CITY MANAGER
We are now in 2021 and we look forward to a successful new year. During January, we saw progress made on vaccine distribution for the COVID-19 injections, but the supply line has not kept up to demand. Our City is stressing to our state and national leaders that vaccine availability and injection sites must increase. As of this writing, to some extent we have seen an increase with vaccine being utilized by Publix Supermarkets in Pinellas County and more specifically, the Madeira Beach Publix. Hopefully, the increases will continue.
COVID-19 has also affected the events that are normally planned throughout the year. In January, we had the John’s Pass Seafood Festival, rescheduled from October, scheduled for January 22-24th. Unfortunately, this was the timeframe that COVID-19 was projected to peak in our area and the event had to be modified to an art show format with venders selling crafts and pieces of art. The event was successful and lowered the large crowds that the Seafood Festival drew limiting the COVID-19 exposure. This crisis requires teamwork. We all must be diligent and follow the CDC guidelines by social distancing, wearing masks, washing your hands frequently, and avoiding strangers and crowded conditions. Through these efforts we can keep city and love ones safe.
The popularity of our Wednesday Market is growing since the event moved to Madeira Way, necessitating the closure of Madeira Way during the event from 8 am – 1 pm. This event has brought pedestrian traffic and patronage to the area businesses. During the event, there is free parking on the east side of the post office side of the street and paid parking on the other side. Thank you for everyone’s cooperation in assisting this event and rearranging their commute.
BUILDING OFFICIAL(S)- DEVELOPMENT REPORT- (January 2021)
City Building Official, Frank DeSantis reports that our redevelopment/economic development continues at a fast pace including several large condominium projects under plan review.
- The Madeira Bay Project (44 units) at 13101 Gulf Blvd. The side banks need to be re-graded to meet code. Waiting on as-builts and revised drainage calculations. NO CHANGE.
- The Madeira del Mar Condominiums project (13 units, 4-stories with two floors above parking) 15305 1st Street East. All M-E-P’s are completed for all floors. Window and door installations should be completed this week. The Duke Energy transformer and easements are resolved. The project is at 94% completion.
- The Gulf Grill – Cady’s project. (Restaurant) 14080 Gulf Blvd. – The underground utilities are completed at Kitty Stuart park. All M-E-P’s and the pavers are completed. The project itself is at 97% completion.
- The Harbor at Town Center Condominiums project 212 150TH Ave – The building permit was released and picked up last week. The GC will be setting up the site for construction soon.
- The Holiday Isles projects –
- 555 150th Ave. (Hampton Inn Hotel) – NO CHANGE Overall progress is still at 1%. Permit has been extended to 4-5-2021, per Executive Order 20-52.
- 565 150th Ave. (31-unit residential condo building) – Permit has been approved and is awaiting pick up by contractor. NO CHANGE.
- City Hall Generator Structure, 300 Municipal Drive – The generator & structure are complete. The project is at 100% completion. I will work with Karen on submittals of final docs to FEMA in supporting the grant funds.
- The Office Suite Downstairs – The footers and slab were poured last week. They started laying the block work (should be 3-days work). The project is 7-days ahead of schedule and estimated for completion at 4-months.
Monthly Totals (01/01/2021 through 01/31/2021):
- The Building Department totals for the month to date were:
- 81 different types of permits were issued.
- $313,439. Permit fees collected.
- $2,407,925. Permit estimated value or cost.
- 238 completed inspections (average 16 per day)
- On the Code Compliance
- 9 new code compliance cases were created.
- 4 code compliance cases being resolved.
- 32 open/outstanding code compliance concerns with the help of the Special Magistrate.
- PCSO-Community Policing and Code Enforcement
- 0 new code compliance cases were opened.
- 0 existing code compliance cases were resolved.
- 33 code compliance cases remain open.
- The Residential Rental Inspectionprogram inspected.
- 5 – units total
PARKING
Revenue as of January 26, 2021, is $122,424. Signs for Madeira Way parking have been installed.
Madeira Beach Citizens Academy has been postponed until further notice.
New resident passes are available at City Hall.
