City Hall Still Closed, Are Online Meetings Here To Stay?
By 
The Safety Harbor City Commission has a light agenda Monday night for what might be its last meeting via video-conferencing before hopefully being able to resume live meetings.
Monday’s meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Here is the link to the agenda, with additional material, known as “backup,” available via the hyperlink on each item: https://safetyharbor.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=6&event_id=1796
With City Hall still closed to the public, Monday’s meeting will be conducted via the Zoom application that many residents are using more and more during the coronavirus crisis. Residents can watch or listen to the meeting in these ways:
- Web Browser: Go to https://cityofsafetyharbor.zoom.us/j/96865164399 or the city’s website at http://www.cityofsafetyharbor.com/557/Streaming-Media
- Mobile Phone: Download the Zoom app from the Apple Store or Google Play and enter Meeting ID # 968 6516 4399.
- Phone: Call in to the meeting by dialing toll-free 1-877-853-5257.
- Television: Watch on Spectrum channel #638, Wow channel #15 or Frontier channel #30.
Residents can participate as normal during individual agenda items or the Audience to be Heard portion at the beginning of the meeting for items not on the agenda or items on the consent agenda. Residents have three choices on how to participate:
- Email: Send your comments to pcomment@cityofsafetyharbor.com prior to the meeting. Emails of 500 words or fewer will be read during the meeting, with longer emails not read but distributed to Commissioners.
- Mail: Mail your comments to City Clerk, Attn: Public Comment, 750 Main St, Safety Harbor, FL 34695. Letters of 500 words or fewer will be read during the meeting, with longer emails not read but distributed to Commissioners. Also note that mailed comments must be received by Monday to be included in Monday’s meeting.
- “Live:” Residents watching or listening to the meeting live via the Zoom link or Zoom app can click on the “Raise Hand” icon on the Zoom app or in their web browser and wait to be recognized by Mayor Joe Ayoub, and those listening in via phone can press *9 and wait to be recognized by the mayor.
ON THE AGENDA …
Contract for Folly Farms gazebo installation: Commission will be asked to approve a $62,500 contract with Morelli Landscaping Inc.to assemble and install a previously purchased gazebo kit at the Folly Farms park. Morelli was the lowest of three bids received.
Agreement with Pinellas County Property Appraiser to secure protected information: Commission will be asked to approve an agreement with the Pinellas County Property Appraiser to protect the security of properties in the city that qualify for “protected address status.”
Finance Advisory Committee appointments: The terms of regular members Nadina Orozco and Steve Xanthoudakis and alternate member Christos Politis on the committee that advises Commission on financial matters are expiring, and all are requesting reappointment. Applications have also been received from Ray Welch, Ryan Murphy, Jacob Burnett, Andrew Pappas and William Dotson.
National Public Works Week proclamation: May 17-23 is the American Public Works Association’s National Public Works Week, and Safety Harbor Public Works Director Ray Boler will present a PowerPoint presentation of the work his staff has done.
Consent agenda: Items expected to have little debate, such as approval of the last meeting’s minutes and most contracts, are included en masse in the consent agenda, though any Commissioner can ask for any item to be considered separately. This meeting’s consent agenda includes approval of a $205,830.76 piggyback contract for maintenance of a Mullet Creek and 5th Street pond, approval of a contract for a 9th Avenue North force main replacement project and awarding of a contract for third-party online payment processing.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
Attend the meeting: The meeting starts at 7 p.m. via the Zoom application.Meetings typically run from 1.5 to three hours. Residents are given the opportunity to speak on all agenda items, except for presentations and consent agenda items. Follow the instructions included above to comment, have your comments read or be distributed to Commissioners prior to the meeting.
Contact your Commissioners in advance by emailing them. (City Hall is currently closed because of the coronavirus):
Mayor Joe Ayoub – jayoub@cityofsafetyharbor.com
Vice Mayor Cliff Merz – cmerz@cityofsafetyharbor.com
Commissioner Carlos Diaz – cdiaz@cityofsafetyharbor.com
Commissioner Andy Zodrow – azodrow@cityofsafetyharbor.com
Commissioner Nancy Besore – nbesore@cityofsafetyharbor.com
Did anyone else see that they got rid of both the over 100-year old trees at the development (condos, or whatever they are building there) of 3rd Ave. South and 2nd St. South? Trees are gone, they were huge, beautiful oaks, that have been there for a very very long time, providing fresh air , reducing air pollution, providing much -needed shade and shelter for wildlife. Very sad. I thought they were going to save them, but they got quietly got rid of them instead.
Shouldn’t we hold off on some lower priority expenditures until we see how the Covid 19 situation. will be impacting the city. I would much rather see the money go to our prime locations and much higher trafficked amenities for better maintenance and planting instead of ripping out plants since we have no resources to care for them. Aka the fountain, library, waterfront park. These areas should be beautifully landscaped and maintained at least as well as the spa property before we spend more on less visited spots.