Aquarium Referendum Comes Back to Council in June

City leaders discussed some changes to the 73-words of a referendum, that if approved by city voters, would reshape part of the downtown waterfront where City Hall is Monday.

The revised terms and conditions of the possible 60-year lease on City Hall property in order to develop a $160 million Clearwater Marine Aquarium facility will come back to the City Council to be voted on June 3, said Pam Akin, city attorney.

The ordinance, which contains the referendum, must be approved by Aug. 27 in order to meet the Supervisor of Elections deadline to be on the Nov. 5 special elections ballot.

The expected cost of the special election is $100,000. Aquarium officials have said they will pay costs associated with creating the referendum.

The Council discussed using the city’s website and sending the election information out in the mail to qualified voters.

The cost to mail would be about $10,000, said Joelle Castelli, city spokeswoman.

If the city sends out a mailing it should be paid for by the aquarium, Mayor George N. Cretekos said.

“I would not be comfortable paying for mailing,” he said.

The ordinance was written to include the history of previous help the city has provided the aquarium since it started as the Sea-o-Rama in 1972. The city donated its current facility, a former waste water treatment plant in the 1970s.

“(We) wanted to give some history,” Akin said. “So 60 years from now, someone could look at it and know where we are coming from,” Akin said.

Council member Bill Jonson wanted more time to read the referendum and ordinance to make sure the descriptions are as accurate as possible.

He brought up concerns regarding the title of the referendum. The words 'city hall' or 'aquarium' should be somewhere prominent, Jonson said.

The city charter requires resident approval of waterfront development on public land. It also addresses the waterfront tennis courts which were required to be south of Cleveland Street, Akin said.

“Why,” council member Paul Gibson asked.

“That’s the way it was written,” Akin said.

However, the courts could be moved anywhere of the council's choosing, she said.

Related coverage:

• Aquarium Referendum Comes to Council
• Special Election for Clearwater Marine Aquarium Plan Could Cost $100K
• City Hall Move for Clearwater Marine Aquarium Plan Could Cost $7.5 Million
• Florida Aquarium Official Warns Clearwater: Look Closely at the Numbers
• Poll: Would You Support $160 Million Clearwater Marine Aquarium Plan for City Hall?
• $160 Million Aquarium Plan Needs Clearwater Voter Support First
• Expanded Clearwater Marine Aquarium Could Bring Two Million People Downtown
• Clearwater Marine Aquarium Plans Could Bring Changes to Coachman Park
• What Clearwater’s Saying: Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s $160 Million Expansion
• Clearwater Marine Aquarium Eyes City Hall for $160 Million Expansion
• Downtown Neighbors Track Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Visitor Impact

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