Clearwater Annual Report 2025

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.

Better technology helps us improve the way we do business. Our team built upon the success of last year’s development of public transparency dashboards. And new for 2025, our team developed six external and internal dashboards.

We’re especially proud of the Citywide Work Plan Dashboard, which makes it easy for the public to review quarterly progress updates of all current operating and capital projects that were identified as priorities during our strategic planning process. Of the 142 projects in the portal, more than 74 percent of them are either on time or complete, as of Nov. 3, 2025. Existing dashboards were enhanced to keep pace with the city's major technology initiatives.

Transparency of our performance remains a top priority. You can see our dashboards at MyClearwater.com/Data.

Multiple departments were involved in the building and opening of various city buildings, gathering spaces, and infrastructure.

We constructed and opened Fire Station 47, added much-desired pickleball courts to Clearwater Beach at McKay Park, celebrated the grand opening of the Mercado, and repaired and reopened Pier 60 in less than one year after it was damaged. We also finished renovations and moved back into the Municipal Services Building, and when the new city hall opens at the end of summer 2026, we will offer our residents a consolidated and efficient municipal campus.

Significant technology investments were made as well, in the areas of cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, traffic network systems, and an AI-powered chatbot. And we migrated all police department employees from a city-maintained radio system to the Pinellas County radio system. This consolidation will save at least $231,000 a year.

This past year, Clearwater has seen record numbers of tourists who are coming back to Clearwater Beach. This is especially good news as our community continues to rebuild.

According to information from the St. Pete Clearwater convention and visitors bureau, tourism numbers are down countywide and for some communities, but numbers are up in Clearwater. We can see that in increased tourism taxes that are collected and analyzed every month. These increased tourism figures demonstrate the value of our hard work to restore our community and reopen our economic base, including Phillies spring training and the beach.

Thank you to our city employees who were a part of our recovery efforts!

This year, despite two major hurricanes, Clearwater’s Marine and Aviation team delivered major wins that are transforming how residents and visitors experience our waterfront and skies. The Clearwater Beach Marina reconstruction is charging ahead, with Phase 1 nearing completion while keeping every commercial tenant open for business — a true feat of coordination and communication.

The Seminole Boat Ramp is being rebuilt stronger than ever, ensuring public access remains open even amid complex construction and permitting challenges. And over at the newly renamed Clearwater Executive Airport, we proudly restored its original name to reflect its growing stature as a regional aviation hub, secured millions in grant funding (which we’ll talk about next), and bolstered resilience with a new emergency generator to keep critical systems running during storms.

Together, these achievements demonstrate Clearwater’s commitment to innovation, resiliency, and economic growth — both on the water and in the air

The city took great care and effort to seek and support additional funding through grants. Several departments pursued and were awarded grants this year, and I’m happy to say, this year the amount of awarded grants more than doubled from the year before.

Our clerk’s office provided administrative support for thirteen grant awards totaling $23.8 million . The city submitted Hazard Mitigation and Resilient Florida grant applications for more than $177 million.

We secured multiple grants to help fund the Clearwater Beach Marina project, the Eddie C. Moore softball complex, construction of a new terminal and hangars at Clearwater Executive Airport, stormwater pump systems in low-lying neighborhoods, and for elevating vulnerable seawalls, and bringing traffic control cabinets above sea level.

We will continue working across multiple departments to leverage grant funding to supplement city services. 

Crews from Clearwater Public Utilities managed the community's water needs by delivering more than four billion gallons of drinking water, treating an equal volume of wastewater, and supplying reclaimed water. Our teams worked to modernize our water systems, which leads me to share with you our work on the wastewater consolidation project.

We recently completed a final review of Clearwater's Water Reclamation Facility Master Plan, which confirmed the city's data-driven strategy to consolidate facilities, improve our resiliency, and mitigate the risk of spills.

Progress is under way, with the successful identification of lift stations for rerouting as part of consolidation. The team is developing contracts for Owner's Advisors to write the contract and help manage two major construction packages, which will divert flows from the Marshall Street and East basins and expand the Northeast water reclamation facility.

We are excited to continue moving forward with this project. 

The Finance, Budget and Audit department launched a centralized eProcurement platform called “OpenGov.” This platform enhances efficiency, transparency, and accessibility through the procurement process.

By expanding the vendor database, the city has increased competition for our RFP and RFQ processes. OpenGov includes more than 14,000 active vendors, including more than 6,000 certified small-, disadvantaged-, minority-, women-, and veteran-owned business enterprises.

Since going live last October, the city has issued 66 solicitations, and of those, 55 have been awarded.

New and better technology helped revolutionize the way our utility customer care team operates. Our team implemented Genesys software in the Utility Customer Service call center, which has streamlined phone calls and email routing. This has improved our customer care team’s efficiency, accountability and consistency.

The team answered more than 20-thousand emails last year with a service level of 93 percent. The average response speed went from 48 hours to 5 hours and 53 minutes. The team answered more than 73,000 phone calls with a service level of 91 percent and an average answering speed of 47 seconds.

The team also launched a new customer satisfaction survey through Genesys, receiving a 92 percent positive satisfaction rating from customers during its first year. These efforts improve our service delivery and reinforce our commitment to quality customer service.

The Solid Waste and Recycling team worked to improve efficiency along their daily routes.

Routeware software was successfully implemented, and it has improved the efficiency of our route design and use of personnel. This project will expand to include cameras for efficiency and accountability.

We also updated the Solid Waste fleet to ensure reliable service delivery, and we completed design on a modern heavy truck and car wash that will begin construction in 2026.

• The city initiated multiple downtown infrastructure projects and is officially kicking off construction in downtown Clearwater!
• This is an important time of transformation, and many projects are or will be under construction soon.
• They include the Harborview Hotel, The Ballad apartments, Osceola Parking Garage, Osceola Avenue roadway and infrastructure improvements, the PSTA Clearwater Station, and our new city hall.
• Additionally, we are happy to have more affordable housing in the downtown core, with the Indigo Apartments and the soon-to-be-open Clearwater Gardens. The city did a lot of work to make both those projects happen.

• CGS Energy is an enterprise utility at the city, serving more than 32-thousand customers, and growing.
• The team rolled out a rebranding campaign to change their name from Clearwater Gas System to CGS Energy, and they updated their Vision to be the “Energy Provider of Choice,” since they are a regional utility provider that serves customers in Clearwater and 16 other municipalities in both Pinellas and Pasco counties.
• They received more than 4.1 million dollars in revenue through its retail operations, sold 32 million dollars of natural gas therms, and transferred 4.3 million dollars to the General Fund through a dividend payment, which is 2.6 million dollars more than the minimum dividend requirement.
• The department also negotiated and closed the sale of its Pasco property for 725-thousand-dollars, which was originally purchased in 1995 for 275-thousand-dollars, so we nearly tripled our return on investment.

• As the spring training home to the Philadelphia Phillies, Clearwater is known for its sports tourism activities.
• Negotiations continue with the Phillies, and BayCare Ballpark continues to be the site of the Phillies and Clearwater Threshers ball games.
• The Eddie C. Moore Complex is where baseball and softball players from around the country come to hit it out of the park.
• Last year, the city hosted 27 regional and national athletic tournaments, which generated more than 42 million dollars in economic impact and nearly 44,000 hotel room nights.
• The city will continue to pursue its efforts that promote Clearwater as a premier destination for national sporting events and sports entertainment.

