REGULAR BUSINESS DURING 20
54
CITY SUCCESSES
21
Lost Graves Research
support
Librarians from the Clearwater
Public Library System provided
research assistance to the
Clearwater Heights Reunion
Committee, regarding
lost African American
gravesites in Clearwater.
This information
was invaluable to
the Engineering
Department as they
led an investigation
of two such sites and
confirmed the
existence of
graves on both
sites.
Memvelope
PROGRAM
The Clearwater
Public Library System
preserved nearly 4,000
treasured photos,
slides, negatives,
videos, films and
audio recordings
for patrons through
its free Memvelope, or
“memory envelope,” dropoff
digitization service. This
important program was
awarded the Technology
Innovation Award in the
Citizens Category from
Government Technology Special
Districts Awards Program.
Mental Health Police UNIT
Clearwater Police Department
implemented a mental health unit within
the agency, with two patrol officers
working hand in hand with mental health
professionals on calls where such services
are needed. This allows those who need
such services to be better served and it
also allows other patrol units to be freed
up for other calls for service. In addition
to the two personnel who are dedicated
to the unit, other officers have been
trained as backups for such calls.
North Greenwood
The Economic Development
Department led
the city’s preplanning
and
communication
efforts with
Clearwater
Urban
Leadership
Coalition
and a crossdepartmental
team to determine
the feasibility of
creating a Community
Redevelopment Area in the North
Greenwood community. City Council
supported the effort, and the Pinellas
County Board of County Commissioners
approved it and moved forward with the
formation of the tax-increment financed
district.