Protection for Coachman Park Reinstated by Charter Review CommitteeBy Anne McKay GarrisAt the conclusion of the recent Clearwater Charter Review Committee, several members commented on being pleasantly surprised by unexpected participation of the public. They were referring, in part, to the 25 citizens who showed up at a public hearing. Almost all of them came to protest the Committee's recommendation to allow recreation open space lands to be sold without approval of the citizens. They also made eloquent pleas to keep Coachman Park as a Park. Former Clearwater Commissioner Lee Regulski reminded the committee of the efforts Clearwater had made to purchase and preserve the land for this waterfront park. At a subsequent meeting, the Charter Review Committee voted to keep the Charter section which requires a referendum of the people before recreation/open space land may be sold, leased for a new purpose. At this meeting, however, a motion to keep the protection of Coachman Park was continued until the next meeting. On September 27, the Committee met again. A motion was made to leave the language regarding Coachman Park in the Charter, but to add "recreation" usage to the allowed open space. City Attorney Pam Akin told the members that the term recreation covered a variety of uses, including skateboards and concert venues. There was no mention of the recent concert at the park which had been heard, clearly, as far away as Island Estates. However, the committee promptly voted, unanimously, to leave the restrictions to development of Coachman Park in the Charter as they are. "If the City wants something there," said one participant, "let them propose something the majority of the people will be in favor of." The other issue on which the Committee members had received considerable input was fluoridation of Clearwater's potable water. Members of a political action committee called Citizens For Safe Water e-mailed a proposal to the Charter Review Committee members. They proposed that the Charter include a prohibition against adding anything to the water supply not needed to make the water pure and safe. The members agreed that this issue should be handled by ordinance, not part of the charter. The Charter Review Committee has been meeting since January of 2007. Their final meeting, to approve the wording of the their report to the City Council will be held on Thursday, October 11, at 4 p.m. at City Hall. The report to the Council is expected to be presented at the Council meeting on Wednesday, October 17, at 6 p.m. The Council is allowed by law to either accept or reject any of the recommendations and add any recommendations of their own, all of which will be on the city ballot in January.
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