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City plans to sell voters on boat slips

Officials will kick off an educational campaign in January to combat possible misinformation. An opposition leader says the effort isn't a good use of taxes.

By MIKE DONILA
Published September 16, 2006

CLEARWATER - The city expects to create an elaborate marketing plan that includes public meetings and several mailings, detailing to voters the latest effort to build boat slips along the bayfront.

The educational campaign kicks off in January, but city leaders need to refine a few details before it starts.

And once those are complete, officials can expect stiff opposition from the Save the Bayfront organization, the group that successfully defeated a similar plan in 2004.

"As a taxpayer whose taxes went up this year, I am not happy that they're spending my money to brainwash me - and there's a small line between brainwashing and education," Anne Garris, chairwoman for Save the Bayfront, said Thursday. "If it's such a good idea, why doesn't it sell itself?"

The city plans to put the boat slips proposal before voters in the city election in March. But they are concerned that days before the election, Save the Bayfront will mail voters slick, colorful fliers with misleading information. City leaders cried foul two years ago when a mailing they viewed as misleading went out.

City communications director Doug Matthews said that for the March vote, the city wants "to make sure everything is perfect" so residents "won't be misinformed."

The city will start by hiring a market research consultant, most likely Tampa-based Susan Schuler Research & Associates.

The firm will form a focus group to study the proposed language of the ballot question.

State law says the question cannot be longer than 75 words. The city initially put together its own question, but Clearwater leaders later decided to have a neutral party look at the language to decide whether it's clear or needs tweaking.

The focus group that studies the ballot question will "represent a cross section of the voting public," said Matthews.

The 42-member group should be put together in the upcoming weeks and meet three nights in mid October.

Any suggested changes to the ballot question's language will go to the council for review in early November.

The city ultimately would like to build 129 boat slips, a promenade, a boardwalk and a fishing pier just north and south of the Memorial Causeway near Coachman Park.

The $10.9-million project would be complete in 2009 and would be funded mostly though boat slip rentals.

The city's charter requires that voters sign off on a major development in that area.

In the meantime, the city is refining renderings of the boat slip project, Matthew said.

The plan is to post information on the city's Web site: www.myclearwater.com.

And, by early January, officials will begin the marketing campaign in earnest with a series of public meetings and mailings.

"It's kind of early right now. We don't want to get too far out in front of it and then have people reach the point of saturation long before ... the vote actually takes place," Matthews said.

A recent residents' survey showed a majority of Clearwater voters support the project.

But Save the Bayfront says the city should cut back on the overall design.

The organization says it prefers slips on the south side of the Memorial Causeway or on causeway land west of the Intracoastal Waterway.

The group also takes issue with the city's marketing effort and said it might come up with its own plans, but hadn't yet ironed out the details.

KEEP IT UNDER 76

This is the referendum question the city had planned to put to voters in November, but pushed back to March:

"Shall Clearwater Charter Section 2.01 (d)(6) be amended as provided in Ordinance No. 7672-06 to allow city-owned public docks, moorings, promenade and boardwalks; not more than 140 dedicated boat slips for which Clearwater residents shall have first priority; public restrooms and dockmaster's office not to exceed 1,200 square feet; and bring existing surface parking up to city code; on the property generally bounded by Drew Street, Pierce Street, the Intracoastal Waterway Channel and the Bluff?"

Yes_____ For amendment to City Charter

No_____ Against amendment to City Charter

[Last modified September 16, 2006, 06:18:05]