CMA Aquarium project

The City of Clearwater has approved a referendum to be held Nov 5, 2013 that will allow it to lease the city hall site to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) for 60 years at a cost of $1 per year.              By “giving away” one of the last waterfront properties that the city owns the “use & face” of the waterfront will change forever. The city is going to great lengths to provide special exceptions to the laws protecting this property. To do so for the exclusive benefit of a private enterprise is extremely “Risky Business” and all the citizens of Clearwater will suffer the consequences. When asked for information about the project the Mayor declared that the council does not intend to examine the feasibility of the project and that the citizens will have to decide for themselves through the voting process. We are being asked to vote on a project without having the terms of the lease available until after the election! If this sounds familiar it is...."pass the bill and then we will find out what it says". This is insane and we must not allow it to happen. As a resident of the downtown area I feel that all the citizens of Clearwater need to let their elected officials know that this must not happen.