FIRE DEPARTMENT- FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR 2021
Lieutenant Andrew Childers
Hired 07/30/2012
Promoted 10/13/2014
Lieutenant Andrew Childers began his career with Madeira Beach Fire Department in 2012 after testing against over 50 applicants. FF/PM Childers was a driven member of MBFD from the start. Following the completion of his new hire probation, FF/PM Childers successfully completed the Acting Lieutenant program under Lt. Ermscher. In 2014 he was named HCA Hospitals’ EMS All Star for MBFD. When the opportunity to test for the Lieutenant position became available, he took on the challenge and tested against two of his peers. Andrew was promoted to Lieutenant in late 2014.
Shortly after his promotion, Lt. Childers was given the responsibilities of Training Officer and Peer Fitness Coordinator. The assigned duties require additional time and dedication from Lt. Childers to overall benefit Madeira Beach Fire Department and all the members. Since his promotion, Lt. Childers became a Fire Instructor and teaches at the SPC Fire Academy. He has developed a fitness training protocol with required quarterly evaluations for overall healthy fitness level of MBFD firefighters. For several years now, Lt. Childers has also taken on the responsibility of the Department’s Water Rescue Program. He has developed protocols forth-setting requirements for training, assignment of duties for each member and replacement/repair of all water rescue equipment. He is the liaison between MBFD and Pinellas County Fire/EMS for the County’s Water Rescue Program. In addition to all the extra assignments he is also the coordinator of our Department’s run cards, is serving on the Truck Committee for the second time and recently taken on the responsibility of Union DVP. Lt. Childers volunteered to be step down as Training Officer and was tasked with duties of Operations Officer. This is a newly created assignment to assist the Department streamline day to day operations.
The recognition of Firefighter of the Year comes from members of the Department. During the nominations many accolades were noted for Lt. Childers, recognizing his leadership, professionalism and dedication to our Fire Department and also the fire service as a whole. Appreciation for the responsibilities he takes on to better the Department as well as the relationships he continues to build with neighboring departments and City Officials echoed through each nomination. “I have complete faith in him as a leader and respect his continuing efforts to make us a stronger crew and to help us continue to learn and grow as a shift and as a whole department.” Others wrote, “He always leads by example and I know he has our back no matter the situation.” “Lt. Childers is very knowledgeable and displays patience when instructing others.” “He pushes us all to be better and work better together” and “He loves his job and it shows.”
Lieutenant Childers’ compelling dedication to Madeira Beach Fire Department and continued aspiration for personal and professional growth positively impacts the Department and our community. It gives me great pleasure to announce Lt. Andrew Childers as Firefighter of the Year for 2021.
CITY CLERK
As of December 31, 2020, the Board of Commissioners have held 66 meetings in 2020. All meetings are open to the public. For January 2021, The Board held 5 meetings. The public can view meetings by webcast or on Spectrum Ch. 640 and public comment is accepted by email in advance of each meeting. Regularly scheduled meetings are held:
Board of Commissioners Meetings – City Hall, 300 Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach, FL 33708
Workshop Agenda Setting 2nd Wednesday @ 5:45 p.m.
Regular Meeting 2nd Wednesday @ 6 p.m.
Regular Workshop Meeting 4th Wednesday @ 6 p.m.
Meeting dates and times are subject to change due to holidays, etc.
MARCH 9, 2021 ELECTION CANCELLED
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION OF OATH OF OFFICE
The City of Madeira Beach will not be having an Election on March 9, 2021. During the Candidate qualifying period that began at NOON – Monday, December 7, 2020 and ended at NOON – Friday, December 18, 2020, only one Candidate filed and qualified for Commissioner District 3 and only one Candidate filed and qualified for Commissioner District 4. Those candidates are:
| COMMISSIONER-ELECT | SEAT | TERM OF OFFICE | ANNUAL SALARY |
| Doug Andrews (incumbent) | District 3 | Two-Year Term | $7,500 |
| David “Dean” Hutson | District 4 | Two-Year Term | $7,500 |
Both candidates will be administered the Oath of Office at the Board of Commissioners Regular Commission Meeting to be held on March 10, 2021 at 6:00 p.m in the Patricia Shontz Commission Chambers located at 300 Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach, FL 33708. These candidates, once their oaths are administered, will attend their first meeting of the Board of Commissioners on the same date and time.
