Dunedin Officials List Top Concerns for Retreat Discussion

Breakfast and lunch paired with dozens of major city issues.

That's what Dunedin's elected officials are up to during a day-long retreat today, Feb. 28, at Dunedin Community Center. The day includes a catered continental breakfast, lunch from Ozona Pig, and a meaty agenda.

The retreat, suggested by City Manager Rob DiSpirito and approved by commissioners, is broken out into the following five discussion sessions (the full, detailed agenda is provided in the photos of this article):

• Planning for Our Future (8:45 to 10 a.m.) 
• Development/ Redevelopment Opportunities (10:05 to 11:15 a.m.)
• Quality of Life (11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.)
• Partnership (12:45 to 2 p.m.)
• Infrastructure (2 to 3 p.m.)

Discussion session topics were based, in part, on each commissioner's feedback to a brief questionnaire from DiSpirito asking them to prioritize their top five to 10 concerns in planning Dunedin's future.

The following is a list of elected officials' first five responses to DiSpirito's questionnaire:

Dave Eggers, mayor (listed 10 suggestions)

1. Design of Visioning Workshop II
2. How to keep downtown charming and quaint — parking bank, stormwater bank and a reasonable LDO fee.
3. Preserving and ensuring the survival of the Historical Society and Golf Club-prioritizing and process of providing operating and capital funds
4. Keeping the Blue Jays itself is a good thing ... planning has begun
5. Investing in our department heads and their succession is paramount to Dunedin's continued excellence ... do we need an assistant City Manager?

Julie Ward Bujalski, vice mayor (her list appearing "in no particular order," she indicated; included 10 ideas)

1. Neighborhood Enhancement (like Southside — new areas and programs)
2. Major Properties — Nielsen, Fenway, 200 Main St, Gateway, Baptist
3. Marketing — Concept of real marketing and partnering with Visit Dunedin
4. Marina (needs a master plan) — Major improvements and how to pay for it: transient docks, ships store, concierge service
5. Corridor Priorities — What's left to do and how do we want to prioritize

Ron Barnette, commissioner

1. Citywide bicycle trail plan with signage, etc.
2. Arts and culture/Quality of Life as economic development
3. Arts 'Overlay' area/ mixed use 
4. Ideas for uses in a potential vacant City Hall
5. Official participation in studying Scotland's 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn and the 50th anniversary of our sister city's relationship.

Heather Gracy, commissioner

1. Economic Development Drivers: Quality of Life, business, housing, corridor/neighborhood enhancements, tourism
2. Branding — to include as much of the city has possible
3. Public and Private Partnerships — CMs Quality of Life memo 9/12
4. Connectivity — bicycles and pedestrian
5. Municipal Services Annex

Julie Scales, commissioner (only listed four items)

1. Branding Implementation
2. Causeway
3. Green Infrastructure
4. Walkability

The retreat is open to the public. DiSpirito is facilitating the discussion in the Elliot Room from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The retreat will be filmed to run on Dunedin TV on a future date. Coffee for the public is in the Elliot Room.

Get more local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone every day with the free Dunedin Patch newsletter.