• The city of Clearwater values its Sister City relationships.
• And this year, we organized our first official delegation to Nagano, Japan in nearly a decade.
• City staff, councilmembers, and Sister Cities board members visited Nagano this past July.
• The delegation toured their City Hall, local schools, and a water treatment plant.
• With support of our Economic Development team, the group met with major companies in Tokyo—such as the Embassy, the Japan External Trade Organization, and Daiso, which opened a new Clearwater location in September.
• The city also secured an interview for the mayor with Nikkei to promote Clearwater and attract Foreign Direct Investment.

• The Economic Development and Housing team partnered with St. Petersburg College to create a pilot Management Consulting Services Program, which is designed to strengthen Clearwater businesses while providing students with professional development opportunities at the same time.
• The program launched October first, with the Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition as its first participant.
• We also are partnering with the Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition to build a mini-mall, called The Grove @ 1105, which will be made out of repurposed shipping containers.
• The name will pay homage to the area’s history, which used to be called The Grove.
• We are excited to see how these programs develop.

• Libraries are so much more than books.
• Our library teams helped enrich the community through innovative and impactful library services.
• Staff at multiple locations hosted “SPACE 4 ALL” events, which promoted space-themed STEM activities for children of all ages.
• Staff hosted 1,200 participants at this year’s Comic Con event, and more than 1,200 readers participated in the Summer Reading Program.
• Eight students graduated in the “One-Thousand Books before Kindergarten” program, and twelve city residents became U.S. citizens through the East Community Library’s citizenship tutoring program.
• The library partnered with the Pinellas Education Foundation and Pinellas County Schools for the “Take Stock in Children” program, which provided scholarships to eleven resident students.
• And staff at North Greenwood Library and Homeless Empowerment Program provided more than 40 library cards to job-seeking patrons.

• Clearwater’s parks and recreation services helped improve our residents’ quality of life.
• The parks team provided 57 hundred water safety lessons to 960 students from four Clearwater elementary schools for their physical education curriculum.
• We organized 13 free community events, drawing more than 20,000 attendees, and we supported 14 community-based sporting programs for more than 25 hundred Clearwater young people.
• The special events team issued 400 special event, wedding and park permits.
• And we installed new playgrounds at Soule Road and Forest Run Parks. Pool equipment renovations were made at Ross Norton Recreation Center and continue at the Long Center.
• Our volunteers picked up nineteen thousand pounds of litter during seven thousand volunteer hours to beautify city public spaces.

• Investing in public art and art appreciation helps to build a strong sense of community for our residents.
• Clearwater expanded its public art program with multiple large-scale projects, including new murals, mosaics, and sculptures across city parks, libraries, and downtown corridors.
• New murals were installed at Coachman Park, the North Greenwood Library, Marymont Park, and Crest Lake Park’s Giving Wall.
• Residents can see a beautiful mosaic work at the new Mercado, and there are new art sculptures in downtown Clearwater, with additional pieces that are coming to the Clearwater Marina, Clearwater Gardens Apartments, and PSTA Modal Transit Station.

• The city worked hard this year to restore critical infrastructure and prepare for future storms. Crews inspected and maintained almost five thousand storm drains, and we executed a project focused on cleaning and restoring the flow of Alligator Creek.
• In response to a call for innovation and cost efficiency, we introduced the Weedoo aquatic harvesting vehicle, seen on this slide, which mechanically removes invasive plants from waterways to improve water flow and reduce algae blooms.
• In addition, the city made significant advances to improve long-term flood protection and climate resilience.
• We installed tidal valves in areas prone to blue-sky flooding, replaced traditional traffic signals with hardened mast-arms for storm durability, and completed a citywide vulnerability assessment to identify and prioritize future resiliency projects.
• These efforts reflect Clearwater’s commitment to protecting residents, infrastructure, and natural resources—today and into the future.

• Trees are vital to urban environments because they improve air and water quality, provide shade, reduce flooding, and enhance local resilience to storms and heat.
• Clearwater was recognized as a Tree City USA for 43 years in a row, and to celebrate the occasion, we gave away more than 2-thousand young trees to city residents at our Arbor Day celebration.
• The Parks and Recreation Department implemented a tree planting program, with a goal to plant 50-thousand-dollars in new trees in city parks. The team completed renovations to the Harbor Oaks and Countryside medians and U.S. 19 approaches at Drew Street, and they replanted trees in traffic-calming medians in the Otten-Greenlea and Brookhill-Hillcrest neighborhoods.
• And as always, the city’s Planning and Development team works to build our tree bank and promote a strong and healthy tree canopy in Clearwater.

• We continued making progress on maximizing savings through solar energy this year.
• Four new municipal solar installations were completed at Morningside Recreation Center, General Services Complex, Solid Waste Transfer Station and Clearwater Gas Complex. 
• The city retired its third batch of more than 24-thousand renewable energy certificates through the Duke Energy Clean Energy Connection Program. This allowed for some of the city’s operating electricity to be powered by solar, equivalent to about 25-million kilowatt hours.
• The city also supported the Solar United Neighbors Switch Together program, which educates residents and small business owners about solar energy through workshops, events and digital media. Clearwater had 180 residents register for the program, and 14 installations were completed this year. 

• After last year’s hurricanes, the city has taken steps to improve our resiliency in the face of extreme weather.
• The Clearwater Police Department acquired a Lenco
  Bear Cat all-terrain armored vehicle through grant funding, so we can use it during dangerous or inclement weather situations.
• The agency also obtained a high-water rescue vehicle to assist in saving residents during major flooding events.
• Having equipment like this on-hand will be a tremendous asset to our rescue teams in a flood situation like that at The Standard Apartments last year.

• Maintaining a premiere workforce is important to ensuring our success.
• The city achieved positive trends in employee vacancies, now at 7.6 percent from 8.7 percent, and turnover to 9 percent from 9.6 percent.
• Compared to last year, we now have 17 more full-time staff on board than the previous year, about 20 fewer vacancies, and 10 fewer employees who voluntarily resigned.
• These outcomes reflect our strengthened retention strategies and improved workplace stability.
• In addition, we continue to build dynamic teams by successfully recruiting executive leader roles and have negotiated competitive compensation packages to attract top-tier candidates, while remaining within budgetary frameworks.
• We are especially proud of how city employees rallied around one another after last year’s storms.
• About 40 employees made monetary donations to fellow employees who were personally impacted, and the city collected over 21 hundred dollars in gift cards that were given to employees in need. We also managed donations of clothes, furniture, food, toys, and pet food for our staff.

• The city was selected to participate in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative's Innovation Track.
• This nine-month program challenges local governments to design innovative solutions to complex public issues.
• Ten employees across city departments will develop a project to enhance Clearwater's service delivery experience and improve outcomes for all of our residents and staff.
• The city also hosted its first cohort of the Executive Leadership Academy, which graduated in June 2025, and a second cohort is under way.
• The goal is to advance leadership development citywide and to contribute to the city’s culture of learning.

• Public safety is one of our highest priorities, and 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.
• Clearwater Police Department achieved re-accreditation by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement.
• The agency was first accredited in 1998 and has been
  re-accredited every three years since that time.
• This program helps the retain top-quality personnel at the police department and generate organizational success.

• The city achieved four prestigious awards for our wellness program, which is designed to help our employees stay healthier and keep our medical claims down.
• They include the 2024 Gold Cigna Healthy Workforce, 2025 Healthiest Employers, 2025 Platinum Bell Seal for Mental Health, and the 2025 American Heart Association’s Gold Level, Well-being Works Better Award.
• We continue to provide the Motivate Me program, which pays city employees a wellness incentive for completing health screenings for certain cancers.
• Last year, 475 employees participated in this program.
• In addition, the Achievement Awards Committee has worked hard all year to celebrate our staff and let them know they are appreciated.

