SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve co-sponsorship and waiver of requested city fees for six High Impact co-sponsored special events at an estimated cost for in-kind services of $353,234.00 ($324,342.50 general fund, and $28,891.50 enterprise fund) and funding for the Community Event Co-Sponsorship Program of $110,000, for the purpose of Fiscal Year 2026/27 departmental budget submissions and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. (consent)
Body
SUMMARY:
Per City Council Policy, Item 2-21, Special Event Fee, there shall be an annual review of city sponsored/co-sponsored events during the budget process. An agenda item approving co-sponsorship and level of support for these events will be brought before the city council at the beginning of the budget process each fiscal year. In the event additional money is required beyond what is approved in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026/27 budget, City Council approval will be required.
Budget requests for High Impact Events in FY 2026/27 total $353,234.00 as compared with last year’s requests of $514,390.00. This represents a decrease of $161,156 (31.3%) for High Impact Events. The city-produced Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival and Clearwater Turkey Trot have been removed from the High Impact list for FY 26/27. After one year as the producers of the Clearwater Turkey Trot, staff anticipates the event will be revenue neutral through sponsorships and registrations. The Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival has been removed from the event calendar at this time.
Funding all other current High Impact Co-sponsored event requests have been reduced from 5 to 15 percent to align with overall budget reduction goals and encourages organizers of these events to be more self-sufficient in the production of their events. Light It Up Clearwater was moved from the Community Event Co-Sponsorship Program to High Impact Co-Sponsorship Program since their request is for in-kind services only.
The “Community Event Co-Sponsorship Program” remained consistent with funding approved in FY 2025/26 for eleven events totaling $74,665.00. This was a reduction of $21,085.00 from 2024/25 requests and aligns with our program objective of moving groups towards being less reliant on the city and not exceeding a set percentage of projected expenses. Groups continue to provide a portion of funding from other sources which is a positive outcome of this program. Examples of Community Events include Clearwater Classic 3: Baddest on the Beach, Gran Posada, 12 Days of Christmas Making Spirits Bright Holiday Parade, Community Family Fun Night, and Building Better Neighborhoods.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
If approved funding for the various events will be budgeted into each department’s operating budgets for FY 2026/27.
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS:
N/A
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:
Approval of the purchase order supports several Strategic Plan Objectives, including:
• 2.1: Strengthen public-private initiatives that attract, develop, and retain diversified business sectors.
• 2.2: Cultivate a business climate that welcomes entrepreneurship, inspires local investment, supports Eco-friendly enterprises, and encourages high-quality job growth.
• 2.3: Promote Clearwater as a premier destination for entertainment, cultural experiences, tourism, and national sporting events.
• 3.1: Support neighborhood identity through services and programs that empower community pride and belonging.
• 3.4: Inspire citizen participation through civic engagement and volunteerism to build strong, inclusive, and engaged communities.
