George N. Cretekos Mayor
David Allbritton Councilmember
Dr. Bob Cundiff Councilmember
Hoyt Hamilton Councilmember
Jay Polglaze Councilmember
William B. Horne, II City Manager
Pam Akin City Attorney
Jill Silverboard Deputy City Manager
Micah Maxwell Assistant City Manager
EDITORIAL STAFF
Executive Editor Joelle Castelli
Editors Jason Beisel
Heather Parsons
Assistant Editors Sandy Clayton
Krystie Epperson
Mike Lockwood
José Patiño
Rob Shaw
Graphic Designer Laura Del Valle
CONTRIBUTORS
Library Jennifer Obermaier
Linda Rothstein
Library Managers
Parks & Recreation Shaun Beasley
Rosemary Davis
Kris Koch
Kerry Marsalek
MyClearwater is published three times a year
by the city of Clearwater.
If you would like a free subscription,
call 562-4708.
All phone numbers are area code 727
unless otherwise indicated.
ON THE COVER
Summer is here, and temperatures are heating up. With the red tide
outbreak officially behind us, Clearwater Beach is brighter and more
beautiful than ever. I’d like to recognize the hard work of the city’s Parks
& Recreation and Stormwater Division teams that raked and cleaned
the beach every day to keep it enjoyable for visitors. Their efforts made
Clearwater Beach one of the few beaches in the area to keep impacts from
the bloom minimal.
City crews rake the sugar sands of Clearwater Beach each day. This is one
of the many actions that keep it so beautiful and popular among residents
and tourists. The city uses money generated from parking fines to pay for
the daily raking of Clearwater Beach. The fund also is used for the school
crossing guard program, year-round lifeguard coverage and lifeguard
facilities, such as look-out towers and lifeguard stations, among others.
One of the ways residents can help keep Clearwater clean is not just
by recycling – but by recycling right. Clearwater residents can have a
positive impact on the environment by recycling only those items that
are accepted in Clearwater’s recycling program. This includes plastic
bottles and containers #1-7, metal cans, glass bottles/jars, cardboard boxes
and mixed paper. Placing unaccepted items into recycling bins not only
makes the city's recycling hazardous and expensive, but it can ruin entire
truckloads of recyclable materials, causing them to be disposed of as
garbage.
Residents should know that plastic bags and wraps are not accepted by
the city’s curbside recycling program. This includes plastic wrapping and
packaging for paper towels, toilet tissue, dry cleaning, newspaper delivery
bags, etc. This also means that recyclables shouldn’t be placed in plastic
bags and then thrown into the bin. These materials cannot be processed
by the facility Clearwater uses to separate recyclables. They get tangled in
the equipment, leading to equipment failures and fires. Instead, plastic
grocery bags should be returned to the grocery store for recycling, or they
should be thrown in the trash. When in doubt, throw it out.
There’s always a lot to do in Clearwater, and this summer is no exception.
Soak up some summer rays (with sunscreen, of course), or take advantage
of the air conditioning at several of the city’s recreation centers and
library branches. The Summer Reading Program kicks off June 10 at all
Clearwater branches (see page 21 to learn more), so encourage youngsters
in Clearwater to register and start reading the summer away.
Sincerely,
Bill Horne
City Manager "Gaia" is one of the newest works of art to come
to Downtown Clearwater. Read more about
this monumental stainless steel artwork and the
Sculpture360 program on page 3.