ART & CULTURE

• Expanded Clearwater’s public art program with multiple large-scale projects, including new murals, mosaics, and sculptures across city parks, libraries, and downtown corridors.
• Partnered with local organizations and regional artists—many selected through community-involved processes—to enhance public spaces such as Coachman Park, Crest Lake Park, the North Greenwood Library, and Cleveland Street.
• Strengthened cultural collaborations through partnerships with the Clearwater Arts Alliance, CRA, PSTA, and developers to integrate art into public infrastructure and private development.
• Coordinated the Sister Cities Student Exchange program. In March 2025, middle school students from Clearwater’s Sister City, Nagano, Japan, visited Clearwater and stayed with local host families.
• Coordinated this year’s Official Delegation Trip. In July 2025, the Arts and Culture division organized and led Clearwater’s first official delegation visit to its Sister City, Nagano, Japan, in nearly 10 years. City staff, councilmembers, and Clearwater Sister Cities board members participated in the trip. The delegation visited key city sites, including Nagano City Hall, local schools, and a water treatment plant. With support from the city’s Economic Development Department, the delegation attended business meetings in Tokyo with major companies, such as Daiso (which recently opened a new store in Countryside), the Embassy, and the Japanese External Trade Organization (JETRO). Additionally, the city secured an interview for the mayor with Nikkei to showcase the city, regional assets and opportunities for Foreign Direct Investment. (2.2, 2.3)
• Awarded $30,000 in public art grants for public art projects at four Clearwater businesses:

• Southie Coffee, by Artist Val Steur
• Nobel Tires, by Artist Staci Sciotti
• Willa Carson Health Center, by Artist Zulu Painter (via Pinellas Diaspora Arts Project)
• Clearwater Brewing Company, by Artist Hannah Lorra

• Partnered with the CRA to organize the Grad Chalk Walk, a unique art and photo opportunity for graduating seniors from various schools that graduated at The BayCare Sound in May 2025. The artwork was visible along Cleveland Street and provided a creative backdrop for graduation photos.
• Hired an art consultant and appraise to conduct a public art assessment across the city. The consultant is compiling condition reports, which will guide cleaning and restoration schedules of city owned art pieces.
• Hired a public art conservation firm to clean the “Middens,” sculpture by Cliff Garten in Coachman Park and “Ocean Swirl,” by Jim Gallucci at Fire Station 46, which because discolored last year due to hurricane damage.
• Installed smart plaques on most city art pieces, which now feature NFC-enabled plaques and QR codes that link to online art information and photos. This technology was also integrated into the city’s online Art Map and the PixelStix App for public accessibility.

CITY CLERK

• Supported 73 advisory and quasi-judicial board meetings.
• Supported the hosting of many official meetings, including 20 City Council work sessions, 26 city council meetings, 11 Community Redevelopment Agency meetings, and six Pension Trustees meetings.
• Supported one citizen citation appeals hearing and 11 red-light-camera appeals hearings.
• Filled 1,463 public record requests and added more than 8,660 documents to Laserfiche.
• Placed 129 legal ads.
• Mailed 4,072 legal notices.
• Processed 3,372 lien assessment searches and collected $40,464 through the city’s contracted vendor.
• Provided administrative support for 13 grant awards totaling more than $23.8 million.
• Assisted Public Works and Public Utilities departments with Hazard Mitigation and Resilient Florida grant applications for more than $177 million.

COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY

• Celebrated the grand opening of Olive and Thyme in October 2024.
• Awarded a Sidewalk Café Furniture Grant to Chiang Mai Thai, supporting outdoor dining enhancements.
• Celebrated completion of the Mercado community space and hosted the ribbon-cutting ceremony in November 2024, marking the official grand opening of this important downtown public space. In addition, the city commissioned Artist Cristina Salas to design and install the Mercado mosaic, completed in February 2025.
• Announced eight local businesses selected for the 2025 Business Spotlight Program.
• Conducted multiple business outreach meetings to engage and support downtown merchants.
• Supported Machi Boba Tea’s expansion through a Downtown Clearwater CRA Commercial Grant in March 2025.
• Celebrated the Prelude Sports Bar ribbon-cutting in March 2025.
• Partnered with the Downtown Gateway Business and Neighbors Association to host Neighborhoods Day at the Mercado in March 2025.
• Organized a community grand opening for the Mercado artwork installation in April 2025.
• Funded the unveiling of three new sculptures through the Clearwater Arts Alliance in the 400 to 600 blocks of Cleveland Street through a CRA Placemaking Grant in May 2025.
• Approved a lease and grant agreement with the Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition to advance the North Greenwood Shipping Container Village project.
• Provided grant funding for affordable housing at The Indigo Apartments.
• Launched CRA Community Outreach Meetings in August 2025 to strengthen public engagement.
• Approved the second year of the Business Spotlight Program to continue supporting small business visibility.
• Celebrated the grand opening of Clearwater Brewing Company in August 2025, recipient of a North Greenwood Commercial Grant.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & HOUSING

Economic Development Division

• Engaged 1,262 times with 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 as detailed below. These engagements include business visits, emails, calls and meetings. (2.1 and 2.2)
• Launched a business survey in 2025 to gather market and business intelligence as part of the city's business retention and expansion program. There were more than 60 respondents from the local business community spanning all industries. (2.1 and 2.2)
• Nominated two second-stage companies to the 15^th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch list, which were selected as finalists. Winners will be revealed at the awards gala in Orlando in February 2026. (2.2)
• Oversaw process for two manufacturers that were awarded funding from Pinellas County's Employment Sites Program for their expansion projects within the city that will produce more than 50 high-wage jobs. (2.1 and 2.2)
• Promoted Clearwater as a premier destination for business relocation, expansion, investment and quality of life to local, regional and national audiences, including brokers, site selectors, developers and corporate executives. (2.1, 2.2, and 2.3)
• Established a strategic initiative to evaluate more than 400 city- and CRA-owned parcels, declaring 85 as surplus and commenced programmatic marketing and sales efforts to optimize land use, revitalize neighborhoods, and support city goals for economic development, affordable housing and job creation. (2.1, 2.2)
• Initiated marketing efforts for the retail space within the planned Osceola Garage development. Efforts included participation in the International Council of Shopping Centers’ Florida Conference—the leading U.S. organization for retail leasing, sales and development. The team placed digital and print advertising in “Shopping Center Business Magazine,” which was widely distributed during the conference with Clearwater also featured in an article highlighting the Florida retail market. (2.1, 2.2)
• Represented Clearwater at the Spring 2025 Urban Land Institute National Conference in Las Vegas and the 2025 Florida State Conference, promoting development and redevelopment opportunities for key sites throughout the city, including Downtown and the U.S. 19 corridor. (2.1, 2.2)
• Provided economic impact analysis for several city-originated projects for consideration of redevelopment. (1.1, 2.1)
• Extensively supported the Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition in the early-stage development of a container mall project to be named The Grove@1105 in North Greenwood. (2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2)
• Engaged with more than 100 developers, community influencers and property owners. The team responded to inquiries from businesses and employers with development needs.
• Partnered with St. Petersburg College to create a pilot Management Consulting Services Program designed to strengthen Clearwater businesses while providing students with professional development opportunities. The program launched Oct. 1, 2025, with the Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition as its first participant. (2.1, 2.2, 2.5)

