than 2,200 trees being provided to citizens helping the city enhance its urban forest to conserve and protect our urban forests. (4.3)
• Implemented new capital project monthly reports to provide enhanced information. (1.1, 1.5)
• Initiated several significant capital projects include Marina Project, Osceola Parking Garage, Osceola Streetscape, Ft Harrison Streetscape, City Hall, MSB renovations, airpark improvements, and started construction on new Fire Station 47. (1.2)
• Leveraging organizational success through collaborative engagement, the Public Works team achieved a significant reduction in the backlog of sidewalk safety improvements, using a comprehensive effort of both contractor and in-house forces. (5.3, 1.3 and 4.4)
• Enhanced GIS reporting tools for the economic development and Community Redevelopment Agency’s use. Efforts created additional layers that will enable quick access to information that can be used by both city departments. (1.4)
• Designed and installed sea-level sensors for design and stormwater maintenance personnel to investigate and get critical information for evaluation. This will build knowledge of existing conditions and allow maintenance and design personnel to make more timely decisions without having to make field visits. (1.1)
• Our Clearwater shops crews are working hard to integrate new technologies, equipment, and practices to improve efficiencies and reduce project durations to minimize impacts to our beautiful communities. (1.2)
• Re-deployed internal training program for Public Works project managers. Topics include project management, administrative procedures, project close-out, records management, GIS overview, scope of work, cost estimates, project delivery methods, etc. (1.5, 5.2)
• Implemented a SharePoint spreadsheet for the city’s Public Works Department to collaborate during hurricanes at the Emergency Operations Center. This allows customer service, emergency management specialists, public works department EOC and the Public Works team representative at the city’s EOC to use one spreadsheet to track fallen trees, traffic signal outages, flooded areas, and their current status, eliminating a significant number of e-mails. (1.2, 1.5, 5.3)
• Reduced the city’s Community Rating System score to five, which provides residents a 25 percent savings on flood insurance. (1.4, 4.1)

PUBLIC UTILITIES

• Delivered more than 4 billion gallons of drinking water to Clearwater customers while also treating approximately the same volume of wastewater. Additionally, the utility provided roughly 2 billion gallons of reclaimed water to customers (1.2, 1.4 and 4.2)
• Improved the overall efficiency of the city’s wastewater collections system. More than six miles of pipes and 175 sewer laterals were lined, and crews inspected one and two-thirds miles of sewer using CCTV. The utility made 65 repairs, coated 367 manholes, and smoke tested 226 miles of pipe to keep the system operating as efficiently as possible. (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 3.2 and 4.2).
• Improved the overall efficiency of the city’s water distribution system by replacing more than 1.5 miles of water mains, more than 100 water service lines, and more than 57 gate valves. Utility crews installed 20 new isolation valves and tested and maintained more than 4,000 fire hydrants (1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 3.2 and 4.2).
• Maintained the city’s reclaimed water system by successfully inspecting 6,517 properties, testing and maintaining more than 13,930 backflow assemblies, and replacing 300 service lines. (1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 3.2 and 4.2).
• Prevented approximately 14 wastewater overflows using the SmartCover system (1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 4.1 and 4.2).
• Implemented one-third of the CityWorks enterprise asset management program, aiming to streamline operations and enhance service delivery (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 4.2, and 5.3).
• Engaged with the city’s utility customers by opening the city’s water and wastewater plants to our public. Utilities crews hosted three themed open-house and tour events at the city’s water facilities: RO1’s 20th birthday in fall 2023, “Mad Scientist Day" at the Marshall Street water reclamation facility in spring 2024, and “May the Fourth Be With You” Star-Wars themed event in summer 2024. In addition, the Clearwater Main Library provided Star Wars-themed crafts and water facts for the summer event, and librarians coordinated a visit from fully-costumed members of the Rebel Legion/501st Legion Star Wars charity costuming group. About 400 members of the public attended all three tours combined (3.3 and 3.4).
• Earned the "Collection System of the Year" Award, given by the Florida Water Environment Association, in the "Medium Utility" category (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 3.2 and 4.2).

