Evolving Dunedin

City Retreat: Is 'Southside' a Dirty Word for Dunedin?

City leaders in a retreat focused on Dunedin's future talked about abandoning use of the word "southside" when talking about parts of the city in order to change some possible negative perceptions. What's your take?

The word "southside" leaves a bad taste in the mouths of some Dunedin city leaders. They honed in on the beleaguered nickname during a segment for identifying development opportunities in the southern half of town as part of a daylong commission retreat Feb. 28 focused on planning Dunedin's future.  Some commissioners believe banning "southside" from their vocabulary would help expel negative perceptions of the southern half of town. "We need to stop talking about that area like it's a problem," Commissioner Julie Scales said, suggesting that south Dunedin residents looking for a different identity are welcome to call themselves something else. Commissioner Ron Barnette suggested that officials start speaking more specifically when …

•  75 Comments
• Photos (1)

Leaders Lunch on Ozona Pig in Retreat on Dunedin's Future

City leaders were fed for their time — roughly seven hours — spent brainstorming Dunedin's future at Dunedin Community Center on Feb. 28.

After meaty discussion focused on Dunedin's future quality of life, city leaders lunched on pulled pork from Ozona Pig during Thursday's commission retreat. City leaders were fed for their time — roughly seven hours — spent brainstorming Dunedin's future at Dunedin Community Center Feb. 28. Commissioners dined on a catered barbecue lunch from Ozona Pig in Palm Harbor after talk of possibly creating neighborhood enhancement programs using code enforcement fines for distressed Dunedin homes.  City staff spent $127.50 on Hickory Smoked Barbecue Picnic Pacs from the restaurant, which includes barbecue pulled pork, barbecue chicken, baked beans, cole slaw, and potato rolls, as well as $13.63 for bagged salad, dressing and apple stack cake from …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (4)

-Ed Harris-

2:56 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013

I think micro managing the choice of food people eat is crossing the line. I love the Ozona Pig! If that's what they wanted, Great! I don't find it news worthy. I am glad they are all getting along and I am hopeful for a bright future. While I do not agree with all the choices made by the commission all the time. I do not think our city is in shambles by a long shot. As for travel, Yes Scotland, …   more ›

Dunedin Officials List Top Concerns for Retreat Discussion

Discussion sessions for a daylong, catered retreat for elected officials Thursday, Feb. 28, is based in part, on each commissioner's feedback on their top five concerns for the future planning of Dunedin. What did each commissioner list?

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): 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 …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)
• Documents (2)

-Ed Harris-

1:58 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013

You know, sometimes it's nice to just get out of town. Even if it's only to Palm Harbor. I'm just glad they are all working together so well.   more ›

Confusion Follows $800K Vote for Dunedin Fine Art Center, Historical Museum, Blatchley House

A motion to fund only two of the three proposed projects in an $800,000 package benefitting the Dunedin Fine Art Center, Historical Museum and the Blatchley House at Weaver Park, left some officials confused and surprised at Thursday's city meeting.

Dunedin Commissioner Julie Scales made a last-minute clarification Thursday that left some officials seeking a legal opinion. Scales wanted to make clear, just before city leaders were to cast their vote, that her motion was not actually supporting all of what was proposed on Feb. 21. The motion to fund only two of the three proposed projects in an $800,000 package benefiting the Dunedin Fine Art Center, Dunedin Historical Museum and the Blatchley House at Weaver Park, caught some officials off guard. "We all talked about all three items tonight," Mayor Dave Eggers said, trying to gain clarity. The original package proposal, called a "Quality of Life Initiative," included $500,000 to support a state grant application for a planned …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (3)

-Ed Harris-

3:00 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013

This did not seem all that confusing to me. There is a lot going on in a commission meeting but this was no different than any other vote. Nobody's perfect but they do seem to have the procedural stuff down pretty good.   more ›

John Lawrence Legacy Lives in New Pioneer Park Name

Dunedin officials unanimously agreed to rename Pioneer Park for one of the city's longest serving public servants during a tearful commission meeting Thursday, Feb. 21.

Where his departments were short-staffed, John R. Lawrence was the type of leader who wasn't afraid to roll up his sleeves and work alongside the employees, former human resources director Nancy Duggan told commissioners Thursday. Several longtime Dunedin employees choked back tears as they spoke to the character of a man whose name will soon live permanently in Pioneer Park, a public square he worked to help the city purchase decades ago. Mayor Dave Eggers lauded Dunedin's beloved former leader, while impressing upon those in attendance at Thursday's city meeting that renaming a public park for a person "is not something we do often or lightly." The commission unanimously agreed it was fitting to rename Pioneer Park the "The John R. …

• Photos (3)

San Christopher Dollar General Plans Move Along

Dollar General developers updated site plans that replace a privately-owned "eyesore" storage lot. The item is up for discussion at tonight's city commission meeting.