HOUSING DIVISION

• Closed on 42 affordable and workforce housing loans totaling approximately more than $2,142,200. These included 21 purchase assistance loans ($1,373,965), and 21 single-family rehabilitation loans ($768,270). (2.4)
• Approved eight disaster assistance grants totaling $62,393 for emergency repairs for owner-occupied homes. (2.4)
• Provided $214,048 in grant funds to six not-for-profit organizations to provide services to low-income and homeless residents. (2.4)
• Provided more than $449,330 in grant funding for six public facility improvement projects. (2.4)
• Partnered with Sunrise Affordable and additional financing partners on the acquisition and rehabilitation of Indigo Apartments, with the City investing $1,000,000 into the income-restricted property. The city was awarded the Housing Resonance award at the Florida Housing Coalition Annual Conference for this project. (2.4)
• Partnered with Tampa Bay Neighborhood Housing Services to develop four single-family homes in the Lake Belleview neighborhood. All are complete, and two have been sold to qualifying families. (2.4)

FINANCE, AUDIT & BUDGET

• Awarded the Government Finance Officers Association’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the Sept. 30, 2023, for the 45th consecutive year, and submitted the documentation for Sept. 30, 2024, for the same award. (1.1 and 1.5)
• Received the Government Finance Officers Association’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget, for the 39th consecutive year. The Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget document will be submitted for the same award. (1.1 and 1.5)
• Released a dynamic, enhanced Citywide Work Plan Portal, as part of the city's ongoing commitment to transparency and public engagement. This intuitive transparency dashboard offers quarterly updates on approximately 140 operating initiatives and capital projects—planned, in progress, and completed—organized by fiscal year, empowering residents with clear, real-time insights into the work shaping Clearwater’s future. (1.1 and 1.5)
• Participated in the completion of rate studies for the city’s water and sewer, stormwater, and solid waste and recycling utility systems, to assist with the proactive long-term management of the utilities. (1.1, 1.2 and 1.5)
• Launched a centralized eProcurement platform called “OpenGov,” which enhances efficiency, transparency, and accessibility throughout the procurement process. By expanding the vendor database, the city has increased competition and broadened sourcing opportunities, with more than 14,000 active vendors, including more than 6,000 certified small-, disadvantaged-, minority-, women-, and veteran-owned business enterprises. The platform has streamlined critical functions such as solicitation development, bid evaluation and contract awards, while also providing robust tracking and reporting capabilities. Additionally, its AI-driven tools have assisted staff in drafting bid specifications. Since going live in October 2024, the city has issued 66 solicitations, 55 of which have already been awarded. (1.1 and 1.5)
• Partnered with the Low-Income Household Home Energy Assistance Program to distribute more than $413,000 to Clearwater low-income households for natural gas utility bill assistance. Most recipients received enough coverage to pay for multiple months of service. (2.4)
• Achieved an accuracy rate of 99.92% while reading more than 562,000 meters across the city. In addition, the Utility Customer Service team billed on average 63,700 accounts per month, with 99.4 percent billed within three business days. The team also processed payments of more than $169 million while only being over/short $19.35. (1.1 and 1.5)
• Leveraged Genesys software to streamline email routing and response management, improving efficiency, accountability and consistency in customer communications. The Customer Care team answered more than 20,760 emails with a service level of 93 percent. The average speed of answer went from 48 hours to 5 hours and 53 minutes. In addition, the team answered 73,020 calls with a service level of 91 percent and an average speed of answer of 47 seconds. The team also launched a new customer satisfaction survey through Genesys, receiving a 92 percent positive satisfaction rating from customers during its first year. Together, these initiatives enhanced multi-channel service delivery and reinforced the team’s commitment to customer experience excellence. (1.1 & 1.3)
• Launched the "We Care Round Up" utility bill assistance program, which resulted in approximately $9,300 in donations from customers in Fiscal Year 2024-25. All of these funds have been distributed to Clearwater utility customers who needed financial assistance with their utility bills. (3.4)
• Implemented a new process for billing monthly stormwater fees to affected property owners, which has generated more than $300,000 in additional stormwater revenue during the current fiscal year. (1.3)

FIRE & RESCUE

• Hired a new fire chief, Chad Pittman, to lead the agency into the future.
• Opened a new Fire Station 47 at 677 S. Hercules Ave., replacing the previous Station 47 on Lakeview Road that was 50 years old.
• Planned a restructuring of the city’s fire administration team to better serve the agency’s needs.
• Enhanced the department’s urban flood deployment capabilities and conducted training to fine-tune the agency’s responses to such situations.
• Purchased and placed into service a new Engine 48. The team ordered a new fire boat, a new Truck 45, Engine 44 and Engine 46.
• Hired nine new firefighters.
• Started rollout of traffic calming devices for firefighter safety at vehicle-crash scenes.
• Completed refurbishment of the fire training tower.
• Began changeover of extrication tools to next-generation battery-operated equipment.

GAS SYSTEM

• Rebranded from Clearwater Gas System to CGS Energy, launching a refreshed logo and brand identity in partnership with the city’s Public Communications team.
• Negotiated and closed the sale of CGS Energy’s Pasco Country property for $725,000 (which was purchased in 1995 for $275,000), securing a nearly triple return on investment.
• Served more than 32,200 natural gas customers and growing.
• Achieved total equivalent natural gas therm sales of $32 million.
• Transferred $4.3 million to the city’s General Fund in the form of a dividend payment.
• Made $4.1 million in revenue through the department’s retail operations. This includes gas appliance sales ($1.2 million), 381,000 gallons of natural gas sold at the city’s fueling station to reduce consumption of diesel and gasoline fuels ($1.2 million), gas installation piping ($870,000), and gas service and repair work ($820,000).
• Implemented the CGS Energy Dashboard, providing transparent, real-time tracking of key-performance indicators that are accessible to the public.

GENERAL SUPPORT SERVICES

• Standardized internal controls and purchasing procedures, including role-based delegation, audit-ready documentation, and reduced PCard usage. (1.1, 1.5)
• Strengthened collaboration with the procurement division to develop fiscally-sound contracts that align with city policy, reduce risk, and improve vendor accountability. (1.1, 1.5)
• Fleet operations closed the fiscal year at 7.89% under budget, reflecting strong fiscal discipline and cost containment. (1.1)
• Building & Maintenance closed the fiscal year at 2.28% under budget, reinforcing cost control and resource stewardship. (1.1)
• Completed more than 6,200 fleet work orders, supporting citywide service continuity and operational throughout. (1.5)
• Responded to more than 7,050 Building and Maintenance service requests, supporting facility operations across departments. (1.5)
• Achieved a 77.79% on-time response rate for Building and Maintenance requests, demonstrating service reliability and accountability. (1.5)
• Led the transition to digital workflows for leave requests, approvals, and documentation, and expanded SmartSheet dashboards and SharePoint sites for fleet, facilities, and procurement, enabling segmented data exports and improved interdepartmental coordination. (1.1, 1.5, 5.3)
• Reduced average days open per fleet work order by 15.78 percent, improving turn-around time and workflow efficiency. (1.5)
• Partnered with Public Works to remodel and open the new Municipal Services Building, supporting improved service delivery and workspace modernization. (1.2, 1.3, 1.5)
• Assisted with the citywide transition to the Pinellas County radio system, ensuring seamless migration and improved emergency communications. (1.2, 1.4, 5.3)
• Drafted a General Services Emergency Management Plan, outlining division-specific roles, continuity protocols and facility readiness strategies. (1.2, 1.4, 5.3)
• Completed citywide standardization of facility supplies to improve product quality and reduce downtime. (1.2, 1.3)
• Drafted and implemented a comprehensive standard-operating procedure for system administration, asset management tracking, and internal controls. (1.5, 5.3)
• Established monthly internal and stakeholders’ meetings with structured agendas, division updates, key-performance indicators, and operational issue tracking. (1.5, 5.3)
• Managed more than 1,795 active fleet assets, with an average age of 6.17 years, supporting life-cycle planning and capital forecasting. (1.3)
• Maintained 91 percent fleet equipment availability, minimizing downtime and ensuring reliable service delivery. (1.3, 1.5)