SOLID WASTE/RECYCLING

• From Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024, the city collected 8,856.98 tons of single-stream recyclables from our customers and processed it through Waste Connections. (4.2)
• Earned revenue sharing with the city’s recycling processor, Waste Connections, yielding a rebate/credit of more than $173,040 between December 2023 and mid-August 2024. (4.2)
• Secured a contract with WestRock in March 2024 for the recycling of our old, corrugated cardboard, resulting in $117,262.29 funds that went back into the recycling fund. (1.1, 1.3 and 4.2)
• Worked with Stantec on a five-year revenue sufficiency analysis for Solid Waste/Recycling to provide for updated rates increasing by 3.75 percent for customers based on operational and capital needs in the next 10 years. (1.3, 4.2)
• Ensured solid waste could maximize its 15 percent private hauler revenues due to city by working with haulers on remittance deadlines and missing locations. (1.1, 1.3)

SUSTAINABILITY

• Made progress with solar energy. The city retired its second batch of more than 10,530 renewable energy certificates through Duke Energy’s Clean Energy Connection Program. This allowed for some of the city’s operating electricity to be powered by solar, equivalent to about 10.5 million kilowatt hours. The sustainability and General Support Services teams selected the first municipal solar installations sites at Morningside Recreation Center, General Services Complex, Solid Waste Transfer Station and Clearwater Gas Complex to be installed with just over $2 million dollars of American Recovery Plan Act funds. And third, the city’s support of the Pinellas Solar Co-op 2023 program enabled more than 28 Clearwater homes to go solar (or be in the process to), along with other co-op members. This effort also involved educating residents and small business owners about solar energy through workshops, outreach events and digital media. (4.2, 1.2, 1.5, 3.3 and 5.2)
• Conducted a municipal energy conservation program, which concluded its second year and reduced energy use by 10 percent, when compared to the baseline year. This translates to a cumulative cost savings of more than $723,070 for electricity and natural gas. (4.2, 1.1 and 1.3)
• Ordered the city’s first two electric vehicles and two new electric vehicle charging stations for the Municipal Services Complex parking garage, paid for through the Energy Efficiency and Conservations Block Grant. (4.2, 4.4 and 1.5)
• Hosted or had presence at 17 education and outreach events around Clearwater, including Citizens Academy, USF Patel College of Sustainability Conference and Speaker Series, Florida Arbor Day at Clearwater Garden Club, Sustainability Tour at Coachman Park, Wag into Spring, Earth Day events and more. (4.1, 3.3 and 3.4)
• Hosted a Compost Bin Giveaway Day to residents who completed the city’s free online composting course, giving out more than 100 bins. (4.2, 1.5 and 3.3)
• Completed a citywide vulnerability assessment with funding from a Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant to build a digital twin of Clearwater, to identify risks related to flood and heat and generate recommendations for mitigation and adaptation. (4.1 and 1.1)
• Began the filing process for the newly available tax credits from the IRS for clean energy projects put into service in 2023, including the solar and electric vehicle chargers at Coachman Park. (4.1, 4.2, 3.3 and 3.4)
• Applied for and were recommended for a $500,0000 Energy Future Grant given by the United States’ Department of Energy to lead a Pinellas County Regional Electric Mobility Roadmap. (4.1, 4.2, 1.1,1.5, 2.3 and 2.5)
• Developed and promoted several education campaigns including Sustainable & Ocean-Friendly Event Planning, Sustainable Holiday Tips, Plastic Free July, Back-to-School Sustainability and Sustainability and Financial Health. (1.5, 3.3, 3.4 and 5.2) (combine w/ other accomplishment)
• Launched Sustainable Event Kits – which include reusable cutlery, cups, plates and napkins – for city staff to check out for internal events. (4.2 and 5.4)