Updated plans for a Dollar General Store to replace an "eyesore" storage lot are expected to get a green light at Thursday's commission meeting. Developers recently changed the plans based on resident concerns for noise, traffic and stormwater flooding in a Dec. 6 public hearing. The latest plans have already received staff approval and await the final OK from city officials at Thursday's second public hearing.  Land use and rezoning changes that allow for an incoming discount retail chain at 1326 San Christopher Drive met resistance in November in December from both residents and a citizen advisory board that focuses on Dunedin development.  Commissioners said they had no legal reason to deny the Dollar General plans. Developers said they…

•  5 Comments
• Photos (4)

Kimberly Truitt

4:23 pm on Friday, February 22, 2013

If the city would like another dollar store maybe they should put it in the downtown Dunedin Main Street area...but that would NEVER happen, as that is the only area that concerns city officials.   more ›

Dunedin Hires Law Firm to Investigate Possible BP Oil Spill Claim

A high-powered, national plaintiff litigation firm told Dunedin commissioners Thursday that he'd have a draft recovery claim against BP ready in about two weeks.

A high-powered, national plaintiff litigation firm told Dunedin commissioners he'd have a draft claim against BP ready for Dunedin in about two weeks. Kevin Dean, a lawyer from South Carolina-based Motley Rice LLC, reassured commissioners who had questions about being past the Jan. 18 deadline to file a claim for recovery costs from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill. "It is a little bit of a concern," Dean said. "But I think we'll be OK." He told city officials Feb. 7 that the statute of limitations doesn't technically expire until April 20. Dean said no case law on the technicalities surrounding a 90-day filing period under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 exists, and he suspects judges would rule in the claimants' favor if it is challenged…

•  3 Comments
• Photos (2)

Dunedin Can Make Claim from Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Law Firm Says

Despite being past deadline to file a claim, a high-powered litigation firm wants Dunedin to join Pinellas County and several surrounding cities in filing claims against oil companies deemed responsible for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill.

Dunedin is well past the deadline to file a claim against oil companies deemed responsible for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill. But a high-powered, national plaintiff litigation firm is approaching city officials Thursday about filing a claim anyway. Tourists were scared away, local businesses hemorrhaged and fishing livelihoods were ruined along the entire Gulf coast in the aftermath of the oil spill. And the City of Dunedin, a coastal hamlet in Pinellas County, the most popular tourism destination on Florida's west coast, surely took a hit, says Motley Rice LLC. Motley Rice says that despite being past the Jan. 18 statute of limitation, it can help the city, along with Pinellas County and several neighboring cities that have already …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (3)
• Documents (1)

-Ed Harris-

6:13 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013

I noticed during the spill, that I had to use far less tanning oil that usual and saved a few bucks while at the beach. Should I send BP a couple bucks? The City should walk away from this legal offer and say no thank you.   more ›

Are Dunedin Officials Playing Favorites with Sail Honeymoon?

A legal agreement the owner of Sail Honeymoon made three years ago with the city requires that he re-bid for his business, but some commissioners are looking to create a loophole to bypass the bidding process.

Glen Steinke knows he's getting a good deal. He's paying $1,000 a month to run a kayak and sailboat rental business on the only land bridge connecting a million annual visitors to Honeymoon Island State Park. Steinke has an agreement with the city to run Sail Honeymoon on the Dunedin Causeway. He has been there for the better part of 20 years. "You're not getting a good deal," Steinke told commissioners during the Jan. 24 public hearing. "I'd like to give you more money. I'd like a long-term contract in exchange." A legal agreement he made three years ago with the city requires that operations of the iconic concession would go to bid on Jan. 18, before the contract expires on July 31. But commissioners are divided when it comes to …

•  10 Comments
• Photos (5)

Sail Honeymoon on Dunedin Causeway to Go Up for Bid?

Sail Honeymoon, a kayak and sailboat rental stand on Dunedin Causeway, is fast approaching the end of its lease with the city, and residents want officials to amend the contract so the business can stay. It's up for discussion at tonight's public hearing.

Legally, the city is required to put the iconic Causeway kayak and sailboat rental concession out to bid. But Dunedin Causeway residents and Commissioner Julie Scales are asking city leaders to disregard the agreement and keep 20-year owner Glen Steinke of Sail Honeymoon right where he is. "We have a million visitors pass through the Causeway going to Honeymoon Island every year, and Glen has been our eyes and ears to assure the maintenance of this entire Causeway area," Norma Tilleges, president of Dunedin Beach Civic Association, wrote in a Jan. 12 letter to commissioners. Steinke operates Sail Honeymoon through a license agreement with the city that expires July 31. In order to ensure continuous service on the causeway and also remain …

•  7 Comments
• Photos (4)