HUMAN RESOURCES

HRIS, Training and Engagement Division

• Organized employee appreciation events throughout the year, including the inaugural Employee Veteran Recognition Event, citywide holiday celebrations, longevity and employee appreciation luncheon, employee bowling, deep-sea fishing, ice cream socials, and seasonal gatherings that fostered engagement and recognition across departments. (5.1, 5.3)
• Reviewed and enhanced the Job Progression Guide program, which standardized language and formatting across more than 60 job-class families and collaborating with departmental leaders for comprehensive adoption. (1.5, 5.1, 5.2)
• Unified the Achievement Awards Committee and Diversity Leadership Council to streamline recognition and inclusion efforts, fostering a collaborative leadership culture. (5.3)
• Graduated the first cohort of the Clearwater Executive Leadership Academy in June 2025 and prepared the second cohort, advancing leadership development citywide. In addition, the team equipped HR leadership with “Train-the-Trainer” certifications, reducing training costs and expanding in-house learning delivery for future academy cohorts. (1.5, 5.2)
• Revised and implemented new Standard Operating Procedures for the city’s financial software system, optimizing payroll and personnel action workflows. (5.1, 5.2)
• Launched weekly "PA Parties" to provide bi-weekly support to departmental payroll preparers on personnel actions and financial software questions. (5.1, 5.2)

Talent Acquisition Division

• Achieved positive trends in employee vacancy to 7.6 percent and turnover to 9 percent, reflecting strengthened retention strategies and improved workplace stability. (5.1)
• Successfully recruited Senior Executive Team leadership roles, strengthening organizational strategy and leadership capacity. (5.1)
• Negotiated competitive executive compensation packages that attracted top-tier candidates remaining within budgetary frameworks. (5.1)
• Conducted more than 475 background checks, ensuring rigorous candidate vetting and compliance in recruitment and hiring initiatives. (5.1)
• Successfully trained more than 105 unclassified SAMP employees, advancing a culture of inclusion, collaboration and leadership readiness. (5.1)
• Expanded diversity and inclusion programming to increase engagement and visibility across the organization. Examples of activities included Black History Month Celebration Lunch-and-Learn and Video Spotlight, Team-Building Week, Pride Breakfast and Parade, Juneteenth Community Events, Diversity Poster Contest, Women’s History Video Spotlight, Lyft Academy Partnership for Autism Awareness, and increased communications with a monthly Diversity Leadership Council Newsletter. (5.3)
• Increased talent sourcing exposure by representing the city at 16 job fairs and partnering with local colleges for career days to strengthen community connections and recruitment pipelines. (5.1)
• Reviewed departmental action plans from the Kaleidoscope survey results to ensure integration with organizational goals and enhance overall performance. (5.1)
• Transitioned to a paperless candidate processing workflow, streamlining hiring operations and improving sustainability. (4.2)

Benefits, Leave, Records and ADA Division

• Achieved four prestigious wellness program awards for the city’s wellness program. They include the 2024 Gold Cigna Healthy Workforce, 2025 Healthiest Employers, 2025 Platinum Bell Seal Mental Health, and 2025 American Heart Association Gold Level Well-being Works Better, all of which demonstrate excellence in workplace health. (5.4)
• Introduced one week of paid parental leave to run concurrently with Family Medical Leave following the birth of an employee’s child or legal permanent placement of a child with an employee in connection with adoption or foster care. (5.4)
• Improved disability pension review efficiency by allowing applications to be reviewed by the City Attorney’s office and then by the city manager for recommendation for approval or for further review by the Florida Division of Administrative hearings. (5.3)
• Processed 878 records requests. (1.1)

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Network Architecture

• Successfully deployed an Automated Traffic Management System cellular network, an automation that enables remote monitoring and management of traffic signals citywide for improved traffic flow and rapid response to changing conditions.
• Strengthened cybersecurity and cloud infrastructure by completing a citywide migration to a new end-point monitoring solution, enhancing system visibility.
• Expanded traffic fiber network infrastructure by installing several miles of new underground conduit to expand the city’s traffic fiber signal network. Major upgrades were made along Sunset Point Road, Myrtle Avenue, Old Coachman Road, and Cleveland Street, all of which support future smart city initiatives.
• Supported major building renovation projects by providing comprehensive IT infrastructure support for the Municipal Services Building renovation, including fiber rerouting, network closet redesign, hardware modernization, and wireless system upgrades to enhance connectivity and efficiency.
• Upgraded network systems across city facilities by implementing significant network infrastructure upgrades across key city facilities. Locations include at Clearwater Police Department, Municipal Services Building, Public Utilities water and wastewater plants, and at multiple park locations. This effort improves reliability, performance and public service delivery.

Enterprise Systems

• Upgraded the city’s permitting, code enforcement and land-management solution to a cloud platform called Accela.
• Made system-wide updates to NeoGov, a cloud-based platform, that is used for police recruitment in addition to citywide efforts.
• Upgraded the Risk Management case management system called CTrax.

Solutions & Programming

• Migrated the city of Clearwater’s citizen relationship management application from Accela PublicStuff to SeeClickFix. The new platform provides an enhanced user experience for both residents and city staff. SeeClickFix offers the opportunity for future efficiencies by integrating service order management with the city’s new asset management system. Additionally, the migration provides a more cohesive experience for users by sharing the same platform as Pinellas County and surrounding agencies.
• Developed and published five departmental public transparency portals, called dashboards, in conjunction with the city’s budget office. These include the city’s Information Technology, Clerk’s Office, Building and Maintenance, Fleet Operations, CGS Energy, and City Manager’s workplan functions.
• Implemented a generative AI chatbot on the city’s websites, in conjunction with the city’s Public Communications team. The chatbot offers 24/7 access to city information and resources in a conversational medium. Further development and refinement of the chatbot is anticipated to reduce phone calls and in-person interactions by providing self-service access to residents.
• Successfully migrated Public Utilities’ GIS data to a new Pinellas County-hosted ArcGIS environment, which demonstrates a good example of one of the team’s good cooperative agreements.

Operations & Support

• Migrated employee cellphones to a new text message archiving platform to better serve the city’s information needs.
• Completed several audio and visual upgrade projects at various city sites, including Clearwater Public Utilities, CGS Energy, Solid Waste and Recycling, Traffic, and the library.
• Initiated the first phase of building security upgrades at 24 city sites and completed upgrades at two sites, the Municipal Services Building and Fire Station 47.

LIBRARY

An overview of the Clearwater Public Library System's achievements and activities for FY24/25, emphasizing community engagement, educational initiatives, and partnerships.