Social distancing and the wearing of masks are required at the meeting. The meeting will be aired on Public Access TV Spectrum Channel 640 and through the city’s website.
CITY OF MADEIRA BEACH MARINA
Cold weather and storm fronts will limit your fishing opportunities this month, however sheepshead will start to make their way inshore to start spawning. Large numbers of the convict striped crustacean eaters will school up around bridges, docks, and rocky seawalls. Sheepshead like areas with lots of growth, (oysters and barnacles) with some moving water. Look for these areas around the passes and the nearby canals. Bait can very but must be a crustacean or muscle such as, oysters, barnacles, fiddler crabs, sand fleas or fresh cut shrimp. Use medium heavy spinning tackle with 20–30-pound braid and 25–40-pound leader depending on water clarity. For tackle I prefer an Owner hook model 5111 in #1 to 2/0 depending on the size bait you are using. Put a split shot on the line about 8 inches from the hook and make sure that you use just enough weight to hold bottom as the bite hill be very subtle. Sheepshead are a delicious eating fish but must be 12 inches overall with a daily bag limit of 8 per person.
PUBLIC WORKS
Sanitation Staff has been training on the new piece of that was delivered early this month. The Broyhill Load and Pack. The machine has a built in 4:1 compactor with a total capacity of 28CY. The Load and Pack has a total of 4 cameras for additional safety. The Load and Pack’s lift arm can lift bins up to 96 gallons and a total load of 500 pounds. The new beach bins will be 96-gallon containers with lids. This will allow the city to reduce the number of bins on the beach, while not losing any capacity for trash. Combined with the increased capacity and efficiency of the Load and Pack it will reduce the amount of time it takes staff to collect trash at the Beach. The 96-gallon bins are custom made with the City’s seal hot stamped on the sides of the bins. The bins are estimated to be shipped mid-February and staff expects to begin utilizing the Broyhill Load and Pack and 96-gallon bins by early March.
GIBBS & REGISTAR: CRYSTAL ISLAND UPDATE
Crystal Island Updates
Project is still on schedule to be completed in 3/2021.
- Storm
- All inlets and outfalls are in place and tied in.
- Curb:
- curbs are in place throughout the entire project area (Johns Pass Ave, Lillian Dr, Flamingo Dr and Crystal Dr).
- Roadway
- The first lift of asphalt is in place throughout the entire project area
- There will be one final lift of asphalt (approximately 1.5”) before striping the road
- Restoration
- Concrete and Paver Driveway in progress.
- Irrigation and sod restoration in progress.
- City Inspector is keeping a detailed punch-list of items that need to be corrected/completed. The Contractor has begun working on the punch-list items.
RECREATION
The New Year has kicked off in Madeira Beach and activities a slowly rolling back into action. The Madeira Beach Youth Baseball & Softball program and the Madeira Beach Youth Basketball program are both rolling strong with practices and games taking place in February. The Madeira Beach Youth Soccer program has registration open as well for their upcoming Spring Season. In addition to Youth Sports, the Adult Kickball League for Madeira Beach has registration open with games looking to begin in late February.
From an event stand point, COVID-19 has presented a lot of challenges. While the John’s Pass Seafood Festival was cancelled, an Art’s Weekend took its place and turned out to be an extremely nice weekend. With a focus on social distancing and proper PPE adherence, the weekend went on without a hitch. In regards to events, the county has recently issues guidance and protocol for any and all events over 1000 people. The City of Madeira Beach will be participating in this direction from the county to ensure that all activities, indoor and out, are done safely and responsibly. One of the main focuses to realize is that for any event which takes place, facemasks and social distancing will be required, regardless of the location.
Below are some upcoming events and activities throughout Madeira Beach:
- Feb 3, 10, 17, 24 – Wednesday Morning Market on Madeira Way – 9:00am – 1:00pm
- Feb 6 – Super Saturday ‘Safe Distance’ Beach Clean – Up – 8:00am – 10:00pm
- Feb 12 – 1st Annual Drive In Movie Night (Shrek) & Fill the Boat Food Drive – 4:00pm – 8:30pm