Frank Hibbard Mayor
David Allbritton Councilmember
Kathleen Beckman Councilmember
Mark Bunker Councilmember
Hoyt Hamilton Councilmember
William B. Horne, II City Manager
Pam Akin City Attorney
Michael Delk Assistant 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
Robert Napper
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.
CmyLEARWATER
MyClearwater.com
Winter/Spring | Jan. – Apr. 2021
ON THE COVER
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was a huge challenge, one that brought
out the best in our residents, community, and employees. Clearwater teams
worked harder than ever to keep our community safe. Our employees banded
together and found solutions to get us through an array of new challenges.
When the pandemic forced the shutdown of much of the country and world in
March 2020, the city maintained essential city functions, including police, fire,
water and sanitation services. A majority of the city’s essential city employees
reported to work either onsite or remotely, and together they maintained city
operations throughout the crisis when so many others were staying home to
help flatten the curve.
The city’s emergency manager and response team worked hard to implement
swift, immediate safety actions, precautions, procedures and closures citywide
to protect employees and residents as our world began to change. The
response team made tough decisions with safety in mind as the city closed
down its operations. Decisions were made and implemented strategically and
deliberately.
Two months later as Governor DeSantis began ordering portions of the state to
re-open in May 2020, almost all city of Clearwater employees returned to work,
and we began to slowly restore our services. Getting back to work much earlier
than several nearby municipalities helped Clearwater to get a jump start on its
recovery efforts to support our community.
The city had to adapt to our new normal and change the way it delivered some
standard services. For example, the city introduced electronic permitting,
drive-thru library services, and a new rent, mortgage, and utility relief program
for residents and businesses in need. The city expanded its telecommuting
operations and conducted some services virtually, such as construction
inspections on FaceTime. In Downtown Clearwater, the 400 and 500 blocks of
Cleveland Street were closed off to vehicle traffic, creating a pedestrian-friendly
outdoor dining zone for patrons to safely distance. And the Clearwater Police
Department managed safer-at-home restrictions and enforced density challenges
on Clearwater Beach as it reopened last summer.
We made sweeping changes and implemented the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention and the Florida Department of Health’s safety guidelines. This
included requiring face-coverings, performing wellness checks, safely distancing,
rolling out stay-at-home and quarantine procedures, and adding physical
barriers to the city’s libraries, recreation centers, and public buildings. Together,
these actions have helped to keep the staff positivity rate relatively low and to
protect residents who come into city buildings.
Clearwater continues to rebuild, and the entire city team continues to take the
pandemic seriously. It always has been – and always will be – our duty and
obligation to serve you, the residents and visitors of Clearwater. Here’s to all of
us, looking toward a better and brighter 2021!
Bill Horne
City Manager
Artist Kumpa Tawornprom and volunteers
of all ages painted a beautiful mural called
“Love, Harmony and Peace" in the Lake
Belleview area. Read more on page 2.
/MyClearwater.com