Systemwide (3.1, 3.4)

• Hosted Comic Con 2025, attracting more than 1,500 attendees.
• Hosted the Summer Reading Program, of which 247 adults and 996 youth and teens participated this year.
• Assisted 570 patrons in digitizing more than 30,480 items in various technology formats.
• Collected 450 pet food and supply items through the Pet Supply Donation Drive, which benefited the Suncoast Animal League.
• Celebrated the graduation of eight students in the “1,000 Books before Kindergarten” program, which promotes early literacy and bonding among children and caregivers.
• Provided Seed Libraries at the Countryside and East Community Library locations, which shared seasonal Florida native seed offerings with patrons. (+4.2)

East Community Library @ SPC (3.1, 3.4)

• Assisted 12 residents in becoming U.S. citizens through its Citizenship Tutoring program.
• Partnered with the Pinellas Education Foundation and Pinellas County Schools for the “Take Stock in Children” program, providing scholarships to 11 students.
• Collaborated with the Philadelphia Phillies and the Clearwater Threshers for various events, including the annual Back to School Bash.
• Supported the Hispanic Outreach Center's summer camp program, offering weekly educational and fun activities for more than 35 children and teens.

Countryside Library (3.1, 3.4)

• Participated in the “Silver Santas Program,” which provided holiday gifts to more than 100 Clearwater seniors.
• Engaged more than 120 campers at the Countryside Recreation Center, in partnership with the Summer Reading Program.

North Greenwood Library (3.1, 3.4)

• Partnered with the Homeless Empowerment Program and issued more than 40 library cards to job-seeking patrons.
• Hosted the RoboFest Robotics Competition, where library teams won three first-place trophies.
• Hosted “SPACE 4 ALL” events to promote space-themed STEM activities for children of all ages.

Beach Library (3.1, 3.4)

• Created “Splash Storytime” at the Clearwater Beach Family Aquatic Center, attracting more than 400 attendees during the summer

MARINE & AVIATION

• Nearly completed phase one of the Clearwater Beach Marina, with all commercial tenants maintaining operations with minimal disruption throughout construction. The Tenant Outreach Group played an instrumental role in coordinating communication and addressing operational needs, allowing staff to integrate those lessons into revised operational strategies for future project phases. (1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3)
• Reconstructed the Seminole Boat Ramp, despite ongoing title and permitting challenges. This project addressed critical failures in the ramp, pier and dock structural support systems. Through detailed planning and coordination, reconstruction was executed in carefully phased stages to ensure that portions of the facility remained open and accessible to the public throughout construction. (1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3)
• Successfully restored the Clearwater Executive Airport’s original name, changing Clearwater Airpark back to its latter name to better align with industry standards and accurately reflect its use and classification as a general aviation airport. The name change enhances the airport’s professional image and supports continued economic development and aviation growth opportunities. (1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.3, 3.3)
• Secured multiple grants to fund the construction of a new terminal building and corporate hangars at Clearwater Executive Airport. The bid package for the terminal building, associated parking lot, and remilling and overlay of taxiways and taxi-lanes is currently being finalized. In addition, a work order is being developed for the design and construction of new corporate hangars, which will expand the airport’s capacity and enhance its role as a regional hub for general aviation. (1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 2.3, 3.3)
• Secured funding through a Florida Department of Transportation grant for the installation of an emergency generator to support both the Clearwater Executive Airport terminal building and CGS Energy’s natural gas filling station. This project enhances operational resilience, ensuring continuity of critical airport and utility functions during power outages or severe weather events. (1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 2.3, 3.3)

PARKS & RECREATION

• In partnership with the Juvenile Welfare Board, Clearwater For Youth and Pinellas County Schools, the city provided a total of 5,754 water safety lessons to 959 students across four elementary schools (McMullen, Eisenhower, Skycrest, Belleair) as part of their physical education curriculum. (1.4, 2.5)
• With the help of many community volunteers, organized 13 free community events, drawing more than 20,000 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) 
• Completed repairs to and reopened Pier 60 and the bait house to the public in less than a year after damaged by last year’s hurricanes. (1.2, 1.3)
• Supported 14 community-based sporting programs (10 youth, four adult), with 2,545 youth participants, of which 1,263 were residents within city limits. The 3-Score Senior Softball organization contributed 2,198.5 volunteer hours to city-led athletic events. (3.1, 3.4)
• Completed McKay Park Renovations. Improvements include six pickleball courts, one bocce ball court, playground, three shade canopies, fencing, picnic tables, benches, trash receptacles, bicycle racks, ADA drinking fountains, 1,228 linear feet of sidewalks, park and court lighting, signage, among others. (1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 2.3, 3.1) 
• Hosted 27 regional and national athletic tournaments generating $42.7 million in economic impact and nearly 44,000 hotel room nights. (2.3)
• Issued more than 400 special event, wedding and park permits—nearly matching pre hurricane levels. (2.3)
• Secured a $7.75 million grant from the Tourist Development Council to upgrade the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex, which will provide an upgraded experience for organizers and spectators alike. Improvements include expanded home plate seating and sightlines, improved dugout space, a two-story press box with broadcast capability for all four fields, and energy-efficient LED lighting at all nine fields. (1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2)
• Installed new playgrounds at Soule Road and Forest Run Parks and completed pool equipment renovations at Ross Norton Recreation Center. (1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2)
• Advanced beautification efforts citywide through landscape upgrades to Cleveland Street, Harbor Oaks, neighborhood medians, and other outdoor spaces.
• Implemented a Parks and Recreation Tree Planting Program, with a goal to plant $50,000 in new trees in city parks. The team completed renovations to the Harbor Oaks and Countryside medians and U.S. 19 approaches at Drew Street. They also replanted trees in traffic-calming medians in the Otten- Greenlea and Brookhill-Hillcrest neighborhoods. GIS tree-planting software was developed to identify areas in the city that are deficient in trees and where new trees should be planted. (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 3.1, 3.2, 4.3)
• Provided 365 days of landscaping, janitorial services, and hardscape cleaning for Coachman Park, The BayCare Sound, Cleveland Street, Station Square Park, the Mercado, and Crest Lake Park. (1.3,2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2)
• Engaged community volunteers who donated more than 7,000 hours and collected more than 19,000 pounds of litter across city parks and trails.
• Applied for and received a $200,000 federal grant from the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program for Edgewater Drive improvements. The department also received $9,000 in funding from the United States Tennis Association’s wheelchair tennis program for adaptive and youth sports programs at the McMullen Tennis Complex. (1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2)
• Ran organized youth basketball leagues at Ross Norton, North Greenwood and Countryside Recreation Complexes with over 150 participants aged eight - 17 years. The season culminated in an All-Star Game between the 11–13-year-old teams from North Greenwood and Countryside with the team from North Greenwood taking home the trophy. (3.1, 3.4)
• Offered affordable summer, winter, and school-day recreation camp programs throughout the city, which not only provided quality childcare but also focused on character development.
• City entertainment venues earned national recognition, including BayCare Sound’s nomination for “Amphitheater of the Year” by the International Entertainment Buyers Association and Ruth Eckerd Hall’s winning the organization’s “Theater of the Year” award. (1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1) 
• Managed a volunteer program that was responsible for the collection of more than 19,000 pounds of litter through more than 7,000 volunteer hours to beautify city public spaces. (1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 2.3, 3.1, 3.4)

