City Council work session: housing, library outreach, stormwater, WRF contract and assorted consents

The City Council’s Dec. 1 work session included routine consent approvals and several substantive presentations. Highlights:

- Housing: Council agreed to transmit the 2025 Local Housing Incentive Strategy (LHIS) to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation as required by statute. Staff recommended changes including expedited permitting points of contact, preapproved ADU plans and improved online information.

- Federal reporting: Housing staff presented the CAPER (Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report) summarizing the city’s use of federal CDBG/HOME funds for FY2024–25 and requested council review ahead of the submission deadline; staff reported assisted units, facilities work and expenditures.

- Library redevelopment: Staff presented a refined "Reimagine Clearwater Main Library" outreach strategy that uses a longer cultivation window, CRM tracking (BlueDot), and a proposed marketing/outreach budget range of $100,000–$140,000 to reissue a call for development concepts in January 2026; council members debated timing but gave consent to proceed with the refined approach and monthly updates.

- Infrastructure and procurement consents: Council approved a supplemental work order for the Lower Spring Branch stormwater project ($177,052 for Atkins Engineering design work), a ParkMobile purchase order for reimbursement of transaction fees (ParkMobile accounts for ~48% of paid sessions), an easement conveyance to FDOT for a US‑19 pedestrian overpass, and authorization to increase a radio maintenance contract and several purchase orders for emergency inspection and plan review services.

- Utilities: Council approved a professional services agreement with Dura Inc. as a WRF maintenance and repair program consultant (not to exceed $11,100,000 across a five‑year term) to support condition assessments and interim repairs ahead of consolidation plans.

- Process matters and AG correspondence: Council spent extended time discussing whether to reinstate a public comment slot for non‑agenda items (proposal: 3 minutes per speaker, max 30 minutes, first‑come first‑served) and asked the city attorney to research residency limits and sign‑up protocols. Separately, members requested that a recently received Florida Attorney General letter about Garden Avenue be placed on the Thursday council agenda so the full council can review the content and discuss next steps; some council members urged resolving title disputes in court (quiet title) where appropriate.

Several items were approved by consent during the meeting; staff will return with follow‑up materials on procedural options for public comment rules, additional technical information on the North Ward stabilization options and appraisal reconciliation, and any required contract details for the larger procurements.