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT

• Issued more than 13,000 building permits/amendments, nearly 3,000 of which were for storm damage. 
• Established and staffed a pop-up permitting center at the Beach through March 2025. 
• Participated in 3 FEMA Assessments, and one evaluation of the city’s permitting and tracking of damaged structures; found to be in compliance. 
• Completed almost 1,600 physical site inspections as part of the substantial damage review, and issued 17 substantial damage assessment determination letters. 
• Completed a reorganization of the Planning and Development website, a project identified in the Business Process Study. Modifications included restructuring pages, creating checklists for the top-10 permit types, adding a frequently-asked-questions section for permitting, and updating the Business Tax Receipt webpage. 
• Implemented permitting process changes to comply with legislative changes to permitting timeframes, including updated deadlines for private-provider-reviewed building permits and planning applications. 
• Completed half of the microfilm to Laserfiche project, providing faster access to records for our customers. To date, more than 500 rolls of what have been converted to Laserfiche, with 28,000 indexes with the addresses, permit numbers, and/or zoning case numbers. 
• Worked with the Information Technology team to change the previously printed application process for business tax receipts to a new, user-friendly electronic application process through epermit.myclearwater.com.  The team took a comprehensive look at the existing business tax receipt process – from application submission through issuance and renewal – to identify areas for improvement, including allowing business owners to print their business tax receipts directly. The team also evaluated the renewal process to make it more efficient and user-friendly. 
• Streamlined the process to renew outdoor cafés, sidewalk signs, and dog-friendly dining permits. The team visited many existing outdoor cafés in person to explain the process and to share the application and/or renewal information. 
• Completed multiple amendments to the Community Development Code and substantially completed additional amendments to address legislative mandates. Completed amendments include revisions to the Downtown Sign Code and establishment of artificial turf standards. Legislative mandates address community residential facilities and recovery homes, permitting timeframes, and plat process changes. [Economic & Housing Opportunity, Environmental Stewardship and Community Well-Being goals]
• Completed the building condition assessment of North Ward School. [Economic & Housing Opportunity and Community Well-Being goals]
• Coordinated and participated in FEMA preliminary flood insurance rate map update meetings for Alligator Creek; reviewed and provided comments on draft maps. The project will continue through next fiscal year. [1.X]
• Initiated and substantially completed an active transportation plan. [Community Well-Being and Environmental Stewardship goals]
• Initiated a south beach traffic study with Forward Pinellas. [Environmental Stewardship goal]
• Reinstituted the landscape re-inspection program. [Community Well-being and Environmental Stewardship goals]

POLICE

• Recruited an additional corporal and social media intern to help boost the agency’s hiring efforts. The team also added a second background investigator for expanded background investigations for civilian candidates, as well as an additional polygraph vendor.
• Implemented an AI-assisted program to increase efficiency in writing police reports and other administrative documents.
• Acquired a Lenco BearCat all-terrain armored vehicle through grant funding, enabling rapid deployment during dangerous or inclement weather situations. The agency also obtained a high-water rescue vehicle to assist in rescues during major flooding events.
• To make our streets safer, Clearwater Police Department renewed the high-visibility enforcement grant to continue education and enforcement for pedestrian and bicyclist violations. They also updated the red-light camera program cameras and system to increase effectiveness.
• Established a corporal program within the Criminal Investigations Division to enhance the supervisory structure within each investigative unit and created career development opportunities. The department also expanded the Special Victims Unit by one detective, who is dedicated to the investigation of Internet crimes against children.
• Achieved reaccreditation by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement. The agency was first accredited in 1998 and has been reaccredited every three years since that time.
• Made several investments to better equip department personnel – replacing outer vest carriers more often, purchasing new lights for patrol rifles, new duty flashlights and rifle shields to enhance officer safety. They also transitioned to the Motorola radio system.

PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS

• Provided communication and public relations support for many city programs, to include: Coachman Park activities, downtown Clearwater happenings, utilities and solid waste outreach programs, Clearwater Police Department memorial and promotion ceremony events, Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival, Parks & Recreation master plan meetings, employment opportunities and the city’s health and wellness programs for staff. (3.3)
• Provided communication support for multiple construction projects in Clearwater, including multiple construction projects in downtown Clearwater, Municipal Services Building renovation, new Clearwater City Hall, Fire Station 47 construction project, Soule Road Park, and Clearwater Beach Municipal Marina renovation.
• Maintained the content on all websites, reorganized content on the Planning and Development Department website pages, posted an accurate calendar of events and meetings, added visual elements, embedded original-video content, and maintained clean and correct information. (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 received city messages through Nextdoor. To increase engagement across multiple social media platforms, the team also began producing social media reels and motion-based graphics for distribution. (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 News” weekly digital newsletter and the “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. The city increased its number of YouTube subscribers by 500 this year, for a total of more than 1,800 as of Sept. 30, and has posted more than 1,100 videos since the channel’s creation. (3.4)
• Provided graphic design service to all departments for design projects that embody the city’s brand, including parks public signage, parking meter wraps, special events signs and collateral, social media graphics, downtown mailers and brochures, recreation center and library newsletters, vehicle wraps, and department print needs. (3.3)
• Expanded community engagement beyond neighborhoods to include partnerships with nonprofits and businesses, strengthening relationships for greater community impact.
• Participated in or organized multiple community meetings, providing feedback on projects such as Edgewater Park, Morningside Meadows, Marymont Park, Ed Wright Park, and downtown construction, resulting in improved relations with residents.
• Launched an online speaker request form to encourage residents and organizations to request speakers for schools, neighborhood meetings and community events, streamlining the process for both residents and city employees.
• Attended neighborhood and homeowner association meetings citywide to share project updates, answer resident questions and gather feedback on city initiatives.
• Collaborated with IT for quality control and migration to a new platform for Clearwater Connect, ensuring better customer service and more efficient operations.
• Approved more than 30 neighborhood event permits and led the planning and execution of the annual large-scale community celebration of Clearwater Neighborhoods Day. The team coordinated routes, staffing, and logistics across multiple city departments to strengthen neighborhood pride.
• Increased capacity for the city’s resident engagement program, Citizens Academy, with the first class of more than 25 participants, providing an in-depth look at municipal operations and fostering long-term resident involvement in local government. To date, more than 400 program participants serve as vital ambassadors throughout the community.
• Launched Clearwater’s first AI-powered chatbot, “Sunny,” to provide on-demand answers to frequently-asked questions, improve self-service access, and reduce call volume. The chatbot responded to more than 7,590 inquiries from March 1 to Sept. 30.

PUBLIC WORKS

• Led Comprehensive Hurricane Response
  Directed a department-wide, multi-month hurricane recovery effort to restore essential services. Several department teams completed more than 30 immediate repairs and initiated long-term projects by reprioritizing resources and deferring non-critical work, enabling faster citywide recovery. 
• Expanded Grant Acquisition
  Increased grant submissions from two grants totaling $21 million to 13 grants, totaling $90 million in one year. This accomplishment significantly expands funding opportunities and aligns with city council priorities to reduce costs for residents. 
• Advanced Downtown Capital Projects
  Initiated multiple downtown infrastructure projects and proactively identified conflicts between city- and private-development activities. The department stablished a working group to enhance coordination and communication among local businesses and residents. 
• Enhanced Capital Improvements Program
  Introduced new management strategies for the city’s capital improvement program, including a work induction process, improved budgeting, and aggressive staff engagement. These efforts resulted in more than $25 million in cost avoidance and improved on-time project completion. 
• Implemented Innovative Technologies
  Researched and deployed new technologies—including cloud-based stormwater closed-caption television systems and Weedoo aquatic equipment—resulting in improved data access, operational efficiency, and water quality. 
• Established Illicit Discharge and Private Stormwater Notification Programs
  Launched a proactive initiative to reduce city costs and improve water quality by identifying and holding contractors accountable for illicit discharges into city infrastructure. This achievement is complemented by a private stormwater notification program that educated property owners on their maintenance responsibilities, enhancing stormwater storage and flow. 
• Organizational Realignment and Strategic Hiring
  Conducted a department realignment to improve coordination, accountability, and employee development. The department established interdepartmental liaisons, enhanced land development responsiveness, and created structures to support staff growth and to mitigate impacts of vacancies. Strategic hiring brought in experienced personnel to mentor and strengthen the team. 
• Established Program Management Support
  Onboarded two program managers who played a critical role in hurricane recovery and project delivery. Their efforts helped reduce project costs through key interventions, including electrical coordination that prevented delays and avoided excessive expenses. 
• Completed Municipal Service Building Renovations and Advanced New City Hall Project
  Managed Municipal Services Building renovations and delivered the project on time, avoiding costly lease extensions and improving facility efficiency and employee performance. The team maintained the schedule and budget for both projects while ensuring quality standards. 
• Developed an Integrated Priorities List for the Public Works Department
  Created a strategic scoring system aligned with the city’s strategic plan to prioritize Public Works projects. This tool enables the department to maintain focus on high-priority projects while deferring lower-priority efforts. 

PUBLIC UTILITIES

Clearwater Public Utilities successfully delivered essential services while completing major infrastructure upgrades to enhance system reliability and efficiency for the future.

Core Service Delivery (1.2, 1.4 and 4.2)

• Water & Wastewater: Delivered more than 4 billion gallons of drinking water, treated an equal volume of wastewater, and supplied 1.2 billion gallons of reclaimed water to Clearwater’s residential and commercial community. (1.2, 1.4 and 4.2)

System Modernization and Maintenance (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 3.2 and 4.2)

• Wastewater: Strengthened the wastewater system by relining more than 6.3 miles of sewer mains and rehabilitating more than 605 manholes. The use of a smart-monitoring system prevented 13 potential sewer overflows, and crews removed more than 160 tons of debris from wastewater transmission mains.
• Water: Improved the water distribution network by replacing 55 fire hydrants, 265 service lines, and nearly 10,000 feet of water mains. Crews also repaired 57 main breaks and tested more than 4,600 hydrants.
• Reclaimed Water: Expanded the reclaimed water system by installing more than three miles of new reclaimed water mains and conducting thousands of service line inspections.

Key Engineering Projects Completed (1.2, 1.3, 1.4, and 4.2)

• Island Estates: Enhanced water system reliability by replacing more than 26,000 feet of aging, cast-iron water mains.
• Northeast Water Reclamation Facility: Improved primary treatment by implementing new Salsnes filters and constructing a new equalization basin.
• Lift Station 16: Completed a major rehabilitation project, which included a new generator, pumps and motor control center.
• Marshall and East Water Reclamation Facilities: Upgraded critical components at both the Marshall and East water reclamation facilities to improve operational efficiency.

SOLID WASTE/RECYCLING

• Received storm-cleanup reimbursements. As part of last year’s hurricane storm cleanup efforts, the city has received more than $6.19 million from FEMA for costs associated with Hurricane Milton, specifically for storm-debris removal. Solid Waste and recycling drivers and workers were instrumental in meeting FEMA’s 90-day deadline by working with the debris contractor to ensure the city’s eligibility to receive 100 percent reimbursement. In addition, the city saved $3.6 million on costs associated with our disaster debris vendor, due to the joint effort. (1.1)
• Currently validating storm cleanup and monitoring invoices for FEMA reimbursement from Crowder Gulf and Tetra Tech to ensure documentation meets FEMA and State of Florida guidelines. This is part of the reimbursement process being coordinated through Deloitte. (1.1)
• Completed a rate study led by an independent third party to evaluate whether current solid waste and recycling rates approved by the city council last fiscal year continue to sufficiently meet city operations. This included a review of potential changes to recycling pickup frequency. (1.3, 4.2)
• Successfully implemented commercial driver’s license training for solid waste employees, to provide an avenue for employees to progress in their driving careers (5.2)
• Repurposed an open assistant manager position to instead serve as a safety and training coordinator. Given the solid waste industry is the ninth most dangerous one in the United States, this change is expected to help reduce driver and equipment accidents and risk-management claims without adding another full-time equivalent position to the department’s payroll. (1.3, 5.1)
• Proactively purchased four new front-end-loader trucks to address critical, immediate operational needs. (X.X)
• Secured a citywide scrap-metal recycling contract in collaboration with several other departments. A request for proposals was issued, and a contract was awarded to Coastal Waste and Recycling. (X.X)
• Following an unfortunate incident that rendered the Solid Waste and Recycling Facility unsafe for occupancy, the team quickly developed a diversion plan for collected recyclables in collaboration with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. This allowed for the continued operation of the transfer station for both trash and recyclables. (X.X)
• Upgraded the department’s accounting technician role to payroll technician within the Solid Waste Division. This change aligns with similar role adjustments in other departments. (5.1)

SUSTAINABILITY

(The sustainability team is a function of the Public Works Department.)

• Completed a citywide vulnerability assessment with funding from Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Resilient Florida grant to build a digital twin of Clearwater, to identify risks related to flood and heat and generate recommendations for mitigation and adaptation. Received grant reimbursement of $197,848. (4.1)
• The city retired its third batch of 24,748 renewable energy certificates (RECs) 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 25 million kilowatt hours. (4.2)
• Four new municipal solar installations were completed at Morningside Recreation Center, General Services Complex, Solid Waste Transfer Station and Clearwater Gas Complex.  (4.2)
• The city supported Solar United Neighbor’s Switch Together program that educates residents and small business owners about solar energy through workshops, outreach events and digital media. Clearwater had 180 residents register for the program and 14 installations completed for a total solar capacity of 175 kW.  (4.2)
• Continued the municipal energy conservation program, which concluded its third year and reduced energy use by 14.9 percent, when compared to the baseline year. This translates to a cumulative cost avoidance of more than $3,729,959 for electricity, natural gas and water.  (4.2)
• Ordered two more electric vehicles, for a total of four, funded through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, valued at $169,090.  (4.2)
• Received two more free electric vehicle charging stations, for a total of four, through the Ford My Government Complimentary Charger program, valued at $8,396 (MSRP is $2,584 each, we paid $485 each, for a savings of $2,099 each X 4).  (4.2)
• Leveraged the Duke Energy Charger Prep Credit Program to install all four free Ford EV chargers at the Municipal Services Building parking garage at no cost. Also used program to reimburse costs to recommission existing EV charger at 580 Countryside, for Public Work’s temporary stay there. Received a total refund of $10,334.09 (= $9,473.97 + $860.12).  (4.2)
• Filed and received $26,083.17 (25,607.40 + $475.77 in interest) for Elective Pay tax credits from the IRS for clean energy projects put into service in 2024 that included the replacement of 52 solar parking meters that were damaged in the hurricanes.  (4.2)
• Developed and promoted several education campaigns including Sustainability + Financial Health, Climate-Friendly Commuting, Beat the Heat and Pollinator Power.   (3.3)
• Hosted or had presence at 14 education and outreach events around Clearwater, including Citizens Academy, Holiday Craft Event at Moccasin Lake Nature Park, Earth Day and Arbor Day events, World Oceans Day, Clearwater Celebrates America, Back to School Bash at Ross Norton Recreation Center, pollinator events, the Employee Health Fair and more.  (3.3)